LANSING (WWJ) – A Michigan House committee has approved legislation that would eliminate the minimum age for hunters, while creating a mentored youth hunting program.
“Under this proposed leglsiation… theoretically, a five year old could take a sawed-off shotgun into the woods and try to shoot an animal, with adult supervision,” said WWJ’s Lansing Bureau Chief Tim Skubick.
One person who testified said increasing the number of hunters is extremely important.
“If we don’t have these hunters out there harvesting these animals, we are going to create a lot more damage to our human population,” he said.
There was some discussion about safety before the legislation was approved. Representative Tim Bledsoe of Grosse Pointe wanted to have the child and mentor share a gun, but that amendment failed.
The current law in Michigan allows children over the age of 12 to hunt with a rifle as long as they are accompanied by an experienced hunter. If this bill is passes, then any child could hunt with another hunter who is over the age of 21.
The legislation now goes to the full House.
