Novice Hunters Get New Opportunity in Washington State

[BlacktailBowhunter]

I found this on NWTF's web site:
http://www.nwtf.org/nwtf_newsroom/pr...s.php?id=12191

[loper]

very cool

[CombinationLicense]

Nice Post BB - That legislation is the result of the Families Afield campaign which is spearheaded by the National Wild Turkey Federation, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance. SB 892 is a similar bill currently making it's way through the Oregon Legislature. It has passed through the Senate already and is now being considered in the House. Keep your fingers crossed and maybe we'll get it done.

"CL"

[ehunter]

I am not sure that this is a great deal? I think hunters saftey is very important to young hunters. I don't think it is so hard or time consuming for them. Why is this such a good thing?

[CombinationLicense]

Ehunter - lots of people have that opinion until they research the issue and learn the facts. I can give you a brief summary and point you in the direction of a couple of links that explain the problems with recruiting young hunters better than I can.

In a nutshell, the NWTF, NSSF and USSA joined forces and commissioned an independent study to look at the problem of declining hunter recruitment across America. The study looked at data from all 50 states and ranked states according to their replacement ratio, IE: how many hunters coming vs. how many hunters leaving. They documented many causes of the decline like reduced access, animal numbers and hunting opportunities, busy lifestyles and other demands on hunter's time and monetary resources. They then examined the laws associated with youth participation and found that states that make it hard for kids to participate had the lowest replacement numbers. Consequently, the states were categorized into "Very Restrictive", "Somewhat Restrictive" and "Least Restrictive".

Oregon ranks 48th in hunter replacement with one of the lowest ratios in the nation - .35, and was ranked as a "Very Restrictive" state.

Enter the Families Afield Program - designed to remove barriers and SAFELY allow kids to participate in hunting at a younger age. The main focus of the program is to introduce kids to hunting via a "Mentor" style hunt where they can forgo a hunters education class to hunt one-on-one with a adult licensed mentor. Participants in this style of hunting has proven to be safer than any other group of hunters and is NOT designed to allow them to permanently dodge a hunters education class. It's more of a "learners permit" opportunity. Anyway, the NWTF, NSSF and USSA has helped conservation organizations move this legislation forward in many states, of course targeting the "Very Restrictive" ones first. To date, 13 states have implemented this program with nearly 40,000 new hunters to show for it - and not one hunting accident.

The Families Afield summary is only 8 pages and can be downloaded here.

A press release about the success of the program can be viewed here.

The open letter below is from the International Hunters Education Association in support of the plan. This really is a big deal and good for hunting. Without the support of new yong hunters we will be extinct within 50 years.

"CL"



July 8, 2005

Open Letter:

As Executive Vice President of the IHEA, I have been asked to comment on the Families Afield program being promoted nationally by the National Wild Turkey Federation, U.S. Sportsman’s Alliance and the National Shooting Sports Foundation.

The mission of the IHEA is to “Continue the heritage of hunting worldwide by developing safe, responsible and knowledgeable hunters.” Our policies call for “Widespread participation in responsible hunting for all eligible ages, genders and skill levels.”

I have written and spoken widely on the barriers to hunting and made suggestions to reducing these barriers. In this letter I will speak specifically to the youth safety issue and where hunter education should be placed to maximize its effect for developing and recruiting responsible hunters.

The reasoning behind setting a minimum age to hunt in the past was safety. Carrying a loaded firearm and potentially taking the life of a wild animal is a big responsibility. At what age are hunters ready and able to take on this responsibility? Since 2002 the IHEA has been gathering detailed information on all firearms related hunting injuries in North America. For the 1.7 million hunters age 6-15, our 2002 figures show there was a firearms related injury rate of 1 in 21,234. This figure is for all youth hunters, accompanied or not and is slightly higher than for adult hunters. In his Families Afield report Wentz says, “An analysis of youth hunting incidents shows that the major factor affecting youth hunting safety is the presence of an attentive, responsible adult hunter to supervise youth. Most incidents happen in the absence of an adult supervisor, or during a lapse in the adult supervision.”

