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.

Tracking deer, flushing pheasants and learning safe hunting techniques, such as how to field dress an animal, as well as almost every skill required to hunt game in South Dakota, is just as easily learned before the age of 12 without a gun in hand as it is carrying one.

Which brings to mind two primary questions:

How many 10- and 11-year-old future hunters are we losing because they aren't allowed to fire a rifle or a shotgun?

How many of the legislators that support lowering the hunting age by two years believe that today's 10-year-old is more mature, more knowledgeable and more responsible from the 10-year-olds of years past?

The fact that the most ardent outdoorsmen became the hunting enthusiasts they are with the hunting age at 12 shows that lowering the hunting age isn't requisite to cultivating a rich understanding and appreciation for the sport.

What will get kids off the couch and into the great outdoors?

For one, parents need to lead by example, not only in the woods and along the streams, but along the bike path and the gym.

Secondly, the state Game, Fish & Parks has offered a variety of programs, including its Becoming An Outdoor Family and the Junior Naturalists programs, that provide plenty of opportunity to maintain a culture that's in touch with outdoor sports such as hunting and fishing.

As for legislative efforts to address the waning interest in hunting among youths, HB1263 is little more than a politically popular Band-Aid that will do little to address the real problem.