Hunting is not only about shooting a gun. It is a complete and immersive experience about an individual's connection to nature and the land. Wisconsin has a well-respected and strong hunting tradition no one wants to see fade away. From 2000 to 2004, the number of hunters who bought licenses decreased by approximately 50,000, according to the Department of Natural Resources, and many in Wisconsin's hunting community are concerned the tradition is slowly dying.
To remedy the decline, Rep. Scott Gunderson, R-Waterford, has proposed a bill that would lower the minimum hunting age from 12 to eight. An adult would have to share a gun with the child and be within arm's length of the child. However, giving 8-year-old children guns for hunting is not the way to continue this proud Wisconsin tradition.
Hunters can still take their young children on hunting trips, but simply not give them a weapon. Children will still participate in the experience without actually shooting a gun.
Furthermore, most 8-year-old children are incapable of handling a gun. They do not posess the necessary hand-eye coordination. This is the age when the Academy of American Pediatrics says children can begin using hand brakes on bicycles'pulling the trigger is much more dangerous. If children ages 12 to 17 already have the greatest hunting-accident rate in the state, according to the DNR, what is one to expect from even younger children?
Another safety concern is that the age for taking the hunter-safety course will remain at 12, the current age minimum. A hunter safety course is a staple in many states for new hunters, but if this law passes, the most dangerous of the new hunters will not be required to take the course for four years.
Psychological effects of hunting at age eight are alarming as well. Are such young children ready to understand what it means to take a life? History has shown the gun to be a powerful tool, and children must be prepared to understand the implications of pulling the trigger.
Wisconsin, like the entire country, could be losing hunters for many reasons'chronic wasting disease, fewer public lands, changing demographics, rising costs'let us not make children and families the victims of a beloved Wisconsin tradition.