So who should decide when a youngster is ready to hunt? I vote for the people that know the youth the best – their parents. The state’s role is to come up with the guidelines to that participation, such as only hunting when accompanied by and in close control of a trained adult. Many states offer Hunting Programs for youth who are accompanied by a trained (hunter education graduate) mentor. Minnesota has gone even further and produced materials for mentors on how to run a safe and successful youth hunt. But shouldn’t the youth have to be formally trained prior to hunting? In many states this is the model. However, an analysis of the accident data does not show a significant increase in safety concerns – primarily because the overall rate is so low to start with. According to Terry Erwin, President of the IHEA, “Young hunters, when accompanied by responsible adults or mentors, who have been a part of the youngster’s education, are some of the safest individuals afield.”

The data are clear – accompanied young hunters are safe. The facts do not support having laws restricting the imitation age of hunters for safety reasons.

A previous paper done by Wentz and Seng shows that people generally go through a specific sequence of steps on taking up a new activity. They are: awareness, interest, trying it out, investment, and adopting. The Families Afield program suggests suspending the hunter education requirement and licensing until the youth have tried hunting under very controlled conditions. In states that currently allow this there is a positive correlation with recruitment. Texas has even opened this process up to adults through their one-year Hunter Education Deferral program, which allows individuals an opportunity to give hunting a try without certification. However, they must be accompanied by a licensed individual, who has had hunter education or is exempt by age. It will be interesting to see the effect on recruitment.

Is lowering age restrictions and changing the placement of hunter education the magic formula to youth recruitment? Probably not, but in many states with restrictive laws these changes should be very helpful in reducing barriers to hunting and preserving the future of hunting.

With Regards,

Eric Nuse
Executive Vice President
International Hunter Education Association
Wellington, CO

[ehunter]

Thanks that is the first I have read about it. I know the OHA backed it but I still have some questions and have not read the law that is going though the Oregon senate I think?

1. What requirements does a mentor have to have in Oregon? Remmber in Oregon if your over 18 you don't have to have a hunter saftey card to hunt?

2. Saftey is not the only concern I have but hunters saftey also teaches conservation and tracking skills, game laws and private property issues that a lot of adult hunters don't know. I think this is a good idea but I don't have a lot of faith in some of the hunters I see taking their kids.:frown:

I support getting kids into hunting and have had the oppertunity to take several kids on their first youth and hope to do so again.

[Limbhanger]

I believe they can only hunt under the mentoring program until the age of 14..... (C.L. correct me if I am wrong), then they have to take hunter's safety to continue hunting after that. It is a way to make it simple for kids to try hunting and hook a few that otherwise would not pick it up.

I think it is a great, they are proving it is safe and I am all for it.

Because of this my daughter might actually try killing a turkey.....but she is not sure enough about it to go take the class and then shoot in front of a bunch of boys......yada, yada....she is all girl, but I am trying.....

Times are changing and we need new and pro-active ideas like these to help keep hunting alive and the recruitment up.

[ehunter]

Can some one point me in the direction of the Oregon version? Washington has some pretty good detail. Is Oregon law similar? The difference in WA is I think you are required to have a hunters saftey class at any age correct me if I am wrong in Oregon you can buy a license after your 21 with no requirements other than you can't be a felon??

[CombinationLicense]

Sorry - been away from the computer for a while (that work thing again...).

The Oregon bill that is progressing is SB892 and you can find the whole text online at the state legislature web site here. The entry age is 9 and the upper limit is 14. It is patterned after a law in Alaska and isn't intended to replace the hunter education requirement - only defer it. In Oregon, kids become eligible to hunt without an adult present at age 14 but only with a HE certificate. SB892 doesn't change anything about that fact - it only allows them to hunt without the HE certificate under the close supervision of a licensed adult (over 21) with a shared tag in a mentoring situation.

Think of it as a "try before you buy" opportunity. Kids that get started early and enjoy the experience are much more likely to enthusiastically participate in the HE program so that they can advance and eventually hunt alone.

"CL"

[7pointbull]

The mandatory hunters education along with the hunter orange requirement is nothing more than a feel good policy just as much as drivers ed makes for better drivers. I support this.

