Colton Browne, 2007 Essay Contest Winner
Colton Browne
I think that kids should be allowed to hunt at the age of twelve. Hunting is a privilege. To be able to hunt, you should be responsible, trustworthy, and you should also have knowledge of what you are doing. Hunting is not something to be fooling around with. Although you can have fun while hunting, you still must be serious. At twelve years old, you are probably old enough to understand how serious hunting can be.
You should always be responsible while hunting. If you act responsibly, people will want to hunt with you because they will know that if they hunt with you, they will not be at risk of being hurt. Hunting is a lot more fun if you know that it will be safe. At twelve years old, people are more likely to handle firearms in a safe way. If you are responsible while hunting, others will trust you. They will know that you are able to be careful and have fun while hunting.
If you are hunting, you should know how to handle a firearm and everything else about hunting. At twelve years of age, you should know what you are dealing with. If you have followed the law and have passed the hunter education test before you have started hunting, you should already know what you are dealing with. If you have followed the law and have passed the hunter education test before you have started hunting, you should already know what you need to know about handling firearms and the safety of hunting. If you have not taken the test (and passed), it is illegal for you to hunt. By taking the hunter education test, you learn everything needed about hunting. Such as the parts of the gun, what to and what not to shot, and how to be safe with firearms. If you know everything about hunting, others will trust you and they will want to hunt along with you.
I believe that twelve is a good age for people to start hunting. By this age, people should know that hunting is something to be serious about. Twelve year olds are mature enough to understand that hunting is not something to be fooling around with while doing.
Kids should get involved in hunting because it gives them a chance to experience the excitement in it all. Some kids hunt for entertainment. While others may hunt for competition, I think that it is great for kids to have the opportunity to hunt.
If kids do get involved in hunting, they must be familiar with firearms and safety. It is okay for kids to hunt if they are knowledgeable about what they are dealing with. To be able to get to know how to hunt, kids should always hunt with an experienced hunter. Kids need to be careful while hunting and people who are already familiar with firearms can help them learn the right way to hunt.
