Firearms?

[NC Mom in Indy]

What is the name of your state (only U.S. law)? Indiana

My 9yo daughter is extremely upset. Her dad enrolled her in a Hunter's Education class which she went to this weekend, and he told her that she is going hunting with him, and she is going to shoot a deer.

Dad has sole custody, and we do not get along at all. I have tried to discuss this with him, and his answer is that he has sole custody, so our daughter has to do what ever he says.

I am looking for something regarding hunting laws in Indiana. I put this in this section becasue my other question is where do I legally stand regarding this issue? I do not want my daughter firing a weapon. She cannot stand the thought of killing something. We are not vegan, but we are close. I am concerned about a number of things. A 9yo firing a weapon from a tree stand has a good chance of falling from the kick of th gun. Not only that, but our little girl is a little girl. She does not have it in her to know that she has taken the life of another living thing.

Is there a law prohibiting a 9yo from hunting in Indiana? Is there a law about age for firing a shotgun, rifle, etc? I have looked, and I haven't found anything yet.

Second question, Do I have an ice cubes chance in hell of getting a judge to stop him frm making her shoot something?

 

[xylene]

Dad has sole custody so you have zip grounds to object.

At this point dad has every right to enroll the child in a hunter safety class.

As far as your dietary preferences - that is your business alone, since dad has sole cust.

The same is true for your daughters lawful involvement with hunting and firearms.

 

[Ohiogal]

YOu can always petition the court to try to prohibit your daughter from hunting HOWEVER there is no guarantee that you would win. What dad is doing is NOT against the law.

IC 14-22-11-1
"Farmland" defined; license requirements and conditions
Sec. 1. (a) As used in this section, "farmland" means agricultural land that is:
(1) devoted or best adaptable for the production of crops, fruits, timber, and the raising of livestock; or
(2) assessed as agricultural land for property tax purposes.
(b) An individual may not take or chase, with or without dogs, a wild animal without having a license, except as follows:
(1) An individual who is a resident or nonresident of Indiana while participating in a field trial that has been sanctioned by the director is not required to possess a license while participating in the trial.
(2) Subject to subsection (d), an owner of farmland located in Indiana who is a resident or nonresident of Indiana and the spouse and children living with the owner may hunt, fish, and trap without a license on the land that the owner owns.
(3) A lessee of farmland who farms that land and is a resident of Indiana and the spouse and children living with the lessee may hunt, fish, and trap without a license on the leased land. This subdivision does not apply to land that is:
(A) owned, leased, or controlled by; and
(B) leased from;
the department.
(4) An individual who:
(A) is less than thirteen (13) years of age;
(B) does not possess a bow or firearm; and
(C) is accompanying an individual who:
(i) is at least eighteen (18) years of age; and
(ii) holds a valid license;
may chase a wild animal without having a license. (c) The exceptions provided in this section do not apply to a commercial license issued under this article.
(d) The right of a nonresident who owns farmland in Indiana (and of the spouse and children who reside with the nonresident) to hunt, fish, and trap on the farmland without a license under subsection (b)(2) is subject to the following conditions:
(1) The nonresident may hunt, fish, and trap on the farmland without a license only if the state in which the nonresident resides allows residents of Indiana who own land in that state to hunt, fish, and trap on their land without a license.
(2) While hunting, fishing, or trapping on the farmland, the nonresident must keep proof that the nonresident owns the farmland (for example, a tax receipt identifying the nonresident as owner) in a place where the proof is readily accessible by the nonresident.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.139-1997, SEC.1;

P.L.25-1998, SEC.1; P.L.186-2003, SEC.60.

She also doesn't need a weapon to be going hunting. She could chase the deer or just be with her father in the woods.

IC 14-22-11-5
Hunter education
Sec. 5. (a) This section does not apply to an individual issued an apprentice license under IC 14-22-12-1.7.
(b) In addition to other requirements for obtaining a hunting license, a person born after December 31, 1986, must have successfully completed the course of instruction in hunter education offered by the department or the department's agent under IC 14-22-35.
(c) If an applicant for a hunting license who is subject to subsection (b) requests that a hunter education course be offered in the applicant's county of residence, the department or the department's agent shall offer a hunting safety course under IC 14-22-35 in the applicant's county of residence not more than ninety-two (92) days after receiving a request.
As added by P.L.1-1995, SEC.15. Amended by P.L.14-2008, SEC.1.

The biggest issue is if your daughter is afraid of the weapon. That is NOT a good thing. I took hunter's education when I was about the same age of your daughter. I also was taught to shoot from the time I was young and am comfortable with weapons. Your ex is doing nothing wrong in wanting to have your daughter involved.

