When are the States going to lower their hunting license age? Obviously, training young people to kill causes school shootings.

[labrador12]

All the crap about school shootings and the age to buy a gun is in direct opposition to the fact that ages to hunt have been lowered in the last few years. Millions of kids under 18 own their own guns. Democrats and other idiots are trying to make everyone a felon. Might as well brand them young. They hate us. This is just more proof.

[PigHunter]

Should kids hunt? This Time article is dated but the question remains.

"Teachers and counselors report that kids who are taught to hunt responsibly are generally among the more mature and better-mannered--and saner--adolescents in the wilds of modern American culture. Cesario Guerrero, an agricultural-science teacher, leads kids from tough neighborhoods in inner-city Houston on hunting trips for deer and wild hogs and observes that these students often "become part of a different crowd" when they return. "It gives them a pride."

Why do you think children should be taught how to hunt? What are the benefits? What are the negatives?

[jhjimbo]

I am not in favor of youngsters hunting unaccompanied by a adult. A few years ago a youngestr, who was vouched for by his adult, was hunting alone and blasted away with a slug gun. When asked he said he thought it was a deer. It was a stump.

[PigHunter]

I am not in favor of youngsters hunting unaccompanied by a adult. A few years ago a youngestr, who was vouched for by his adult, was hunting alone and blasted away with a slug gun. When asked he said he thought it was a deer. It was a stump.

I started hunting alone at age 14

[FirstBubba]

I don't remember exactly how old I was.
Around 12"ish".
My dad or granddad would sit me beside a tree to squirrel hunt until they returned.
That was about the time dad built me my own deer stand.

[labrador12]

I started hunting with my father when I was 8. In NY 14 was the age of Jr hunting. You had to be accompanied by an adult. You had to be 16 to hunt alone or to hunt big game. By the time I was 17 I could make my Model 12 sing. I own guns and knives, none of which has ever killed a human being. The tools of killing are available and have been for over a Century. We have a problem. Eliminating the 2nd Amendment isn't the answer. The Death Penalty for school shooters might be a step in the right direction.

[crm3006]

Can't remember if I was six, or seven. Somewhere about that age, as soon as I could get the little H&R .410 "suitcase gun" up to my shoulder. Accounted for many a squirrel, cottontail, a few swamps and quail. Learned to shoot birds on the fly with that little tight choked shotgun, and shoot a squirrel in the head without getting shot in the meat. Oklahoma did not require anyone to have a license until age 16 at that time, and landowners and their children were exempt from license requirements when hunting on their own land, so I don't recall having a licence until I was 16 and able to drive and hunt outside the ranch property.

[Treestand]

I started hunting with my father when I was 8. In NY 14 was the age of Jr hunting. You had to be accompanied by an adult. You had to be 16 to hunt alone or to hunt big game. By the time I was 17 I could make my Model 12 sing. I own guns and knives, none of which has ever killed a human being. The tools of killing are available and have been for over a Century. We have a problem. Eliminating the 2nd Amendment isn't the answer. The Death Penalty for school shooters might be a step in the right direction.

"Metal Detectors" at all school entry points & See through Back Packs in all Schools.

[FirstBubba]

Can't remember if I was six, or seven. Somewhere about that age, as soon as I could get the little H&R .410 "suitcase gun" up to my shoulder. Accounted for many a squirrel, cottontail, a few swamps and quail. Learned to shoot birds on the fly with that little tight choked shotgun, and shoot a squirrel in the head without getting shot in the meat. Oklahoma did not require anyone to have a license until age 16 at that time, and landowners and their children were exempt from license requirements when hunting on their own land, so I don't recall having a licence until I was 16 and able to drive and hunt outside the ranch property.

My first game was a dove, shot off a high line with a Fox .410 double.
I was 6 years old.
Would love to have that gun back.

[FirstBubba]

I started hunting with my father when I was 8. In NY 14 was the age of Jr hunting. You had to be accompanied by an adult. You had to be 16 to hunt alone or to hunt big game. By the time I was 17 I could make my Model 12 sing. I own guns and knives, none of which has ever killed a human being. The tools of killing are available and have been for over a Century. We have a problem. Eliminating the 2nd Amendment isn't the answer. The Death Penalty for school shooters might be a step in the right direction.

"... The Death Penalty for school shooters might be a step in the right direction. ..."

I honestly believe "school shooters" intend suicide once achieving "their" goal or if confronted.
I really don't think the death penalty would make one whit of difference.

