Great information on “Apprentice licenses”…www.familiesafield.org/Great article on “apprentice licenses”..Tens of Thousands Safely Join Sportsmen's Ranks
Families Afield makes its mark
March 20, 2007 (National)
(Portland) – The Families Afield Program led to an astounding jump in the number of new hunters in 2006. The spotless safety record of the freshmen underscores the fact that mentored youth are the safest in the field.
Families Afield is a campaign established by the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance, National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), and National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF) to urge states to eliminate unnecessary hunting age restrictions and ease hunter education mandates for first-time hunters.
During the North American Wildlife and Natural Resources Conference in Portland, Oregon, the USSA and its partners announced that half of the twelve states that have approved Families Afield legislation and regulations 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 Families Afield program is proving to be safe and effective at boosting sportsmen’s numbers, as we were confident it would,” said USSA President Bud Pidgeon. “Research conducted before apprentice programs were implemented showed that supervised young hunters are the safest in the field, and the new data backs the claim. The most important factor affecting youth hunting safety is the presence of a responsible, attentive adult hunter.”
Children are not the only ones utilizing the apprentice license programs. The licenses are available for first-time hunters of all ages, which means mentors can also take other adults for their inaugural hunting experiences.
Chad Baus, 34, was among the nearly 9,000 apprentice hunters in Ohio. The young man from Archbold, Ohio took his first deer during the 2006 season.
“I recently developed an interest in hunting, but without having tried it, I wasn’t motivated to invest my time in a hunter education course to get a hunting license,” said Baus. “The apprentice hunting program allowed me to try deer hunting and I loved it. From now on, there won’t be a year when I won’t be in the field.”
The apprentice hunting experience was the motivation Baus needed. He has already scheduled to take his hunter education course, and he is planning to introduce his boys and wife to the sport through the apprentice license program.
“It’s a great experience and I want to pass it on,” said Baus.
Lawmakers in California, Nebraska, Maine, Wisconsin and Oregon are considering legislation to enact apprentice license programs and lower hunting age restrictions.
“We hope that the popularity of apprentice programs and the impressive safety statistics will help convince legislators in these states to support efforts that will make it easier for newcomers to enjoy hunting,” said Pidgeon.
Sportsmen who want to support the enactment of Families Afield laws and regulations in their states can use the Legislative Action Center on the USSA website,
www.ussportsmen.org. The resource allows visitors to find and send messages to their lawmakers regarding Families Afield and other legislative issues.
The U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance is a national association of sportsmen and sportsmen’s organization that protects the rights of hunters, anglers and trappers in the courts, legislatures, at the ballot, in Congress and through public education programs. For more information about the U.S. Sportsmen’s Alliance and its work, call (614) 888-4868 or visit its website,
www.ussportsmen.org.
Some states that now have “apprentice licenses”..
Michigan….Apprentice Hunting License
A person who does not have a hunter safety certificate may purchase an apprentice hunting license. An apprentice hunter may purchase this license for two license years before he or she must successfully complete a hunter safety course. The apprentice hunting license is available to residents and nonresidents.
Apprentice hunters under age 17, when afield, must be accompanied by a parent, guardian or someone 21 or older designated by their parent or guardian. This individual must possess a valid, regular hunting license to hunt the same game as the apprentice hunter. "Accompanied by" requires the adult to be able to come to the immediate aid of the other person and staying within a distance from the other person that permits uninterrupted, unaided visual and verbal contact.
Apprentice hunters 17 and older, when afield, must be accompanied by someone 21 or older, who possesses a valid, regular hunting license to hunt the same game as the apprentice hunter.
For hunting wild turkey, mentors of the apprentice need a valid turkey hunting license, but they do not need a permit for same hunt unit/period as the apprentice.
Note: A person may accompany no more than two apprentice hunters while hunting.
Virginia – being considered….www.roanoke.com/outdoors/billcochran/field/wb/wb/xp-120535Ohio…..APPRENTICE HUNTING LICENSE & FUR TAKER PERMIT
Ohio issues an apprentice hunting license. The apprentice license was developed as part of a nation-wide effort called "Families Afield." Families Afield projects are designed to remove barrieres that prevent hunters from passing along the hunting heritage.
Apprentice hunting licenses or fur taker permits allow new hunters and trappers, both adults and youth, to sample the experience of hunting under the mentorship of a licensed adult prior to completing a hunter or trapper education course.
To hunt or trap, apprentice license and permit holders must be accompanied by a licensed hunter or trapper 21 years of age or older.
Accompany means to go along with another person while staying within a distance from the person that enables uninterrupted, unaided visual and auditory communications.
Having previously held an apprentice license does not qualify the holder to purchase a regular hunting license or fur taker permit.
To obtain a regular hunting license, a hunter education course must be completed successfully. To obtain a regular fur taker permit, a hunter education course and fur taker education course must be successfully completed. Apprentice licenses and trapping permits are available to both residents and non-residents, youth or adults. No one may purchase more than three apprentice hunting licenses or fur taker permits in his or her lifetime.
Tennessee …Apprentice Hunting Permit Now Available
The new Apprentice Permit exempts a hunter, age 10 or older who falls within the hunter education requirement, from having to complete the mandatory hunter Education Course for the current license year.
The Apprentice Permit (Type 012) may be purchased for $11.00 at any hunting and fishing license agent. The permit is valid from the date of purchase through the last day of February. This permit may only be purchased once in the lifetime of the hunter.
While hunting, the apprentice hunter must be accompanied by a licensed adult at least 21 years of age, who is hunter education certified or otherwise exempt from the law. In addition to the apprentice permit, the hunter must have other applicable licenses and permits.
Illinois…dnr.state.il.us/pubaffairs/2006/july/gov.htm
Kansas…www.kdwp.state.ks.us/news/hunting/kansas_governor_signs_apprentice_hunting_license_billMississippi…www.mdwfp.com/level2/Education/Huntered.aspVermont…www.leg.state.vt.us/docs/legdoc.cfm?URL=/docs/2008/bills/intro/H-298.HTM