 

[NC Mom in Indy]

Dad has sole custody so you have zip grounds to object.

At this point dad has every right to enroll the child in a hunter safety class.

As far as your dietary preferences - that is your business alone, since dad has sole cust.

The same is true for your daughters lawful involvement with hunting and firearms.

It's not the Hunter's Education Classes that I am objecting to.

My daughter's dietary preferences are to NOT eat meat. I eat some meat. Her dad eats all meat. She is individual and chooses not to eat meat regardless of whom she is with.

YOu can always petition the court to try to prohibit your daughter from hunting HOWEVER there is no guarantee that you would win. What dad is doing is NOT against the law.




She also doesn't need a weapon to be going hunting. She could chase the deer or just be with her father in the woods.




The biggest issue is if your daughter is afraid of the weapon. That is NOT a good thing. I took hunter's education when I was about the same age of your daughter. I also was taught to shoot from the time I was young and am comfortable with weapons. Your ex is doing nothing wrong in wanting to have your daughter involved.

Our daughter is terrified of any type of weapon. The thought of killing anything that is living bothers our daughter greatly. I am worried that the experience would be extremely emotional scarring. Being forced to shoot something is not her idea of a good time. She is not happy with the idea.

She does not want to be around it at all. She does not want to target shoot or anything. I have an air rifle and she does not even want to fire it at a target in the backyard.

When she told me that her dad said she HAS to shoot a deer she looked at me with her giant brown eyes full of tears and broke into sobs. We watch the deer in the field behind my house. She loves their beauty in life. To hurt one would destroy her.

 

[commentator]

This is an issue that first and foremost, is being pushed and developed by the mother, not by the child. I mean, I know lots and lots of people who are hunting diligently and haven't been able to kill a deer. She may be forced or ordered to shoot at a deer by her father, though I have a hard time seeing this happen, but she certainly doesn't have to hit it. She needs to learn that she has a choice. She also needs to overcome her irrational "terrified" of firearms. I don't imagine someone else put this idea into her head, do you suppose? And the whole imaginary scenario about her falling out of the tree stand after firing a weapon....she made this up? No way!

In Indiana, hunting state that it is, with your husband having sole custody, I do not think this sad "big brown eyes" and "terrified of guns" is going to win you any sympathy in court, even if you want to go to the trouble and expense of taking him there over this.

Help her brace up, stop worrying about this, quit trying to keep the fires flamed up about her having to kill Bambi's mother. She would have a choice. If she's this sensitive, what's going to happen if you hit a deer with your car?

 

[Ohiogal]

It's not the Hunter's Education Classes that I am objecting to.

My daughter's dietary preferences are to NOT eat meat. I eat some meat. Her dad eats all meat. She is individual and chooses not to eat meat regardless of whom she is with.

Okay and?

Our daughter is terrified of any type of weapon. The thought of killing anything that is living bothers our daughter greatly.

You say the above but you also say this:

Not only that, but our little girl is a little girl. She does not have it in her to know that she has taken the life of another living thing.

Those are contradictory. Just because she is a girl doesn't mean she would not enjoy hunting or shooting.

I am worried that the experience would be extremely emotional scarring. Being forced to shoot something is not her idea of a good time. She is not happy with the idea.

You are projecting. It is not her idea of a good time or it is not your idea and she is telling you what she thinks YOU want to hear.

She does not want to be around it at all. She does not want to target shoot or anything. I have an air rifle and she does not even want to fire it at a target in the backyard.

How big is your backyard?

When she told me that her dad said she HAS to shoot a deer she looked at me with her giant brown eyes full of tears and broke into sobs. We watch the deer in the field behind my house. She loves their beauty in life. To hurt one would destroy her

.

Cows have pretty giant brown eyes as well. Does she eat beef? Any animal could be pretty. Look if she doesn't want to hunt then she should tell her dad she doesn't want to hunt. Taking hunter's education does NOT force her to hunt.

 

[NC Mom in Indy]

This is an issue that first and foremost, is being pushed and developed by the mother, not by the child. I mean, I know lots and lots of people who are hunting diligently and haven't been able to kill a deer. She may be forced or ordered to shoot at a deer by her father, though I have a hard time seeing this happen, but she certainly doesn't have to hit it. She needs to learn that she has a choice. She also needs to overcome her irrational "terrified" of firearms. I don't imagine someone else put this idea into her head, do you suppose? And the whole imaginary scenario about her falling out of the tree stand after firing a weapon....she made this up? No way!

