IHEA Responds to False Allegations by PETA

Contact:  Wayne East
Tel:  303-430-7233    
E-mail:  exdir@ihea.com

For Immediate Release

June 25, 2009

IHEA RESPONDS TO FALSE ALLEGATIONS BY PETA

Federal Heights, CO – In a letter to the editor, a senior staff writer for the People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals (PETA) falsely quoted the International Hunter Education Association. 

Currently there is a mentor hunting bill in the State of Wisconsin Legislature that in part would lower the minimum age requirement of youth hunters to 10 if accompanied by an experienced adult mentor.  It also allows other hunters of older ages to hunt without first taking basic hunter education so long as the mentor has or is otherwise exempt by law.  This is a similar bill to many that have been passed in other states over the last several years. 

In their letter to the editor, PETA says, “the Association (IHEA) believes these statistics (the rate of youth under 18 being involved in incidents) will only grow as the age at which children are allowed to handle guns is lowered.”  

“This statement was manufactured by the author of the letter to the editor and is an outright lie,” said IHEA Executive Director, Wayne East.  “The IHEA has never and will never state that youth incident rates will only grow as the age which children are allowed to handle guns is lowered, as PETA claims in their letter to the editor.  The IHEA in fact supports youth involvement in hunting and the shooting sports as long as it is done in a safe, ethical manner.”  

All attempts to contact the author of PETA’s letter to the editor went unanswered.