Switch gun saftey age to lower? for better youth hunts

[fishkid]

i was wondering what other people think about this and if it would change your mind at all about the youth hunt if your for it or against it.
Since the age that you need to take gun saftey is 12 years old y would we want 8 year old kids handeling guns when 12 year olds are probably more mature. i think that they should switch the gun saftly class to a lower age so we could have safer hunters probably and better shots out on the youth day to cut down on the cripples. Or the dads of the kids that are hunting should set a limit on how far the kids can shooot at ducks to help cut down. because kids have many chances on kids day and dont need to waste shells or cripple a bird when you can get closer shots and a better chance an hitting them
my 2 cents worth

[fishinmike]

i think the age limit is set correctly. Same time kids can get there first deer permit and stuff.

Mike

[hanson]

Well, I remember when I first took gun safety training. I'm 26 now so that would have been 14 years ago. I was honestly scared to death to shoot a shotgun. I'm not quite sure why but I was. All I had ever shot was a BB gun or the .22 I remember it was a lot louder than anything I ever shot and also a lot more recoil too.

My honest opinion is I don't think I was physically or mentally able to shoot a gun like that until I hit that age. Now all I was shooting was a 20 gauge w/ 2 3/4" bird shot but I was still intimidated by that gun. It took me a few more years to step up to a deer rifle after that and that took a few minutes of heavy reassurance by my father too. Can I add HEAVY REASSURANCE by my father. I thought that gun was going to knock me on my can but it didn't. Guess it was fear of the unknown.

My opinion is the son's/daughter's father or mother should be well aware of the capabilities of their child before they hit the slough, pond, or lake to go duck hunting. If they don't, they shouldn't be out there.

I might be reading too much into your post but it just seams like you are hinting at the regular duck hunting season being impacted in some way by the youth hunt, or should I say lots of crippled birds swimming around after the youth hunt.

I hate to say it but I myself lose a few birds each year. I don't hunt with a dog so I have to chase after the cripples. We get most of them but every now and then there is one that will keep diving and swimming that you just can't catch up with, or get a good shot on when it surfaces for a half second. (NO, the cripples are not a result of shooting at birds out of range)

[fishkid]

u cant say that all the cripples are not from out of range shooting because u have people that arent always good at judging distnaces

[gundoglily]

As a former firearm safety instructor, I feel that the age should be increased to take firearm safety. Most 11 going on 12 year olds are not mature enough to realize the consequenses of their actions when stuff goes wrong. In this day of very realistic video games, some kids don't realize that dead is forever. A lot of parents want their kid to take the course and get their certificate, so that when deer hunting season comes, they have another tag to use, even though the youth should harvest their own deer. We never had any qualms of having a kid take the class again when we felt the maturity level wasn't there. I know this probably won't be a popular post, but its my 2 cents.

[set the drag]

I think it should stay the same. I've had mine for 10 years. And I know I wasn't ready to hold a gun then. I got it because there were guns in my house and my dad wanted me to know what the R all about. Some peoples kids shouldn't even get the chance till they really know what KILLING or for that matter what DEAD is. I think the accidents that happen now would even be worse with younger kids in the blind shooting

[Trany]

I am a special case, I was born in the 70's and did not require gun saftey. But I did have the opertunity of growing up in the Boy Scouts and had the chance to fire Rifles (.22) Shotguns, 75lb test compound bows and some black powder. After high school I enlisted in the Navy and had the training in the M16 and the 9mm pistol both of which I qualed in. I don't think that age has a dirrect corrilation to shooting skill, however I think that "marksmanship" is the key to teaching the youth how to fire a weapon. I don't feel that an age can determine maturity. I do think that skill and repeated use of firearms and such do. I think that when you have more exposure by mature teachers you can gain unmeasurable shooting skills. The shooting skills you learn will in turn teach you the max range you can shoot with sucsess. I know adults in their mid 30's who can't shoot **** , and with in that I think "skybusting" is a result of un-trained shooters. I did'nt grow up hunting, and I will admit that I have wounded birds that I did not retrive, yet I was shooting further then my ideal range was given the load and size. I adtribute that to poor judgement, but I think that most novice hunters have made the same mistake. I think that kids should learn how to hunt from experianced people while getting the max exposure to firing firearms which will grant them the needed experiance to be a quality hunter.

[myzee13]

The best training a child can get is from his/her parent. My son has been hunting sqirrels for the past 2 seasons, annd this year he'll take part in the youth hunt for the 1st time at the ripe old age of 9. I'm fully confident in his abilities and safety awareness. If I weren't, he wouldn't hunt. I don't know if they should change the age, it should be up to the parent to decide if their child is mature enough.

