Nice article on MSNBC, from the Washington Post. Saw it on MSNBC TV and it had a fairly positive spin overall, as does the article. The only negative part was in the last of the article, quoting HSUS's normal tripe:

Girl, 8, credited with year’s first bear kill

-Steve

I don't approve of that age. I think that it should be 12-16 for big game . For me 'hunting' means being able to do everything without help, holding aiming and pulling the trigger.8 years old also is too early for the proper mental and emotional level....I do however applaude getting kids into shooting and hunting.

I think that, in this day and age, waiting for a "young person" to get 12-16y.o. to take big game is asking a lot.....so many distractions for kids these days, I think you'll lose them to other interests by that age....properly supervised, I think it's a great experience......kudos to the Maryland F&G for letting it happen and to Md Governor Ehrlich for not caving into the people in bear suits.

Congratulations to Sierra for aceing the test and hunting hard; also to her family for their support.

Joe

I see no trouble at all with it. Good for her a hunter for life I bet.

Exposing young children to this cruelty? Geez, the only cruelty would be takin away their rights to hunt. And no it's not too young. I don't really think there should be an age restriction because in the liberal infested world if you can be too young you can also be too old. Just another way to squeeze us out.

Mete, you must be from a big city. You probably think 8 is too young to drive also. On the farm if you can see out the windsheild you'd better know how to back a truck and pull it forward because YOU WILL BE ASKED. We work together. Hunters should too.

As long as the girl understood the reality of the hunt and what her actions meant in the course of nature, it's a good thing. She is probably exopose d to all the negatives of modern life already; this cannot possibly compare to what she even sees on TV.

As someone who lives in the Free State and has been fighting the bunny huggers over the bear hunt for the last 6 years in the legislature I was so happy to see such a wonderful young girl get a bear on the first day, with her dad and great uncle with her.

The weather was horrible, early snow storm 12 inches, rain, sleet, and wind made it a day that many adults who drew a tag did not show up. When she arrived to check in her bear she handled herself like a pro with all the reporters and cameras around and told them all proudly how she had scored a 98 this past year on her hunter safety test.

As for her age, and when a child should be allowed to hunt, last time I checked, that's what parents are for.

quote:

As for her age, and when a child should be allowed to hunt, last time I checked, that's what parents are for.

Amen to that...

It don't take no village to raise kids, and until their 18, I'll make the decisions for them. If she was with Dad, she was old enough. If she can shoot accurately, she was old enough. If she can handle the killing part, she was old enough.

By the way, this is what my 13 year old daughter is into...

Wish she was into hunting, but she'd rather race Motocross, and she is FAST. One of the fastest in our state.


You go girl!

The littel girls Grandpa was with her. he taught her well. That said alot when she was interviewed on the local news. She was grate
and spoke like a true hunter.

I agree with mete, eight years old is too young. I take a few new hunters out each year and even 14 or 15 can be too young.

FN in MT

I shot my first deer when I was 10 in NJ. That was the legal hunting age then. I had my dad with me and I still remember the great time we had. I just wished I could have started sooner.

Well, some of you guys think she's too young....so does the Humane Society of the U.S.
HSUS has announced that it will lobby lawmakers and attempt to have legislation drafted that will make 16 the minimum age to begin hunting....maybe you should be careful what you wish for....they also have $97,000,000.00 to spend to get things done.....if you don't get them involved when they're young, you'll lose them, especially by age 16.

Joe

How many of us were hunting at 8? I sure was. Dad was right there. Isn't that one of the greatest parts about learning to hunt? I think today we often get too involved with success or the trophy when we need to focus more on the spirit of hunting. This dad should be very proud. His daughter now has a memory of hunting with she will never forget. I do think all children are different so maybe some kids are not ready at 8. Personally I will really hate to see the day when Big Brother has to start telling us how old kids need to be when they go in to the woods.

wow ! Today on this forum I have learned of a 16 year old boy saving up for a 500 nitro express and an 8 year old girl taking a bear. I feel less the dinosaur and a little closer to a generation I generally don't understand.
Maybe I haven't lived too long after all.