I was present at the October Natural Resources Commission (NRC) meeting when the results were presented from the recent law change that lowered the age limit of youth by two years for purchasing a hunting license. Hunting license sale for the youth at that time had made a 28% increase with 40% of the participants being girls.

I find that marvelous fact to be a positive step towards the future of hunting in Michigan. Especially when you realize hunting overall is losing more numbers annually than it is recruiting.

Of the hunting pastimes, the most popular seems to be deer hunting. Small game hunting however tends to be the less popular, and this is one of the reason for lowering the age limit from 12 to 10 years of age. 10 year olds can also hunt deer with a bow and arrow and 12 year olds can hunt deer on private lands only with a firearm. A youth must be at least 14 years old to hunt deer on public land with a firearm. Youth hunters also must have an adult present while in the field.

Prior to this year, there was not any real definition of how close the adult had to be to the youth while hunting. Legislation brought about last June clarifies that the adult, who must be at least 18 years old or older and must be a parent or guardian or be appointed by parent or guardian, bust be in audible and visual contact with the couth in his/her charge at all times.

Under those circumstances I had no problem at all with lowering the age limit. Personally I began hunting pheasants with a firearm under my mother's direct supervision when I was only 4 years old. This was on our farm property where we lived, and a small game license wasn't required. This rule still applies as the age requirement is only in regards to the purchase of a hunting license.

Many states don't even have a minimum age requirement for purchasing a hunting license, and leave the decision up to the parents. I have not heard anything negative about such, and in reality it works for me.

There was debate amongst some hunter in Michigan prior to lowering the age limit, as to whether or not kids who years younger would be safe hunters, especially in regards to the firearms deer season. One person told me that it probably wouldn't be safe to be in the woods.

I do believe most of those fears were put to rest during the recent youth deer hunting season where a lot of 12 and 13 year olds, both boys and girls, were given the opportunity to hunt deer with a firearm on private land, and having a great time with their parents or guardians. I had a chance to talk to 12 year old Jacqueline Dove of Washington, MI when she and her father Fred brought a 3 1/2 year old doe to the Cass City DNR Office during the first day of the youth deer hunt.

Jacqueline had used a 20ga shotgun to make a one shot kill on the large doe and was thoroughly thrilled with the experience and looking forward to more deer hunting in the future. Her father commented that lowering the age limit had allowed Jacqueline to become involved with hunting 2 years sooner, and in two more years without being associated - without the actual experience her interest might have waned. This no doubt could be the case for many boys and girls, and a key reason for lowering the age limit.

The many pictures in the paper of successful you deer hunters states the fact that many kids are having a great experience, and obviously spending some quality time in the outdoors.

Another debate is the actual youth deer hunt. Some deer hunters have their noses out of joint because youths are allowed to hunt the weekend before the bow season opener. They just don't feel that is fair, especially since they never had that opportunity in their youth

Bottom line is that most of those that dislike the youth deer season don't appreciate the youth hunters bagging buck ahead of the bow season, and the kid never does the actual shooting.

Certainly unscrupulous sorts do exist, and to use their kids in this manner means that they are in my opinion very low down characters.

I wish the youth deer hunt as well as lowering the age limit had been available for my two older sons, Jake and Josh, as they were certainly ready to hunt deer with a firearm when they were 12 years old. Fortunately this very special season came about for my youngest son Joe when ye was 15 years old. It was a very special time for both of us, and in two autumns, it was over, and much to quickly so.

That is when I took another kid hunting during the youth deer hunt. I tried to put him on to a large buck I knew was in the area. Actually it was the buck of my dreams, but it certainly didn't have my initials engraved in its hide. I would have been very pleased had this kid bagged the for sure trophy, and it nearly happened on the first evening.

The 15 year old lad was using my T/C Encore with its 20ga rifled shotgun barrel. I had spotted where the buck was heading and we were running out of light. I guided the boy to the edge of the field and I spotted the buck only 40 yards away feeding in the field and at the moment totally oblivious to our presence. The young lad was standing in the perfect position for a shot, and to avoid any movement such as pointing my finger, I simply whispered, "take him", as I assumed the lad had spotted the big buck as well.

However the lad whispered back that he felt the shot was too far to take. At that moment the big buck sensed our presence and made a quick departure. It was then I realized that the lad was focused on another buck that I hadn't noticed more than 100 yards straight way from us, and he had not noticed the big buck that was much closer to our right. It was a good call on the kid's part for not taking a too long of a shot off hand, and I learned a little bit more about effective guiding practices.

The fact is I like to take kids hunting and I can recall all the adults that mentored me into the various avenues of hunting. Their positive impact has allowed me to experience the outdoors in a very special way.

Clearly, lowering the age limit and the special youth hunts are having a positive effect on the future of hunting. The recent rise in youth hunting license sales literally points out that fact.

Note: Tom Lounsbury Outdoors can be heard Sunday's on WLEW. On Cruise 102.1 FM at 12 Noon and on The Thumb's Hottest Country WLEW 1340 am at 2:10pm