Current law generally prohibits hunting and firearm possession by any person
under the age of 12. Current law allows persons who are at least 12 years old but
under the age of 16 to hunt and possess a firearm but imposes certain restrictions
that vary depending on the person's age. Current law also requires, with certain
exceptions, that every person who obtains a hunting approval must have a certificate
of accomplishment issued by the Department of Natural Resources (DNR) indicating
that he or she has successfully completed the hunter education program or bow
hunter education program established by DNR.

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This bill establishes a hunting mentorship program that creates an exception
to the general requirement that a person obtain a certificate of accomplishment to
obtain a hunting approval. The bill authorizes a person who is at least 12 years of
age to hunt without obtaining a certificate of accomplishment and to possess or
control a firearm while hunting if the person has a valid hunting approval and is
hunting with a qualified mentor. The bill also authorizes DNR to promulgate rules
lowering the minimum age at which a person may hunt with a qualifying mentor.

Under the hunting mentorship program established in the bill, to qualify as a
mentor, a person must be 18 years of age or older and be the parent or guardian of
the person for whom he or she is serving as a mentor or be authorized by the parent
or guardian to serve as the mentor. The bill provides that at all times when serving
as a mentor, the mentor must be within arm's reach of the person for whom he or she
is serving as a mentor, must have a current valid hunting approval, and must have
obtained a certificate of accomplishment or be exempt from the requirement to obtain
a certificate of accomplishment. The bill provides that a mentor may take only one
person hunting at a time. The bill also requires DNR to issue to each person to whom
DNR issues a hunting approval a pamphlet that contains hunter safety information
if the person is not required to obtain a certificate of accomplishment and is
authorized to hunt with a mentor.

This bill creates a target practice exception to the restrictions that apply to
firearm possession by persons who are under a specified age. The bill provides that
those age restrictions do not apply to a person who uses a firearm in target practice
if the person is accompanied by his or her parent or guardian or by a person who is
at least 18 years of age who is designated by the parent or guardian.