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WI Bill 411 - Mentored Hunting I don't agree with this at all!

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WI Bill 411 - Mentored Hunting I don't agree with this at all!

Old 10-16-2015, 04:52 PM
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JW
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Default WI Bill 411 - Mentored Hunting I don't agree with this at all!

2015 − 2016 LEGISLATURE
2015 ASSEMBLY BILL 411
October 15, 2015 − Introduced by Representatives KLEEFISCH, ALLEN, CZAJA,EDMING, GANNON, HEATON, KNODL, KRUG, MURSAU, MURTHA, RIPP, THIESFELT and TITTL, cosponsored by Senators MOULTON and MARKLEIN. Referred to Committee on Natural Resources and Sporting Heritage.

AN ACT to repeal 29.592 (3); and to amend 29.592 (1) (intro.) of the statutes;relating to: eliminating age requirements for participating in the hunting mentorship program and hunting devices authorized to be used under the hunting mentorship program.

Analysis by the Legislative Reference Bureau

Current law requires, with certain exceptions, that every person who obtains a hunting approval must have a certificate of accomplishment issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) indicating that he or she has successfully completed one of the applicable hunter education programs established by DNR. Current law also generally prohibits hunting and firearm possession by any person
under the age of 12. For persons who are at least 12 years old, but under the age of 16, current law allows hunting and firearm possession but imposes certain restrictions that vary depending on the person’s age.

The hunting mentorship program under current law establishes an exception to the general requirement that a person obtain a certificate of accomplishment in order to hunt. Under that program, a person who is at least ten years of age may hunt without obtaining a certificate of accomplishment and may possess or control a firearm while hunting if the person has a valid hunting approval and is hunting with a qualified mentor. The mentor must remain within arm’s reach of the person for whom he or she is serving as a mentor, must hold a current valid hunting approval, must have obtained a certificate of accomplishment or be exempt from the requirement to obtain a certificate of accomplishment, and may take only one person
hunting at a time. Additionally, the mentor and person who is hunting with the mentor may jointly have only one firearm, bow, or crossbow (hunting device) while hunting.

NOTE This bill eliminates the requirement that a person be at least ten years of age in order to hunt under the hunting mentorship program. Under the bill, a person may participate in the program regardless of age. The bill also eliminates the limit on the number of hunting devices that a mentor and the person hunting with a mentor may have in their possession or control while hunting.



I am an active 20 yr veteran WI Certified Hunter Education Safety Instructor and I am a Lead Instructor for 2 separate instructor groups. I set the STD for at least 4 hunter ed classes in 2 separate regions of the state of WI under the Policy and Procedure manual in WI each yr. I also do conduct Learn to Hunt Programs> This program is one step further ofr me than teaching Hunter Education and is very rewarding - I by no means support these amendments no way, no how!

My first question would be can I limit which age I allow purley based on liability as it will come back to my group per say? If I am told NO. I am done teaching Learn to Hunt Programs.

I see 10 years olds now who do not have the maturity to really be labeled a hunter and need to be monitored 24/7 in our Hunter Safety Classes. While they go through the motions and pass the 2 required simple tests they certainly need monitoring before being allowed to really hunt aon their own. Even at the age of 14 which is legal to be hunting alone in the state of WI - I really question that for a lot of the students I see.
Second - The rule of 1 firearm per Mentor and Student is done for SAFETY in a Mentor hunt. Allowing a Mentor and a student to each have a firearm during any type of hunt serves no purpose what sovever. Mentors teach your Student to make that first shot count or Pass on it! For you the Mentor to also carry a FIREARM to me serves no purpose other than to poach! The Mentor will loose focus coaching their student pure and simple. And I feel potential violations and cheating will ensue which only cheapens the intent of what the real theme of what the program is intended to do! And that is to teach the Hunting heritage not the thought of cheating or Poaching and to that I will be done helping the general public!
What are these people thinking? Wow!
Come on Wisconsin people write your Politicians!