[ehunter]

7point bull I disagree big time and so do the most of the other states if you want to hunt out of state most any where else you will need that cert. There are lot examples of people who who broke laws because they were new to this country and did not know the laws. Or people who bought a tag over the counter and dodn't know the difference between a elk or a deer or even a doe vs buck. In the case of kids it is a good instrument for gun saftey and learning about state hunting laws. Not every body knows every thing. I wish Oreogn would make them madatory for all hunters not excusing 21 and older knuckleheads that already know every thing.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally Posted by CombinationLicense

Sorry - been away from the computer for a while (that work thing again...).

The Oregon bill that is progressing is SB892 and you can find the whole text online at the state legislature web site here. The entry age is 9 and the upper limit is 14. It is patterned after a law in Alaska and isn't intended to replace the hunter education requirement - only defer it. In Oregon, kids become eligible to hunt without an adult present at age 14 but only with a HE certificate. SB892 doesn't change anything about that fact - it only allows them to hunt without the HE certificate under the close supervision of a licensed adult (over 21) with a shared tag in a mentoring situation.

Think of it as a "try before you buy" opportunity. Kids that get started early and enjoy the experience are much more likely to enthusiastically participate in the HE program so that they can advance and eventually hunt alone.

"CL"

CL, let me get this straight.

If I take my son/daughter deer hunting between age 9-14 without an HE cert, and we spot a deer that is shootable, I can let him/her shoot the deer and fill my tag and we are done for the season?

In addtion, do I understand that this is a one time opportunity and my son/daughter would have to then go through HE once the trigger is pulled and the tag filled? In other words, there is only one tag between the two of us, and I am giving up my opportunity for a deer to my child, and once my child harvest his/her first deer then he/she has to complete the HE course for future hunts?

Thanks for posting all of that information. We need more people like you that are willing to educate on legislation like this

[CombinationLicense]

Originally Posted by BlacktailBowhunter

CL, let me get this straight.

If I take my son/daughter deer hunting between age 9-14 without an HE cert, and we spot a deer that is shootable, I can let him/her shoot the deer and fill my tag and we are done for the season?

In addtion, do I understand that this is a one time opportunity and my son/daughter would have to then go through HE once the trigger is pulled and the tag filled? In other words, there is only one tag between the two of us, and I am giving up my opportunity for a deer to my child, and once my child harvest his/her first deer then he/she has to complete the HE course for future hunts?

Thanks for posting all of that information. We need more people like you that are willing to educate on legislation like this

As for the first question, you are correct. ONE tag, ONE weapon, after the harvest you are both done for the season. That provision was meant to address the (IMHO unfounded) concerns that the adult mentor would fill both tags.

The second part of your question is not correct. The youth hunter may participate EVERY year between the ages of 9-14. After that, the HE certificate is required. When the bill was originally drafted there was no upper age limit, so the House version of the bill was amended to add the age limit of 17. A comparable bill in the Senate was later amended to change the upper age limit to 14 years old. That change addressed ODFW concerns that youth hunters could potentially go through the mentor program from 9-17 and never be required to pass a Hunter Education class. That version of the bill was the most acceptable to everyone and has already passed out of the Senate.

As far as posting the information.... Somebody's got to do it

"CL"

[ehunter]

Thanks I was also looking for that it sounds good.

[BlacktailBowhunter]

Originally Posted by CombinationLicense

As for the first question, you are correct. ONE tag, ONE weapon, after the harvest you are both done for the season. That provision was meant to address the (IMHO unfounded) concerns that the adult mentor would fill both tags.

The second part of your question is not correct. The youth hunter may participate EVERY year between the ages of 9-14. After that, the HE certificate is required. When the bill was originally drafted there was no upper age limit, so the House version of the bill was amended to add the age limit of 17. A comparable bill in the Senate was later amended to change the upper age limit to 14 years old. That change addressed ODFW concerns that youth hunters could potentially go through the mentor program from 9-17 and never be required to pass a Hunter Education class. That version of the bill was the most acceptable to everyone and has already passed out of the Senate.

As far as posting the information.... Somebody's got to do it

"CL"

Thank you. That clears it all up now.

[CombinationLicense]

TTT - For the "Good of the Order"


"CL"