01/30/2007
Removing Youth Hunting Barriers in North Dakota
BISMARCK, N.D. — Legislation to remove youth hunting barriers has been introduced in the North Dakota state legislature.
House Bill 1149 lowers the age young people can deer hunt from 14 to 12. Co-sponsored by five representatives and one senator, HB 1149 passed by a vote of 80-9 in the House and will now go to the Senate and then be referred to the Natural Resources committee.
"If we do not get more youth involved in the outdoors, we will have fewer future sportsmen and sportswomen who will be the stewards of our wildlife," said Rep. Don Dietrich (R-District 42), the bill's sponsor. "I have been involved in youth firearm and shooting instruction for approximately 40 years and have found for the vast majority of young shooters, from 10 years old on up, to be very safety conscious, responsible and polite."
Reducing and eliminating age and other barriers that prevent people from hunting is a major component of Families Afield. Using data from the Youth Hunting Report, the National Wild Turkey Federation, the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and the National Shooting Sports Foundation joined forces to create the Families Afield initiative. The National Rifle Association is also supporting the effort in North Dakota to remove barriers for young hunters.
The Youth Hunting Report, written by Silvertip Productions, USSA and Southwick Associates Inc., found that some states experience better recruitment and retention of new hunters than others. They do so by permitting parents to decide when their sons and daughters are ready to hunt, and allow potential hunters to try hunting under the watchful eye of a mentor before completing a hunter education course.
The Youth Hunting Report also shows youth hunters are the safest hunters in the woods when accompanied by an adult. The findings were peer reviewed for statistical validity by the Triad Research Group. For more information on hunting safety data and the Youth Hunting Report, log onto www.familiesafield.org.
"Allowing young people to safely experience hunting with a mentor is the best way to make them appreciative of the hunting tradition," said Rob Keck, NWTF CEO. "Getting them interested in hunting at an early age will not only prepare them for hunter education courses, but lays the foundation for being good conservationists."
To date, Families Afield legislation and regulations have been approved in 12 states. Two of those states, Michigan and Ohio, established apprentice hunting programs. First-year results appear extremely promising. More than 18,000 apprentice licenses were sold in Michigan, plus nearly 10,000 in Ohio, during 2006. These 28,000 new hunters suggest a 26 percent jump in the two states' combined population of hunters age 15 and under.
The twelve states have changed laws and regulations to create additional hunting opportunities for youth and novice hunters are:
Florida
Illinois
Kansas
Kentucky
Louisiana
Michigan
Minnesota
Mississippi
Ohio
Pennsylvania
Tennessee
Utah