[Pmacc60]

I am not in favor of youngsters hunting unaccompanied by a adult. A few years ago a youngestr, who was vouched for by his adult, was hunting alone and blasted away with a slug gun. When asked he said he thought it was a deer. It was a stump.

Jim if I didn’t hunt alone as a kid (14 years old) I would never hunted at all. Kids who shoot stumps were never taught anything by anyone. My youngest son was 14 when I started him hunting and he was ready to hunt alone by 15 and could teach men three times his age a thing or two. It all depends on who you are dealing with and how much hands on experience they are given.

[Pmacc60]

I started my children fishing from the time they wanted to go around 5 years old , shooting whe they were 10 years old. They began to hunt at 14 after they completed their hunters safety coarse. As any parent will tell you the more time you spend with your children the better. I had to by Md law hunt with my two boys but believe me the did their scouting and put up stands etc . My youngest son by the age of 15 had a vast amount of knowledge about rifles , bows and most hunting equipment . That year he killed two 130 + bucks on our lease several does , waterfowl and tried to decimate the red fox population. His older brother by ten years often joked that “ we created a monster” . When Frank got his drivers license there was no stopping him. Now at 23 he owns a dozen firearms and his own boat . Hunts, fishes , crabs and this past week put a contract on a house. He is up for a new job in his company and supported by his fellow co workers who are in there 50’s because of his maturity and work ethics . Oh he still is young , makes mistakes and needs to learn a lot but I know that time spent in the field has taught him lessons for life.
My son is not the exception but more the rule, hunting and firearms is a powerful responsibility , it’s also teaches to deal with less that optimal circumstances , elements and deal with diapointment and failed. No participation trophy’s in hunting other than being a part of something timeless. I agree with pig hunter it gives our youth a new attitude , pride and a sense of belonging. When I’m at the range and any young person shows interest in what I’m shooting I ask if they want to shoot it, with dads approval of course! Friends if we don’t have youth in the sport it will die with us! Young people are our future let’s protect their rights.

[labrador12]

I started hunting with my father when I was 8. In NY 14 was the age of Jr hunting. You had to be accompanied by an adult. You had to be 16 to hunt alone or to hunt big game. By the time I was 17 I could make my Model 12 sing. I own guns and knives, none of which has ever killed a human being. The tools of killing are available and have been for over a Century. We have a problem. Eliminating the 2nd Amendment isn't the answer. The Death Penalty for school shooters might be a step in the right direction.

At this point in time in America the death penalty is rarely imposed. By making it mandatory perhaps some of these nutjobs would see how morally horrendous school shootings are to the sane amoung us.

[6phunter]

I don,t know how old I was ,I just kinda grew into it,I had hunted rabbit,dove,squirrel a few years before my first deer at 11. My son was started the same way he carried a b b gun until I knew he was safe, taking his first deer at 9. The learning never stopped there ,even for myself ,there is always new ways to practice safety.

[PigHunter]

I started my children fishing from the time they wanted to go around 5 years old , shooting whe they were 10 years old. They began to hunt at 14 after they completed their hunters safety coarse. As any parent will tell you the more time you spend with your children the better. I had to by Md law hunt with my two boys but believe me the did their scouting and put up stands etc . My youngest son by the age of 15 had a vast amount of knowledge about rifles , bows and most hunting equipment . That year he killed two 130 + bucks on our lease several does , waterfowl and tried to decimate the red fox population. His older brother by ten years often joked that “ we created a monster” . When Frank got his drivers license there was no stopping him. Now at 23 he owns a dozen firearms and his own boat . Hunts, fishes , crabs and this past week put a contract on a house. He is up for a new job in his company and supported by his fellow co workers who are in there 50’s because of his maturity and work ethics . Oh he still is young , makes mistakes and needs to learn a lot but I know that time spent in the field has taught him lessons for life.
My son is not the exception but more the rule, hunting and firearms is a powerful responsibility , it’s also teaches to deal with less that optimal circumstances , elements and deal with diapointment and failed. No participation trophy’s in hunting other than being a part of something timeless. I agree with pig hunter it gives our youth a new attitude , pride and a sense of belonging. When I’m at the range and any young person shows interest in what I’m shooting I ask if they want to shoot it, with dads approval of course! Friends if we don’t have youth in the sport it will die with us! Young people are our future let’s protect their rights.

Very well said. You have good reason to be proud of those sons.