Good sense prevails for younger hunters (MD)

The Washington Times ^ | 2-27-08 | Gene Mueller

[JZelle]

What in the world is happening in the Maryland legislature, where some of the people's representatives apparently have nothing better to do than try to pass laws that would keep a parent or other responsible adult from having children accompany them on a hunt?

Luckily, good sense prevailed yesterday.

HB655, the "Hunting License Minimum Age" bill that was introduced by Del. Barbara Frush, Beltsville Democrat, and Del. Virginia P. Clagett, Annapolis Democrat, and would have prohibited the Department of Natural Resources from issuing a license to children younger than 13, was withdrawn.

A great deal of credit must go to the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Caucus and the Maryland Legislative Sportsmen's Foundation. Without the groups' vigorous protests and work with pro-hunting legislators, the bill would have caused immeasurable damage. It was widely believed that by the time a child reaches 13, he or she would have moved on to other interests, decreasing the ranks of sport hunters ever more.

That is precisely what the anti-hunting, animal rights crowd hopes for, and the two legislators who introduced the bill no doubt wanted to head up an effort to curb a time-honored American tradition.

Believe me, it's not the children they are worried about. They know that compared with other recreational activities, hunting actually has a remarkable safety record, naysayers notwithstanding. The animal worshippers want all hunting to come to a halt eventually. Period.

Unlike Maryland, other states, including Virginia, actually have passed special "Families Afield" programs aimed at improving youth participation and hunter recruitment. Under proper adult supervision, 10-year-olds can hunt in Illinois, Kentucky, Michigan, Nebraska, Oregon, South Carolina and Tennessee, to name a few.

[Abathar]

I learned to hunt when I was about 8 or nine with my father and grandfather. I thought it was the greatest thing in the world when they took us with them rabbit hunting. They would have us walk around and stomp on every brushpile and fallen log while they walked the path, yelling at us to move faster.

As I got older I suddenly realized if I wasn't out there beating the brush then they wouldn't be having nearly as much fun. The cheap and lazy bums were having us do the work so they didn't need to train any dogs.

I now have 3 kids and intend carrying on the tradition myself...

[swmobuffalo]

We have youth hunts here in Missouri, not sure what the age limit is but I’ve seen 5 and 6 years olds in the paper with their “first deer”.

[gridlock]

When I was a boy in rural Maryland, boys would go out with their fathers at around 8 years old. But the Maryland that I knew as a boy is loooooong gone.

[Tolerance Sucks Rocks]

Maryland “Freak State” PING!