Michigan May Allow Under-10 Crowd to Go Hunting

Do you even have the slightest idea what you're talking about?

Deer meat, and most hunted meat, is healthier for you than store-bought factory-processed meat.

Have you ever seen the living conditions for farm animals? What they are fed? How they are slaughtered? Hunting is far more humane.

Not to mention the fact that it will make the child LESS likely to accidentally (or intentionally) kill someone. EVERYONE that hunts is REQUIRED to take a course on gun safety. They are REQUIRED to demonstrate that they have an understanding of said.

Lastly, ALL hunting is regulated. In this day and age of most natural predators being limited or completely gone, the only remaining natural predator is us. Deer wasting disease is a major problem, caused by overregulation of bag limits. If there were not hunting, the species would wipe itself out via overpopulation-caused disease. Have you not EVER seen studies on what would happen to humans of the bubonic plague were to spread NOW? It is pretty much the same thing with deer, only THEY don't have immunizations.

Hank: Can you show me Dillon and Kliebold's memberships in the NRA? Why do you automatically assume they will shoot someone...is that you projecting your own weak character traits on others?The NRA trains thousands of law-enforcement officers every year and emphasizes gun safety at all times. I began shooting at 7, and the only time I was taught to deliberately shoot at people was by my government while in the military.
You purposely use your own dislike for hunting and firearms in general, yet I doubt that you know little about firearms or hunting. Tend to your biased, sensationalist beliefs to those who think like you. You may not ike it, but you probably do things others don't like either. Try adulthood and adult thinking instead of "Chicken Little" syndrome.

As with all comments made online, they tend to make statements of absolutes rather than nuance.

A friend that is a hunter told me about his friend in Alaska a couple years ago. He and his kid were out hunting and the man bagged something; HIS OWN KID!
It was a very sad story but it punctuates two things; First; A kid can end up dead for doing the "wrong" thing, while out hunting, even if he isn't the person pulling the trigger. Second; This guy had been hunting for decades; He wasn't new to the "sport" just exercised poor judgement at a critical time. Think it can't happen to you? Think again.

As far as putting food on the table and healthy, humane, etc, is concerned; It's clear there are argumants to be made on both sides.

For George
when did this happen to your friend in Alaska ? I'm sure it must have been in the papers ...I would like to read about that ..

For USMC32...
The "dead kid" story was related to me by a friend and fellow pilot that flies up to Alaska annually to hunt. His friend was also a guide I believe. I think it was about two years ago but it may have been a little more or less. I don't know if it was in any local papers or made any local news but I'm sure it must have up there. Maybe try a Google search on that.

As I understand it, the kid was supposed to circle around some brush and flush out the game; I believe it was a deer but might have been Elk or Moose (another crazy thing to do I think)

My father has in the Corp for 21 years. He was a Distinguished Marksman but he didn't kill animals; Only PEOPLE. I never hunted anything but squirrels and we did a lot of target shooting. That was the "sport" of his choice and remains the only gun sport of mine.

To USMC32yrs;
I sense that you doubt my account about the dead kid. While I don't like the insinuation that I would post a made up story, my larger point was about the dangers of a kid being in a hunting environment.
Because I didn't think you would, I decided to Google the words "hunter kills son Alaska" and, to my surprise, a whole rash of similar stories came up.

My point is made and I'm done with this forum.
C-ya

I am sure you are a vegan or at least a vegetarian. If you eat meat I expect you think it comes all wrapped up in plastic at the grocery store. too bad few of our society really understands that some thing has to die to keep other organisms alive. Hunting, bambi's mama or otherwise, is honorable and one way to keep the farmers of this nation from loosing all their crops to herbivores and from killing a few hundred more of us in accidents on highways.

Hank,

Do you think meat is grown in little plastic tray's in the back of a supermarket?
I hunt and my family eats 75% of the yr. from the Elk and Dear we shoot.

I buy almost everything except food and clothing from online auctions.

Most people aren't aware of the almost unbelievable deals that they can get from online auction sites. The site that has the best deals is HTtp://bit.ly/savedbig and I checked with the Better Business Bureau and was told that it is all legit. How they can sell gift cards,
laptops, cameras, and all kinds of goodies that we all want for 50-90% off, I don't know. I do know that I bought my son an iPad there for less than $100 and my husband a $250 Loews gift cards for $48. Why would I even think about shopping anyplace else?