JW

Last edited by JW; 10-16-2015 at 05:04 PM.
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Old 10-20-2015, 04:16 AM
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I don't live in Wisconsin but 3 of my grand kids do. While I like to think they are smart up standing youngsters, I am not around them that much to see how they are day to day.
I personally would not if they were my children to enter the program till they were at least 12 and still moan about Michigan lowering rhe age recently from 14.

Al
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Old 10-26-2015, 10:05 AM
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What ever happened to taking children hunting to watch Dad or Grampa and see how its done? We used BB guns at the age of 10, anything more, to me, is asking for trouble!
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:14 PM
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I feel 10 years old is young enough for a youth to carry a gun and hunt in the mentor program. I love the youth mentor hunt, i've participated in it for the last 5 years. Some mentors already abuse the program by shooting there kids deer. So i agree, why would the mentor need his own rifle during the youth hunt weekend, they have enough responsibility going on with there mentoring.
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Old 10-26-2015, 08:15 PM
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I feel 10 years old is young enough for a youth to carry a gun and hunt in the mentor program. I love the youth mentor hunt, i've participated in it for the last 5 years. Some mentors already abuse the program by shooting there kids deer. And i agree, why would the mentor need his own rifle during the youth hunt weekend, they have enough responsibility going on with there mentoring.
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Old 10-27-2015, 08:43 AM
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No minimum age south of the border:

http://www.dnr.illinois.gov/hunting/...ngLicense.aspx

However the IDNR does state: "It is the policy of IDNR that youth under the age of (10) must be accompanied to and during the safety education courses by an adult or guardian at least sixteen years of age."

Been that way for a long time here I guess; I took my Hunter Safety Course in Wisconsin in 1977
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Old 10-27-2015, 02:59 PM
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Never had mentored youth way back when. Did have a dad who took me squirrel and deer hunting since I was 6. First time I ever killed a squirrel I was probably 9. He handed me the 22 and let me take a shot. Spent many evening watching fields and walking around the woods while he archery hunted. First deer I ever killed I took my uncle into a spot. We were sitting there 30 minutes when a 1 point buck walked up. He handed me his 270 and said take a shot. We ended up killing that deer. I have nothing against the mentored youth program but I do see adults kill deer and the kids tag it. Wish more people was like my family when it wasn't about the kill but just getting out.
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Old 10-27-2015, 04:03 PM
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c-rad, my borther and I were taught the same way.

Its how I am teaching my own children. They get to walk with me, go out in the canoe to duck hunt.
They get to carry their BB guns. But, they aren't nearly old or mature enough to handle real guns yet. Not without my strict supervision.
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Old 12-22-2015, 06:19 AM
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With all the other things grabbing for our kids' attention these days we have to get them started earlier. Minnesota has the apprentice hunter program, which means your child doesn't need a firearms safety certificate as long as you are with them. I was shooting guns at the age of 8, my daughter got her first .22 at 6, is now 9 and has shot a .22, muzzleloader and .17 hmr and knows barrel and trigger control better than most adults. Gun safety starts in the home with repetition, taking a class is no replacement. I'm taking my daughter out turkey and deer hunting this year with a crossbow and we're both SUPER excited! My kids are excited to see me come home with a deer and keep asking when they can go too. If I have to wait 3 years I know something else will grab their attention before the woods does.

But it all depends on the maturity of the kid, which the parent should be able to gauge.
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Old 04-04-2016, 01:31 PM
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I'm not sure why any of that is a problem.Pa has a mentored program.The youth doesn't carry the weapon.The weapon is handed to the kid when you're stationary.The youth get's a turkey tag and a buck tag with their permit.The Mentor has to transfer his antlerless tag to the youth.So far it's been extremely safe.

It used to be that a kid had to be 12 before they could hunt.I can tell you for a fact that many of those 12 year olds learned how to load and shoot the day before the season opened.It was pretty scary to think those same kids were carrying a gun the next day.My son has been hunting with me since he was 7.To date,he's killed 4 bucks,12 does and three mature gobblers,along with more squirrels than I can remember and he's done it without blinds or foodplots.He was 10 this past year and quite honestly,he's as proficient and capable as most adults.people don't give kids enough credit.
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