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Parents weigh in on eliminating minimum hunting age in Wisconsin

Posted at 5:59 PM, Nov 09, 2017
and last updated 2017-11-09 18:59:42-05

Parents are split after both the Wisconsin Assembly and Senate voted to eliminate the minimum hunting age in Wisconsin; some argued 10 years old or younger is too young to hunt, while others said it should be left up to parents.

Right now, the law requires a child to be 12 years old in order to hunt with a gun unless they're in a mentoring hunt, which allows children as young as 10 to participate.

If Governor Walker signs the bill into law, children of all ages could join a mentored hunt. Also, the hunter and mentor could use more than one gun between them.

Dylan Chapman of Menominee said he would not take his 3-year-old, but would take his 7-year-old hunting.

He said he would not give her the gun, but feels a parent can decide.

"I think it should be up to the parents," Chapman explained.

Kim Noie, a mother from Green Bay, hunts and has a six-year-old son. She does not agree with the changes to the law and feels she wouldn't want her child to handle a gun until they're 14.

"You need to know exactly what you're doing," she said. "You need to be old enough to handle yourself in that situation."

Another parent told NBC26 he ses no reason to carry two weapons because an adult should concentrate on teaching with one gun.