Families Afield Progress Continues
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Families Afield Progress Continues





The success of the Families Afield initiative continues. Three states have enacted new laws to remove barriers to new hunters.

Virginia Governor Tim Kaine on Feb. 22 signed House Bill 1175 into law. The bill creates a two year apprentice hunting license to allow newcomers to take to the field with a licensed adult hunter prior to the completion of hunter education.

In Indiana, House Bill 1046 has passed both Chambers of the legislature and awaits the signature of Governor Mitch Daniels. The bill creates an apprentice hunting license allowing resident or nonresident newcomers, who are accompanied by a licensed adult hunter, to hunt for 3 years prior to the completion of a hunter education course.

South Dakota House Bill 1263 passed the Senate on Feb. 26 by a vote of 24 – 11 and will now head to the governor for his approval. The measure allows those aged 10 through 15 to hunt without a license if they are accompanied by a licensed hunting mentor. The mentor must be unarmed and any game taken by the youth counts against the mentor’s tag.

In Maryland, House Bill 655 flew in the face of the national trend of removing barriers to hunting. The measure would have instituted a minimum hunting licensing age of 13. It was scheduled for a hearing this week. Due to pressure from sportsmen, the hearing has been canceled and the sponsor has withdrawn the bill from further consideration, leading USSA to believe that the measure never had much support in the first place.

The efforts in Virginia, Indiana, and South Dakota are part of the national Families Afield campaign, established by the USSA, National Shooting Sports Foundation, and National Wild Turkey Federation to urge states to review and eliminate unnecessary hunting age restrictions. Together, with the support of the National Rifle Association and state and local sportsmen’s organization, the partnership has worked to ensure support for these measures. With the addition of Virginia, a total of 22 states have now enacted Families Afield style bills since the program was launched in 2004.

The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organizations that protect 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, www.ussportsmen.org.
US Sportmens Alliance on Target

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