@John Ray What on earth are you talking about. Remote America? Really? So Michigan is remote, huh? Better look at a map bucko. Seems to me you are the uneducated one here. Another cityit.

Apparently Hank, you have know idea about hunting or guns. No state will allow a child to get a gun without proper safety classes.
Just because a small group of people are a bunch of morons who like to shoot people just for the hell of it doesn't make all of us who own guns and have hunted a part of that group. You need to get a better understanding as to why people hunt. Are you against fishing too, or a member of PETA?

It is not children who hunt and fish who go around shooting people.Children have hunted with their parents, since this republic was founded.

I'll say this again, it is far better to be taught how to hunt by a responsible adult than to get knowledge from the streets. My neighbor's daughter could shoot at 3 years old. Has her own equipment, and as both parents are hunters, she goes out on one of their properties with them. The true danger is when, like what happened to my husband as a kid siting 6 feet up in a tree-some Detroit drunks shot at him. My brother in law (big ten football player and teacher) took their guns and wrapped them around the tree, and made them leave. They had absolutely no business hunting while drinking and shooting for deer in trees. Dah. Where my sister taught, the kids left school to hunt-that puts meat on the tables for a year for these people. Considering 96/4 beef is $5.17 per pound this evening, and bagging a deer is the cost of the license, and equipment which is more cost efficient when thinning out the herds and preventing disease in the herd? Condescent all you want. With 20% unemployment or more in some areas, a freezer full of venison might help the soup kitchens keep going, and households fed. A loaf of bread is $3.89. (Thank you Mr. O). People who grow and mill their own grains, grow their own crops, and raise their own animals can also hunt on their own properties (without license unless that's been changed). In our state, deer is plentiful-just look at the roadkill on any given morning commute. I was taught how to handle guns by my father. My husband and his friend taught me how to shoot a rifle and shotgun. A policeman friend taught us how to use a handgun. I've never gone hunting, but I am not opposed to it for others to do this. I was taught archery in 4th grade at the academy. It was part of our phys ed program. I learned how to use an atlatyl and spear last year. We're planning to take lessons in gun handling which is done by 1. the sheriffs, 2. the dnr and 3. the nra. It isn't that guns are just handed out on the streets, it is more ritual, learning how to and respect of animals and nature, education and testing before getting permits to conceal and carry. I truly wish that there was a national carry permit so that crossing farms, doesn't get into an out of state issue. Michigan has just issued state parks permits with the car license. It would be lovely if the Michigan ID/Driver's license would allow purchase of hunting, bow and fishing license noted on the identification. Less paperwork, more streamlined. Am I concerned about kids doing something stupid-no, I'd be more concerned about the city kid with druggie parents, picking up a piece and experimenting. At least in licenced and controlled settings, the discipline of the hunt and respect of the equipment is learned. There are all sorts of classes out there, and perhaps like us, the police teach the respect of the equipment. It is like any martial arts. it is learned, respected and used in only specific situations.

Why do you think that these 10 year old kids are going out in the woods all Wild West like? Believe it or not, Hunting is a great tool for mentoring our children about gun safety and conservation of our great natural habitats. If deer hunting was illegal EVERYONE'S car insurance would be through the roof... Get your heads out of the sand (or ass) and stop being so sensitive. You people are the reason America is in the shape its in today. You would rather complain about a simple legislative move that wont effect the majority of the population, rather than questioning our government about why they have not been representing our needs and wants.

Sincerely,
Hunting is more Liberal than you think.

Shut up and take your clothes off Pat... you know what you're here for.

First, I had no idea that it was illegal for someone 10 years old to hunt! Second, a 22 caliber rifle is light without any kick at all, and can easily be handled by a 10 year old. That's what I had and so did my daughters when they were 10.

Well, Pat, if you dont like guns, then dont buy one. I bet you are the typical liberal yuppie that resides in a plastic sided plywood palace ranch shack in suburbia, that drives a rice burner or minivan with an Obama sticker on your bumper. Do everyone a favor and spend more time doing the laundry and cooking supper.