If students in your school like to hunt, you might find this tip from
Al's Morning Meeting of interest.
The
Milwaukee Journal-Sentinel reports an incident where Tyler Hilgart accidentally shot his friend when he thought he was firing at the white tail of a deer. It seems the percent of hunting accidents in 2006 caused by hunters age 21 and younger was the highest since 1999.
Here is an excerpt from the newspaper article:
Officials attribute overall safer hunting trends to the advent of
hunter education courses in 1967, the requirement instituted in 1980
that hunters wear blaze orange and the start of mandatory hunter
education in 1985 for anyone 12 or younger.
But the percentage of accidents involving young hunters has
increased by 28% since 1999. Young hunters also accounted for a
disproportionate number of accidents.
Almost one-third of the recorded Wisconsin hunting accidents list
the hunter as 21 or younger. This age group accounted for only 16% of
the state's licensed hunters over that period, the analysis finds. The
percentage of young hunters has remained constant during the past five
years.
The story continues:
The minimum hunting age in Wisconsin is 12 years old; Michigan
allows 10-year-olds to hunt. Minnesota and Iowa have no minimum hunting
age, though hunters of big game must be at least 12 years old in
Minnesota.
In recent years, state lawmakers have debated lowering the hunting
age. Two years ago, unsuccessful legislation sponsored by Rep. Scott
Gunderson (R-Waterford) would have made it legal for 8-year-olds to
hunt. The lawmaker said he plans to introduce legislation soon that
will lower the hunting age to 10 years old.
Interview students in your school who hunt and find out ways they stay safe. Research your own state laws on this issue. Find students who have had an accident or close call and do a Q&A sidebar.
