ThinkingAfield.org

7/5/11

Michigan’s legislature has passed Families Afield legislation that would allow new youth to head afield under the guidance of an experienced adult mentor.

Senate Bill 207, sponsored by Senator Joe Hune (R- Hamburg Township) and House Bill 4371, sponsored by Representative Peter Pettalia (R- Presque Isle), have been sent on to Governor Rick Snyder. Together, the bills eliminate the state’s arbitrarily-set, minimum hunting age and create a new mentored youth hunting program.

Current state law prohibits youth under the age of 10 from hunting, even when under the supervision of a mentoring adult. Under this new legislation, these youth will now be able to experience hunting under a program administered by the state’s Natural Resources Commission. These new youth hunters in the program will be permitted to hunt while under the supervision of an experienced adult mentor.

“We sincerely thank Senator Hune and Representative Pettalia for recognizing the need for Michigan to take this major step forward for youth hunting recruitment and participation in Michigan,” said Jeremy Rine, U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance associate director of state services. “If signed by the Governor, the legislation will allow parents to decide when their children are old enough to hunt under the guidance of an experienced adult mentor.”

Michigan is in the minority of states that arbitrarily limit when a youth may begin hunting.

“This legislation aims to increase youth involvement in hunting by allowing young hunters to safely experience outdoor hunting traditions under the supervision of an experienced mentor,” said Senator Joe Hune. “The new Mentored Youth Hunting Program will allow Michigan youngsters to experience our state’s great hunting heritage while learning safe hunting practices from an adult mentor.”

USSA worked with the Michigan United Conservation Clubs (MUCC) in developing and advocating for Senate Bill 207 and House Bill 4371.

“MUCC would like to personally thank Rep. Pettalia and Sen. Hune for their willingness to develop a positive solution to improve youth hunting safety and ethics,” said MUCC Executive Director Erin McDonough. “The Hunter Heritage bill is long awaited by Michigan families who cherish our state’s great outdoor traditions.”

If signed by Governor Snyder, the legislation would be Michigan’s second Families Afield bill. In 2006, Michigan passed Families Afield legislation that created an apprentice hunting license for those 10 and older while lowering the state’s minimum hunting age requirements for both big and small game.

The Families Afield initiative was established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, the National Shooting Sports Foundation, and the National Wild Turkey Federation to bring a new generation of sportsmen to the field. Along with the National Rifle Association and the Congressional Sportsmen’s Foundation, the Families Afield coalition has worked to pass measures in 32 states with more than 600,000 apprentice or mentored hunting licenses sold since the program’s inception.

GW: As chairman of the Perry Youth Hunt Extravaganza, I am often asked why the event doesn’t reward youngsters with prizes for the biggest buck, first buck, largest doe, etc. The reason is simple; just read the following account of how important it is to win for some people.

KANSAS CITY Mo — A Warsaw man faces a felony charge of attempt to steal by deceit for allegedly trying to weigh in fish at a bass tournament that he caught before the tournament began

David R. Gann, 72, was entered in a family style bass tournament on Truman Lake on June 4 when the alleged violation occurred, said Mike Burton, a Protection District Supervisor for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC).

A few days prior, more…

By Glen Wunderlich

It’s hard to believe that 10 years have passed since Michigan’s concealed pistol laws have been changed to allow law-abiding citizens the right to actually bear arms, as the Bill of Rights guaranteed over 235 years ago.  It seems like only yesterday that, as president of the Looking Glass River Sportsmen’s Club, I met with Michigan Representative Larry Julian in a restaurant in Owosso to plan strategy to take back our most precious right to self defense.  Leaders of Michigan Coalition of Responsible Gun Owners (MCRGO) were on hand to urge Mr. Julian to carry the torch of freedom to the House of Representatives’ floor, which he sure did successfully.

I recall how the opposition had painted a picture of the future, if such rights were reinstated.  Scare tactics and fear were their weapons of choice, as they predicted how the storm drains in the streets would be overcome by the blood of innocents at the hands of hot-tempered gun nuts.  But, Mr. Julian never bought into the misguided rhetoric Read more

Escanaba, Mich. – State wildlife officials are exploring the possibility of establishing an elk herd in the western Upper Peninsula and will present a report to the Natural Resources Commission this year.

“We are in the process of putting together what amounts to a business case for our (Natural Resources) Commission. There are a number of hurdles that would have to be overcome,” Mason told Michigan Outdoor News. “The two limiting factors for elk are habitat and wolves. More here

FERNANDINA BEACH, Fla. — Concerns over increasingly confusing and restrictive gun laws, along with the common bond firearms create among shooters and hunters across the entire spectrum of outdoor sports, appear to be a driving force in why so many people are members of the National Rifle Association (NRA). In a recent survey conducted as part of Southwick Associate’s monthly Hunter Survey, more active hunters and shooters claim membership in the NRA than any other organization. Read more

City dwellers worldwide enjoy several advantages over their rural compatriots, including, on average, better job prospects and better access to food and health care (not to mention nightlife).   At the same time, city living can be stressful, and studies have found that mental health problems, such as schizophrenia, depression, and anxiety disorders, are more common in urbanites. Now, researchers have taken a crack at understanding this connection by looking for differences in how the brains of people from urban and rural environments react to certain kinds of stress.  More here