BOISE - The House Resources and Conservation Committee approved a bill Thursday that would allow 10-year-olds in Idaho to hunt big game if it becomes law.

The current minimum age for hunting big game in Idaho with adult supervision is 12.

If enacted, the Idaho Department of Fish and Game estimates the House bill would generate an extra $14,000 annually from increased sales of resident junior big game tags and nonresident "junior mentored big game tags."

An additional $1,300 per year would kick into the fish and game agency "from vendor fee revenue due to increased tag sales," according to a fiscal note.

The legislation, House Bill 399, now goes to the House floor for a vote.

During a bill presentation, Idaho Department of Fish and Game's Sharon Kiefer said the legislation simply provides a chance for younger children to hunt big game along with the current privilege of hunting under adult supervision for smaller game at ages 10 and 11.

"This bill is not a requirement that a youth must begin big game hunting at age 10," Kiefer said. "We have only provided an opportunity for families to make a decision about big game hunting at this age. House Bill 399 is about opportunity and choice, not mandate."

Not everyone bought onto the idea. Three Democrats, including House Minority Caucus Chair Donna Pence, D-Gooding, voted against the measure.

"I'm somewhat concerned about the bill ... the size of a child at 10," Pence said. "Some of our larger-caliber rifles are pretty heavy, the stocks are kind of long ... and the kick's pretty hard."

Pence also said the legislation would change the traditional standard age of 12. For several decades, that has been the legal age in Idaho for children to hunt big game, IDFG officials said.

"Twelve has been the standard coming-of-age of hunters, and as such provides a longstanding benchmark reached by generations before them," Pence said.

"A quality experience is worth waiting for," she said.

Immediately afterward, Rep. Judy Boyle, R-Midvale, disagreed, saying she recalled when the Legislature changed the law to allow Idaho 10-year-olds to use shotguns.

"I have taken my kids out into the woods from the time they were extremely small," Boyle said. "And, waiting until they were 12 (to hunt big game) was a bummer for them, and for me. If you are a responsible parent and you've taken them hunting all those years, they already know gun safety. It's not like you just put a rifle in their hand opening day."

In other action, the committee sent to the House floor with a "do-pass recommendation," House Bill 398, an emergency measure designed to authorize discounts for every-year purchases of hunting and fishing licenses "in addition to their current discount authority for (hunting) tags," Kiefer said.

Intermittent license purchases have caused irregular funding challenges, according to the IDFG. Under one scenario, the bill could generate as much as $302,988 in new revenue for IDFG. Kiefer said the department has sought out an alternative to encourage greater revenues without increasing fees.