Legislators looking to cut hunting age

Hunting is a way of life for many Utahns, and legislators are trying to make sure the tradition extends to the state's next generation.

Under two bills, which passed out of the House Natural Resources, Agriculture and Environment Committee on Tuesday, children would be permitted to begin hunting at a younger age and therefore gain an appreciation of wildlife before the vast majority of their time is spent playing video games and watching television, supporters said.

"(Hunting) gets kids to respect all life," said Rep. Curtis Oda, R-Clearfield, who sponsored both bills that now go to the full House.

HB328 would remove all age limits for hunting small game and turkey, while HB329 would lower the age at which children can begin to hunt big game to 12 years. Currently, one must be 12 years old to hunt small game and 14 years old to hunt big game.

The bill, although allowing children to hunt earlier, would still require an adult be within visual distance of the child when hunting with a weapon.

That won over Rep. Chris Buttars, R-West Jordan. "Too many of our youth are home playing video games or in front of the television or computer," he said.

Among other things, getting children into the wilderness is a positive aspect of his bill, Oda said.

And once in the wild, the hope of lawmakers is that a lifelong desire is sparked in the children.

Members of the committee cited studies that have shown those who hunt at a young age do so for life, which is important for the state's Division of Wildlife. It is the licensing fees of hunters and fishers that fund wildlife preservation in the state.

Oda wondered who would fund wildlife management if an entire generation of Utahns just stopped hunting.

"All of us benefit tremendously from hunters' licensing fees," Margaret Dayton, R-Orem, said.

Richard Diamond, vice chairman of the wildlife board, said that he had been all over the state and the public supported the bills everywhere he went.

According to Oda, Utah is the only Western state that still has an age limit of 14 years old for big-game hunting, as every other state now has a limit of 12 or even younger. Wisconsin's limit, for example, is now 8 years old.

Oda also said statistics have shown that lowering the hunting age limit does not cause an increase of accidents.

And while Oda also says that he hopes allowing children to hunt at a younger age would make them more sympathetic to gun rights when they grow up, that isn't the purpose of the legislation.

"I think (these are) great bills to get our kids involved in a great sport," he said.

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E-mail: pnagy@desnews.com