Here in Nebraska, you have to be 13 to hunt big game and must have passed Hunter's Saftey. I still think that there are some kids that have no place carrying a rifle at age 13. My brother almost bought my nephew a tag for deer season. We told him that he wouldn't be hunting with us because he's not even safe with a pellet gun, so why give him a high powered rifle. Some kids may be mature enough, and for them maybe it's ok, just my .02 worth.