Revising Michigan's Hunting Laws
 

I know most of you think hunting is gross, cruel or wrong but you have your right to be wrong, well here it goes:




Michigan senators have approved two bills that will help reverse the state’s declining hunter population. The bills are part of the Families Afield campaign, established by a partnership of sportsmen’s organizations to aid in the recruitment of new hunters.

On May 16, House Bill 5192, to lower age requirements for young hunters, was approved 4-1 by the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee. The bill, sponsored by Rep. Scott Hummel, R-DeWitt, will reduce the age requirements for small game hunters from 12 to 10 years old, and big game hunters from 14 to 12 years old. It passed the House on March 21 by a vote of 86 to 17.


Another bill, SB 1105, will establish an apprentice license to allow new hunters to experience the sport under restricted circumstances before completing the state hunter education course. The bill, sponsored by Sen. Michelle McManus, R-Leelanau, was also approved 4-1 by the Senate Natural Resources and Environmental Affairs Committee.


The full Senate is expected to take up the measures very soon.


Michigan’s hunting age barriers are among the most restrictive in the nation, second only to New York.


Studies have shown that supervised youth are the safest class of hunters. Those who are permitted to try hunting at an earlier age are far more likely to continue their involvement in the sport, according to The Youth Hunting Report, research conducted by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, The National Wild Turkey Federation and National Shooting Sports Foundation.


Mentored youth hunting is a key element of the Families Afield program, being promoted by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, National Wild Turkey Federation and National Shooting Sports Foundation.


“While hunting is a remarkably safe sport, accidents are rarer in states where parents decide at what age kids are allowed to hunt,” said Bud Pidgeon, president and CEO of the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance.


Doug Painter, CEO of the NSSF believes Michigan’s efforts are on the right track.


“The facts clearly show that we should permit parents to decide when their children begin to hunt,” said Painter. “We are encouraged that Michigan is taking the first steps toward providing increased opportunities for parents to introduce their sons and daughters to hunting."


Rob Keck, CEO of NWTF added, “We appreciate Senator McManus and Representative Hummel’s willingness to tackle this issue. We look forward to working with them to completely eliminate the barriers that are hurting our ability to pass on our hunting heritage to the next generation.”


The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website, http://www.ussportsmen.org.

Re: Revising Michigan's Hunting Laws
 

[quote="Sgt>Stackem":767a1]Another bill, SB 1105, will establish an apprentice license to allow new hunters to experience the sport under restricted circumstances before completing the state hunter education course. ...[/quote:767a1]

Y'all have to take a "hunter education course"? No wonder the numbers are declining. All we have to do here is walk into any bait and tackle shop, gun shop, or most sport goods stores, and buy a hunting license and then go hunt. The "license" is basically just a way for the state to collect additional taxes from hunters. The funds supposedly goes to help pay for rangers, wildlife conservation, etc.

the hunters saftey course is a good one. I have been to it and took my duaghter (ShortStack) to it last year. My wife also took it last year. It teaches some good things and is all about safety. I might even get involved in teaching it! I have contacted the DNR and Im on "the list"

Good luck! BTW - I'm not opposed to safety programs. I'm just opposed to the state forcing you to take one in order to get a license to do something that you have the God-given right to do in the first place! To me it's like forcing me to take a course in shopping safety before I'm allowed to go to the grocery store.

what is so critical about the number of hunters declining that the state senate feels that they have to do something about it? is Michigan that concerned with license revenue or something?

if hunters decline, then animals get overpopulated and that causes problems within the state. That's one thing they had happen in Maryland at least, I'm not sure if it's for the same reason in Michigan though.

Michigan has over tha last dozen or so years has sold more hunting licenses than any other state yet we have some of the most restrictive hunting laws on the books. If you were born after 1960 you MUST have a hunters safety course and if you kids are not 14 yrs or older they can only be with you while you hunt and not join in on the hunt. My family hunts and I want my kids to be a part of it, some familys do not hunt and thats fine with me, it is thier choice. What I want is to be able to take my kids and teach them how to hunt. the money generated by hunters is incredible, every firearm, bullet, bow, arrow, license has an extra tax that goes into the wildlife fund. That fund is for all the State and National forest land we have here and we have alot of it. Id guess it has to be amongst the tops in the country in sq miles of public land. As c132 said we also keep the wildlife in check.

If you are not a hunter this law will not effect you in any way shape or form, if you are a hunter this law will make family hunting time much better

"I know most of you think hunting is gross, cruel or wrong but you have your right to be wrong"

what the hell.

lol @ states trying to Encourage killing. arent there bigger problems at hand?

just wait until there are deer splattered all over the road killing motorists and costing taxpayers money to remove. Or what about the other animals that increased numbers of bears that result from the larger source of food...stuff like that. It's not as simple as just killing animals, judas

you can just go to the grocery store and you will be fine, as I said if you are a non hunter this would not effect you in the least bit

arent there bigger problems at hand ?


im sure your streets are littered with crack addicts, dealers, murders, and rapist, yet your(stack) local gov thinks that ridding the state of its wildlife would benifit you more. how about the 8 bucks a gallon youre spending on gas, or (insert your own social problem here).


overpop is horseshit ... ive said it hundreds of times. its not like you hit an animal everytime you enter your vehicle. you might at most get 1/2 per 6 months or some shit.

I wish they would grant a license to kill crack addicts, dealers, murders and rapists. I'd love to have Stackem on one street corner and me on another, in our tree stands, as we scope in on a crack addict handing his money over to a dealer. BLAM! BLAM!! Two problems solved. ;)


By the way, I searched "deer hit by motorists statistics" and got this as the first hit. It talks about Wisconsin, but I'm too lazy to scroll further, and when I was a kid I always got them mixed up in geography class anyway. Granted this is some state legislator, probably with an agenda, but I'm assuming his stats are accurate.

http://www.legis.state.wi.us/senate/sen ... 20deer.htm

[quote:ccef3]A recent national news story based on insurance claims statistics from auto insurer State Farm noted that Wisconsin ranked tenth out of the fifty states in the number of deer collisions in the year between July 1, 2004 and June 30, 2005. Based on its claims, State Farm estimated that annually 1.5 million vehicles collide with deer annually resulting in 150 motorists deaths and in excess of $1.1 billion in vehicle damages. Our neighboring states of Michigan and Illinois had even more vehicle-deer accidents than Wisconsin; they ranked second and third, respectively, among all states.[/quote:ccef3]

no druggies hanging out on my streets, we watch for it. We are not "ridding the state of wildlife" either


this doesnt effect you so why bother

Judas, you act like this is the only thing the Michigan legislature is doing...I'm sure they have more on their plate than just this bill. Plus, it's not as if the state of Michigan can do all the things you want it to do as easily as you suggest. I'm sure they're working on some of those more complicated issues as well...If you have the easy solution for drugs, poverty, and violence, than maybe you should run for office...

[quote="Sgt>Stackem":8603a]


this doesnt effect you so why bother[/quote:8603a]ive been spoken to directly ...

teaching "children" to not value life ( any life ) is probably not such a good idea. most kids can barely handle social life without resorting to violence.

why waste time on a bill like this when there are probably tons of other areas that would better benifit youth.