The editorial board of the Rapid City Journal thinks so. They write:
The road to Pierre is paved with good intentions, and no bill exemplifies that as much as the one by Rep. Mike Buckingham, R-Rapid City, to lower the legal hunting age from 12 to 10.
Buckingham and supporters of HB1263 say the bill is needed to preserve interest in hunting and the great outdoors for the generations of South Dakotans to come. While we wholeheartedly support the lawmakers’ goal of getting kids off the couch and out the front door for some old-fashioned recreation, they miss the mark with this bill.
The truth is, most hunters begin their love of nature well before the age of 10, alongside their family, friends and mentors while actively hunting, fishing and honing skills to become a true outdoorsman.
. . . HB1263 is little more than a politically popular Band-Aid that will do little to address the real problem.
What do you think?