COMMISSION ESTABLISHES MINIMUM AGE FOR DEER AND TURKEY HUNTERS

JEFFERSON CITY -- The Missouri Conservation Commission has banned deer and turkey hunting to persons under 11 years of age.

Rule changes approved recently by the Commission limit deer and turkey hunting to persons 11 years and older.

Commission members have also tightened the requirement that persons under age 16 complete hunter education courses before purchasing hunting permits.

Since 1988, Missouri has required persons born on or after Jan. 1, 1967 to obtain approved hunter education certificate cards before purchasing firearms hunting permits.

In April, the Commission voted unanimously to set a minimum age of 11 years for hunter education certification.

Because persons under age 16 must have hunter education certificate cards to purchase hunting permits in Missouri, the new rule effectively prohibits youths under 11 years from hunting deer and turkey. The Commission also voted to prohibit hunters under age 11 from hunting deer or turkey, even if they have hunter education cards. Both rules will become effective Jan. 1, 1993.

However, the new rules will not prevent youngsters from hunting small game. Persons under age 16 may hunt game other than deer and turkey without hunting permits. But they must be in the immediate presence of properly licensed adult hunters or have hunter education certificate cards in their possession.

The Commission tightened the requirement that hunting permit vendors verify hunter education certification before selling hunting permits. The new rule requires vendors to enter the number of hunter education certificate cards on firearms hunting permits.

Bob Staton, hunter skills coordinator for the Missouri Department of Conservation (MDC), said volunteer instructors who teach the agency's hunter education classes recommended the minimum age requirement.

"They told us that children as young as five were enrolling in their classes," Staton said. "Having students that young in classes that include people 20 and older makes teaching difficult. They also were concerned that some of the younger students couldn't grasp important hunting safety concepts. They didn't feel good about granting lifetime hunter certification to 9- or 10-year-olds. Even if you can remember enough information to pass the test, very few children that age are mature enough to understand the responsibility that goes with handling firearms."

Staton said 27 other states have minimum ages for hunter education certification.