Hunters under 12 can hunt small game

It's official — hunters under 12 years of age can buy a license to hunt small game in Utah this fall.

However, before buying a license, they must complete the state's Hunter Education course.

A legislative bill that removed the minimum age to hunt small game and wild turkey in Utah was passed by the Utah legislature and signed by Gov. Jon M. Huntsman Jr. earlier this year.

Aug. 1 was the first day hunters who passed a hunter education course offered or approved by the Division of Wildlife Resources could buy a license, regardless of their age.

Young hunters are safe

"We're excited about this change," says Lenny Rees, hunter education coordinator for the DWR. "It gives young people a chance to connect with nature by getting outdoors and hunting with their parents at an earlier age."

Before the bill was introduced to state legislators, Rees surveyed the 11 Western states. He learned that Utah and Montana had the most restrictive regulations regarding when people can buy a small game hunting license.

"Eight of the states do not have a minimum age requirement, and Idaho allows young people to start hunting small game at the age of 10," he said. "Only Utah and Montana required hunters to wait until they were 12 years old before they could buy a license."

In seven of the states that do not have a minimum age requirement (data was not available for Washington) Rees found only one documented accident involving a hunter under the age of 12 in the past five years.

"Other states have found that younger hunters are safe hunters," Rees said.

Young hunters must pass a hunter education course

Hunters under the age of 12 must complete the state's entire Hunter Education course, including the shooting range portion of the course, before they can buy a license.

After they've obtained their license, they can't hunt unless they're accompanied by their parent, or a person 21 years of age or older who has been approved by their parent to take them hunting.

"Accompanied means the adult has to be close enough to the young hunter that they can talk with them without the use of electronic means," Rees said. "For example, the young hunter cannot be so far away that the adult needs a walkie-talkie to communicate with him or her.

"The hunter education requirements have not changed and the standards have not been lowered," Rees said. "These young hunters must pass all of the same requirements that hunters older than them must also pass. The responsibility to determine if their son or daughter is physically and mentally mature enough to hunt has now been given to the parents of each child."

Age not lowered for big game hunting

House Bill 328, which eliminated the minimum age to hunt small game and wild turkey in Utah, was sponsored by Rep. Curtis Oda (R-Clearfield) in the Utah House of Representatives and Sen. Tom Hatch (R-Panguitch) in the Utah Senate.

"We appreciate Rep. Oda and Sen. Hatch sponsoring this bill," says Jim Karpowitz, director of the DWR. "Both of these legislators are doing a lot to help Utah's wildlife and the DWR. We also appreciate the help of many of the sportsmen groups in the state, who got behind the bill and supported it."

Rep. Oda and Sen. Hatch also sponsored House Bill 329, which would have lowered the minimum age to hunt big game in Utah from 14 years old to 12 years old.

H.B. 329 passed the House of Representatives, but the legislative session ended before the Senate could vote on it.