[gspman]

There's no way I'd go for lowering the age. The maturity level just isn't there for younger kids and even many 12 year olds. Handling a firearm is an awesome responsibility and it only takes one mistake to change a life forever.

[duckbill]

I am with myzee13. I learned from my dad and grandpa. I was shooting a 20 gauge at 9 years old. They let me know what was exceptable and what was not. If I wanted to go hunting with them I treated that gun with a lot of respect and knew that it was not a toy. Every kid is different though. I have 8 year old now and I would not want a bb-gun in her hands.

[bigbucks]

I think the age the way it is now works, at least for the vast majority. Like someone said, some kids that will eventually be fine, aren't ready even at 12, but you & I know some parents are going to let their kids go as soon as it's legal whether they're ready or not. We can only hope their firearms instructors don't pass them, if they're not ready, like someone said earlier.

The comments on here tell us it works. Those who work with their kids a lot & understand how it should be done have some of them hunting small game & so on much younger than 12, which is legal. They're not hunting in big game situations before 12, other than coming along for the learning experience. They don't have to deal with that really huge excitement of a deer running by, that even many adults still have a hard time controlling. They're working into hunting with slower paced hunts with lots of opps, like squirrel hunting, rabbits, grouse, pheasants, ducks in controlled environments on lower pressure hunts, the way I believe it should be. They're level of freedom to hunt more alone graduating along with their expericence & the level of maturity they show to warrant it.

Kids have their whole lives to hunt. What I've found in my own experience & from watching others, those that gain those experiences a little slower tend to appreciate & respect them more. Sometimes we try to make our kids grow up too fast, so they can be our hunting buddy.

[Guest]

Tranny....
I was born in 69 and I needed one to hunt big-game when I was 12....

[BDR]

Untill last year when my 12 year old took gun safety, I was under the false impression that it was needed for all hunting. I was wrong it is only needed for big game hunting.

My kids all have the opportunity to come on any of my hunting trips as long as they are physically able. To watch and learn. In fact it is expected in my Deer hunting party

However my kids will handle firearms earlier. Only at times my focus will be 100% on what they are doing. Teaching them the safety required. And the how to's and how not to's.

I do feel that the training age is OK. I also agree that in some cases kids may be "ready" at an earlier age and the parents can make that call.

I have seen ten year olds with no official training more ready than some 15 year olds with training.

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Brian Rogers

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[bigbucks]

My guess is what Trany meant that since he was born in the 70's gun training wasn't reguired for him, once he got a driver's license. I know that until a certain point gun training wasn't required after age 16, although I think you had to have a driver's license or some form of official ID. I think it's anyone born from 1980 on are required to have it no matter how old they are.

My little brother started deer hunting when he was 16, he was born in 71, he's never taken gun training to my knowledge. I'm not so sure he could hunt in other states however, depends on the state I suppose. (I realize he could still take the training at any time.)

By the way Tom Herman according to another thread, you being slightly younger than I, that make you a "punk". Welcome to that club "officially".

[Borch]

Personally I'm fine with it where it is. Although parents should be the ones making the decision whether their 12 year old is ready or not the hunt big game.

Reality is in MN there is no requirement for the firearms safety cert. for waterfowl or small game before the age of 12. Also note no minimum age to hunt these either.

Many states allow children as young as 8 to hunt big game. Are their accident rates any higher than MN per capita? Some are and some are lower.

Although my kids started hunting with me when they where around 8. They were not allowed to carry a gun while doing it until they got their safety permit. Another rule I had was that the first year of hunting ducks and pheasants they got to use 1 shell in the gun. The second they got two and then from that point on they got to use three. Help them learn to make the first shot count and also helped with safety as they weren't concentrating on getting that next round in.

As far as if they are ready to shoot by 12. Heck all my kids were accomplished marksmen by the time they took their safety cert. class. They had shot shot guns, rifles and even some blackpowder by then at targets and clay pigdeons. In a household with guns they needed to learn the safety issues and rules of firearms safety long before they were 12 years old.

In my household firearms safety was a formallity required by the state and me to hunt. Most of the real work had already been done. Which is the way it should be.

Just my opinion.

[This message has been edited by Borch (edited 09-14-2004).]

[myzee13]

I firmly stand by my previous post stating that it's up to the parent. Last weekend proved my point. The only mistake my 9 yr old made in the blind was when he wasn't looking in the skies while eating a cookie... some ducks flew by and he missed an opportunity....who hasn't done that?!!!
The rest of the morning was slow as far as hunting goes, but was a great time bonding.
Oh. and by the way, he ID'd 5/6 of the ducks he shot at! For you doubters of the early youth hunt.. it's all in the training, just like a dog.

[zackj91]

i think it should be considerd at age 10 its a resposeable age