Oklahoma National Wild Turkey Federation

EDGEFIELD, S.C.-Young and novice hunters in South Carolina and Oklahoma now have more opportunity to experience hunting with a mentor, thanks to recently signed legislation in both states.

In South Carolina, legislation was signed by Gov. Mark Sanford that allows all young people under the age of 18 to participate in youth hunting days, as long as they are accompanied by a licensed hunter at least 21 years old. Previously, no one under the age of 10 could hunt wild turkeys. There are youth hunting days for wild turkey, dove, deer and other game throughout the year in South Carolina.

Thanks to legislation signed by Gov. Brad Henry, novice hunters in Oklahoma between the ages of 16 and 35 can now hunt all game if they purchase a license with an apprentice designation and are accompanied by a licensed hunter at least 21 years of age. Young hunters under the age of 16 can still hunt small game without taking hunter safety education if a licensed hunter over the age of 21 accompanies them. Anyone aged 36 or older is exempt from hunter education requirements; those under the age of 16 must have hunter education to hunt big game.

The National Wild Turkey Federation is also working to remove barriers that prevent people from hunting. Through the Families Afield program, a partnership of the NWTF, the National Shooting Sports Foundation and the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance, data from the Youth Hunting Report is used to help remove youth hunting barriers across the nation.

"Allowing young people to safely experience hunting with a mentor is the best way to make them appreciative of the hunting tradition," said Rob Keck, NWTF CEO. "Getting them interested in hunting at an early age will not only prepare them for hunter education courses, but lays the foundation for being good conservationists."

To date, 18 states have approved Families Afield legislation and regulations and six of those states have already measured the program's performance and report a significant climb in new hunters. Data available from Florida, Illinois, Michigan, Minnesota, Mississippi and Ohio reveals that apprentice hunting license programs brought nearly 34,000 new hunters to the field without a single hunting-related shooting incident.

The 18 states that have changed laws and regulations to create additional hunting opportunities for youth and novice hunters are:

• Florida
• Illinois
• Kansas
• Kentucky
• Louisiana
• Maine
• Michigan
• Minnesota
• Mississippi
• Nebraska
• Ohio
• Oklahoma
• Oregon
• Pennsylvania
• South Carolina
• Tennessee
• Utah
• Washington