Opening Doors for Youth Hunting Opportunities
Sign In SHOPPING CART:0 ITEMSTOTAL: $0.00View Cart

Helping You Get the Most From Your Hunting Dogs


Opening Doors for Youth Hunting Opportunities





NEWTOWN, Conn.—Shut down the computer game, go outdoors and log on to hunting.

That’s what sportsmen, anxious to mentor youth hunters, are hoping more youngsters will do as a result of a new hunter recruitment campaign called “Start ‘Em Young.” Campaign leaders will be working to increase opportunities for youths in 23 states that currently restrict the age when a person can begin hunting big game.

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), National Wild Turkey Federation and U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance are launching "Start `Em Young."

Doug Painter, president of NSSF, said, “Each of the three founding partners feel this effort is absolutely crucial for conservation. After all, hunters, through their willingness to pay special fees and taxes, are the primary financiers of wildlife and habitat programs. In turn, these programs benefit all people who love wildlife. America’s hunting tradition simply must remain strong into the future.”

"By the time kids are in middle school they're already being pulled away by the allure of video games, organized sports or other activities," said U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance President Bud Pidgeon. "We want young people to have the choice to participate in hunting because it allows for an appreciation of this country's woodlands and wildlife. Hunting teaches responsibility, accountability and respect for life."

The campaign’s first step is researching statistics on hunter recruitment successes in states with age restrictions as compared to those without. One of the goals is demonstrating how laws preventing youths from taking up hunting may translate to less funding for conservation programs in the future.

Young people typically begin exploring their interests in sports and hobbies by age 10 to 12. Research shows that people who don’t hunt as a youth are less likely to hunt as an adult.

According to the Sporting Goods Manufacturers Association, youth participation in hunting declined by 26 percent between 1990 and 2000. While the current National Survey of Fishing, Hunting and Wildlife-Associated Recreation reports that youth hunting participation is stabile, only 25 percent of children from hunting households actively participate in hunting today.

"The window for recruiting new hunters is when they're between 6 and 15 years old," said Rob Keck, CEO of the National Wild Turkey Federation. "If they're not allowed to hunt until they're 12 or older, we are missing a chance to share the hunting tradition with our children and grandchildren."

Concerns about the safety record of young hunters are unfounded. Hunting, in general, is one of the safest forms of recreation. The Hunter Incident Clearinghouse database shows that in 2002, junior hunters 11 and younger accounted for only 28 incidents, or just 3 percent, of the 849 incidents that year.

Nevertheless, adult supervision is a critical part of hunter safety and an important component in starting young hunters.

“Start ‘Em Young” will pave the way for more hunters to serve as mentors, giving more youth people a greater chance to spend time outside enjoying the tradition of hunting,” said Painter.

NSSF, formed in 1961, is the trade association for the firearms industry. It directs a variety of outreach programs to promote greater participation and better understanding of shooting sports, emphasizing safe and responsible ownership of firearms. For further information, visit www.nssf.org.

We want your input: