Kids as young as ten can now legally hunt in Wisconsin. Governor Jim Doyle signed legislation Thursday that lowers the minimum hunting age from 12 to 10-years-old. The young hunters will have to be with an adult mentor, they can only share one gun, and the adult has to be within arm’s length.
Wisconsin Wildlife Federation Executive Director George Meyer says it should not be dangerous and issues the strictest requirements for youth hunting in the country. He says about 33 states allow some form of youth hunting for those under the age of 12.
Meyers says it’s a good way to get the next generation involved in hunting, which he says is necessary to promote game management and keeping Wisconsin’s deer herd in check.