Post by 4Pointer on Jul 22, 2009 16:53:54 GMT -5
Bullseye Blog: Minimum Hunting Age Decision Should Be Based on Facts
USSA’s Blog Targets Issues of the Day
7/22/09
Yesterday, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USSA) Bullseye blog tackled a major issue for the sportsmen community. Rob Sexton, the USSA’s vice president for government affairs was responding to a front page story on MSNBC.com about age limits for those hunting alone.
While Sexton was interviewed for the MSNBC story, our Bullseye blog gave him the chance to explain further key points about this often emotional issue. Here is the post:
“Last week I received a call from MSNBC.com writer Mike Stuckey who was doing a story on whether there should be a minimum age in which people can hunt unaccompanied.
He called the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) because we are part of the Families Afield coalition which was created to remove barriers that prevent hunters from passing our heritage on to the next generation. Specifically Families Afield has advocated for apprentice hunting licenses, which allow a newcomer of any age to hunt if supervised by an experienced mentor. Together with the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Wild Turkey Federation, Families Afield has successfully advocated for such laws in 28 states since 2005. Research and accident data has shown that the mentored hunter is the safest hunter in the woods.
Mr. Stuckey’s question however was about hunting alone. The question stemmed from a case in Washington state in which a teenage hunter shot and killed a hiker. Washington and six other states do not specify an age for hunting unsupervised. That decision is left to the parents.
Overall, USSA would argue that parents have the best knowledge of when their son or daughter is ready to hunt and later ready to hunt alone. Despite this, USSA does not outright oppose minimum ages for hunting unaccompanied. However, we do believe that such age minimums should be determined after a careful review of accident data rather than a knee-jerk reaction to a tragedy.
Any loss of life is deeply regrettable and devastating to the families involved. The hunting community is committed to making the rare hunting incident more of an anomaly than it already is.
More Americans, many of them kids, die everyday in cars than in the woods hunting during an entire year. Yet, we do not change our laws based on each incident. Nor should we with hunting.”
This is an example of why the USSA created “Bullseye.” First and foremost, it was designed to engage the entire sportsmen community on major topics impacting it. Second, it was designed to have a little fun.
After you read Sexton’s post, check out some of the other posts at www.ussportsmen.org/Bullseye. You’ll learn about crazy PETA antics like pumping the noise of squealing pigs around the Ohio Statehouse grounds and how the anti’s are trying to use religion as a way to convert people to their cause.
USSA’s Blog Targets Issues of the Day
7/22/09
Yesterday, the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance’s (USSA) Bullseye blog tackled a major issue for the sportsmen community. Rob Sexton, the USSA’s vice president for government affairs was responding to a front page story on MSNBC.com about age limits for those hunting alone.
While Sexton was interviewed for the MSNBC story, our Bullseye blog gave him the chance to explain further key points about this often emotional issue. Here is the post:
“Last week I received a call from MSNBC.com writer Mike Stuckey who was doing a story on whether there should be a minimum age in which people can hunt unaccompanied.
He called the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance (USSA) because we are part of the Families Afield coalition which was created to remove barriers that prevent hunters from passing our heritage on to the next generation. Specifically Families Afield has advocated for apprentice hunting licenses, which allow a newcomer of any age to hunt if supervised by an experienced mentor. Together with the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the National Wild Turkey Federation, Families Afield has successfully advocated for such laws in 28 states since 2005. Research and accident data has shown that the mentored hunter is the safest hunter in the woods.
Mr. Stuckey’s question however was about hunting alone. The question stemmed from a case in Washington state in which a teenage hunter shot and killed a hiker. Washington and six other states do not specify an age for hunting unsupervised. That decision is left to the parents.
Overall, USSA would argue that parents have the best knowledge of when their son or daughter is ready to hunt and later ready to hunt alone. Despite this, USSA does not outright oppose minimum ages for hunting unaccompanied. However, we do believe that such age minimums should be determined after a careful review of accident data rather than a knee-jerk reaction to a tragedy.
Any loss of life is deeply regrettable and devastating to the families involved. The hunting community is committed to making the rare hunting incident more of an anomaly than it already is.
More Americans, many of them kids, die everyday in cars than in the woods hunting during an entire year. Yet, we do not change our laws based on each incident. Nor should we with hunting.”
This is an example of why the USSA created “Bullseye.” First and foremost, it was designed to engage the entire sportsmen community on major topics impacting it. Second, it was designed to have a little fun.
After you read Sexton’s post, check out some of the other posts at www.ussportsmen.org/Bullseye. You’ll learn about crazy PETA antics like pumping the noise of squealing pigs around the Ohio Statehouse grounds and how the anti’s are trying to use religion as a way to convert people to their cause.
Great Article 