In Indiana, hunting state that it is, with your husband having sole custody, I do not think this sad "big brown eyes" and "terrified of guns" is going to win you any sympathy in court, even if you want to go to the trouble and expense of taking him there over this.

Help her brace up, stop worrying about this, quit trying to keep the fires flamed up about her having to kill Bambi's mother. She would have a choice. If she's this sensitive, what's going to happen if you hit a deer with your car?

My EX, NOT my Husband, is NOT allowed to have a firearm in his possession according to Indiana State Law, because of his felony convictions (plural) for Domestic Battery. He still has the weapons. He cannot get a license to hunt either.

I hold several awards for my marksmanship. I do not try to make my daughter scared of weapons. She has a fear of them. She will not fire a BB gun or any other type of weapon regardless of which parent she is with.

I will take this court. I am looking for any case law that I can find. Hunter's Safety is a requirement in Indiana, so Dad didn't have a choice. My daughter will have a choice to hunt. I will stand up for her and not allow her dad to buklly her into killing something. She is not emotionally ready to shoot an animal. She knows that it will die, and she is too sensitive for that. Whoever wants to hunt, do what you like.

BTW, Deer Whistles are very effective. If you od hit one in my county DNR will pick it up and take it to the state facility in the next county. They care for them until they can be released into the wild.

 

[mommyof4]

Cows have pretty giant brown eyes as well. Does she eat beef? Any animal could be pretty. Look if she doesn't want to hunt then she should tell her dad she doesn't want to hunt. Taking hunter's education does NOT force her to hunt.

And even if she takes the course and Dad takes her out to enjoy the beauty of the world before the sun rises (let me insert "UGH!") that doesn't mean that she has to shoot anything. SHE will be the one in control of the weapon (if she even chooses to pick it up). SHE will be the one aiming. Whose to say she doesn't kill an innocent patch of grass?

I'm not a hunter. I've never been interested in hunting. I even feel sorta' sorry for the fish who are just swimming around and minding their own business before biting on that nice, shiny floating lure, so I don't fish. (Of course, I don't eat fish either because for some reason, the thought of eating a fish makes sick, but enough about me and my weird deitary habits.) That said, I don't think it is WRONG that Dad is ensuring that y'all's daughter has a grasp on the basics of firearm safety and hunting safety. I think this is a prime learning opportunity for your daugher on many levels.

1. Firearm safety
2. Hunting safety, rules, and responsibility. Even if she never hunts, it's a good idea to have a grasp on the safety aspects as she apparently lives in a state where hunting is very common.
3. Animal population control.
4. Laws of nature.
5. Learning to make moral choices for HERSELF as opposed to Mom or Dad telling her what she should do or feel. Like I said, it's very easy for her to NOT to shoot any animal.
6. Learning that Dad wanting to impart something that he enjoys to daughter is a GOOD thing, even if it's not the first choice of y'all's daughter. It's better than sitting in front of the TV together for hours on end.

 

[LdiJ]

It's not the Hunter's Education Classes that I am objecting to.

My daughter's dietary preferences are to NOT eat meat. I eat some meat. Her dad eats all meat. She is individual and chooses not to eat meat regardless of whom she is with.



Our daughter is terrified of any type of weapon. The thought of killing anything that is living bothers our daughter greatly. I am worried that the experience would be extremely emotional scarring. Being forced to shoot something is not her idea of a good time. She is not happy with the idea.

She does not want to be around it at all. She does not want to target shoot or anything. I have an air rifle and she does not even want to fire it at a target in the backyard.

When she told me that her dad said she HAS to shoot a deer she looked at me with her giant brown eyes full of tears and broke into sobs. We watch the deer in the field behind my house. She loves their beauty in life. To hurt one would destroy her.

If your child doesn't want to kill a living creature, then she should not be forced to do so. She shouldn't be forced to watch her dad do so either. Take the issue to court. In fact, you could even try to do it on an emergency basis.

Don't make an issue out of the Hunter's safety class. That won't hurt her. Make the issue the fact that dad has said that she HAS to kill a deer and what that will do to her.

I am actually a little surprised at some of the responses you received here. No one should be forced to kill anything against their will...child or not.

 

[mommyof4]

My EX, NOT my Husband, is NOT allowed to have a firearm in his possession according to Indiana State Law, because of his felony convictions (plural) for Domestic Battery. He still has the weapons. He cannot get a license to hunt either.

Don't you think that was an important little tid bit that should have been mentioned in the VERY FIRST SENTENCE????


