average hunter safety age

[sdwwaverider]

My son took it this year at 9. Passed both written & field with good scores. Hunted him hard this year and he's done great. He has had better muzzle control than many adults. My hunting buddy pulled me aside and said he has hunted with a lot of kids over the years and some of them scared the hell out of him. He said my son has been the best he's hunted with. Said you could always see him thinking about it, he was cautious and exhibited a love of being out there. He wasn't just out there because it was something his dad wanted.  Pretty proud Dad to hear a report like that.  The biology teacher at Yelm HS runs an excellent class.

[sirsnap]

My daughter took hers last year when she was 10.  She almost aced it she could have probably taken it a year earlier.

[superdown]

I was 10yrs old my dad was 11yrs old.

[Boss .300 winmag]

My oldest daughter was nine when she took it and passed it with no problems. My youngest was eleven when she took it and had no problems as well, but I had her wait till then to take it due to her not being mature enough for my for my liking. My son took it at ten had no problems as well, he would have had it a year earlier but chose to go to a once in a life time family event (that showed a lot of maturity for his age).  I think it all boils down to each kids maturity level, kids younger than nine size wise and reading comprehension and so forth might have a harder time with it. Those are just my OP's.

[Pathfinder101]

I instruct here in Walla Walla.  When PathfinderJR was 6 or 7 he started asking to attend the course.  I brought home the Hunter Education Textbook.  I told him that when he could read a chapter and explain it to me, that he was ready.  When he was 9, I let him take the class.  He passed with a 96%.  Only YOU know when your child is ready. 

[Alan K]

I was 7 or 8, summer between second and third grade, however old that would make me.

[Gutpile]

My girls both took there courses at 10 and 11. One missed 2 and the other missed 3. The little kids do better than many adults and teenagers as they don't have the " I know it all" mentality.

 

[Pathfinder101]

For most of us in our 30s and 40s, we took it when we were 10, because that used to be the minimum age.  I am not sure when they changed it, but there is no minimum age anymore, you just have to be old enough to understand the material being taught, and big enough to handle the weapons. 

FYI, almost every other state in the west requires a kid to be 12 years old to buy their own hunting license.  Some states have "mentoring" programs where they will allow you to let your kid fill YOUR tag, as long as you are right there with him, but for the most part, they have to be 12 before you can start buying a license for them/building points, etc...

[chuck270]

My son took the coarse a month after he turned 8 years old and did better then I thought he would.  He had been badgering me about sence he was six and I told him he couldn't do it until he could read well enough to do it on his own.  He is still 8 years old but at the last teacher confernce the teacher told me he reads at high school level.  I now have a half pint hunting budy and an excellent student; two birds, one stone.

But there is a flip side, I now have 4' tall person pointing out everything I do wrong!

Like others have said it depends on the maturety of the child and everyone is different. 

 

[teanawayslayer]

Well that one is hard to say.  I took my oldest daughter at 11 and she did fine,  my oldest son I plan on taking at 10 just because I will nto be able to take him any sooner my next boy I am not sure about, he is a beast of a totaly different nature we might have to wait until 11 or 12 before he can go.  when I took my daughter there were kids from 6 all the way up.  one little six year old girl kicked butt on everythign except the shotgun. so I guess what I am saying is you know your kids best and if you think they are up to it the should be.  they do have to be able to read, write, take some notes and be able to pass a writen test by them selves.  

I went with my cousin this past year and I tell you it is good to see young ones in there.  On the flip side there were several mexicans in the class that could not read or write.  They had somone reading the test to them.  How fair is that.  Sorry to get off of the subject of the youth.  And I agree should be able to read and write.  So why is it ok  if you can't speak english.

[Little Dave]

"No habla Inglés" should not be tolerated as a defense to a trespassing violation.  What happens in the field when the game officer explains the violation or needs more information?  Ability to communicate in English should be a minimum requirement.

[bigelk1030]

My son is 10 and gonna give it a go in January.  I can't wait to have my hunting buddy out with me in the field passing on what my dad taught me. 

[Bigshooter]

I was 9 when I took it.  And my sister was 8.  I missed 2 she missed 1  .

[jeepasaurusrex]

I had been tagging along with my Dad since I was 4yrs old. When I turned 9, he told me he would buy me a shot gun if I passed. I took the class at the National Guard Armory in Snohomish. I think it was 4 nights. I ended up only missing one question on the test, and I out shot everyone else in the class. The next day I went and got my jacket. Dad asked me where I was going. I told him to get his as we were going to get my shot gun. 

[Skyvalhunter]

Well atleast you don't lack confidence!!