And excuse me....but Dad has sole custody after being convicted of domestic violence? Against whom? If he abused you and still wound up with sole custody (a rare occurence for EITHER parent) what did YOU do to warrant that ruling?

 

[mommyof4]

If your child doesn't want to kill a living creature, then she should not be forced to do so. She shouldn't be forced to watch her dad do so either. Take the issue to court. In fact, you could even try to do it on an emergency basis.

Don't make an issue out of the Hunter's safety class. That won't hurt her. Make the issue the fact that dad has said that she HAS to kill a deer and what that will do to her.

I am actually a little surprised at some of the responses you received here. No one should be forced to kill anything against their will...child or not.

NOBODY said that Daughter had to kill ANYTHING. As a matter of fact, it was CLEARLY pointed out that while Dad may have said that (I say may because I don't believe it) she is going to shoot a deer, there is NO WAY that Dad can actually force her to do so. Even if Dad puts his hands over Daughter's on the gun and pulls the trigger, hits a deer and kills it, Daughter STILL hasn't killed the animal. DAD did.

Dad could go hunting deer (or wabbits) with a gun and Daughter could *shoot* a deer with a camera. She STILL needs hunting safety courses.

 

[NC Mom in Indy]

Okay and?



You say the above but you also say this:

Those are contradictory. Just because she is a girl doesn't mean she would not enjoy hunting or shooting.

I love hunting and fishing. My daughter likes to fish sometimes, but she puts them back and never keeps them. I think that perhaps you are reading this out of context. My daughter told me that she cannot kill something, and she refuses to fire an air rifle or bb gun. She does not want to shoot at targets or animals.

You are projecting. It is not her idea of a good time or it is not your idea and she is telling you what she thinks YOU want to hear.

It is not her idea of a good time. She has told her dad and I that she does not want to hunt.

How big is your backyard?

Humongous! I live by a lake, we have woods and a stream if it isn't too dry.

Cows have pretty giant brown eyes as well. Does she eat beef? Any animal could be pretty. Look if she doesn't want to hunt then she should tell her dad she doesn't want to hunt. Taking hunter's education does NOT force her to hunt.

My daughter doesn't care for most meat. She said it is the texture in her mouth that bothers her.

She has told her dad that she does not want to go hunting. She has told him that she does not want to kill an animal. He said that she WILL KILL a deer or she will be punished. He hunts on his grandma's farm, and deer are plentiful. Everyone who hunts there gets one if they try. Most of the time there are so many that it only takes one shot.

 

[LdiJ]

I love hunting and fishing. My daughter likes to fish sometimes, but she puts them back and never keeps them. I think that perhaps you are reading this out of context. My daughter told me that she cannot kill something, and she refuses to fire an air rifle or bb gun. She does not want to shoot at targets or animals.




It is not her idea of a good time. She has told her dad and I that she does not want to hunt.



Humongous! I live by a lake, we have woods and a stream if it isn't too dry.




My daughter doesn't care for most meat. She said it is the texture in her mouth that bothers her.

She has told her dad that she does not want to go hunting. She has told him that she does not want to kill an animal. He said that she WILL KILL a deer or she will be punished. He hunts on his grandma's farm, and deer are plentiful. Everyone who hunts there gets one if they try. Most of the time there are so many that it only takes one shot.

Again, take it to court. Do it immediately. Ask for an emergency order prohibiting dad from requiring the child to shoot at or kill animals...based on the fact that it would severely harm the child emotionally to kill anything at all.

 

[NC Mom in Indy]

Don't you think that was an important little tid bit that should have been mentioned in the VERY FIRST SENTENCE????


And excuse me....but Dad has sole custody after being convicted of domestic violence? Against whom? If he abused you and still wound up with sole custody (a rare occurence for EITHER parent) what did YOU do to warrant that ruling?

I didn't mention it in the first sentence, becasue I didn't want to be accused once again of holding his violent past behavior against him.

I did Absolutely NOTHING WRONG! That's right. Absolutely nothing wrong! Dad found an evaluator who would write a report that I assaulted him, and he was arrested for defending himself. My ex is now beating his new wife regularly, and still he has custody of our daughter. That has nothing to do with the fact that this man is telling our little girl that she HAS to KILL A DEER.

NOBODY said that Daughter had to kill ANYTHING. As a matter of fact, it was CLEARLY pointed out that while Dad may have said that (I say may because I don't believe it) she is going to shoot a deer, there is NO WAY that Dad can actually force her to do so. Even if Dad puts his hands over Daughter's on the gun and pulls the trigger, hits a deer and kills it, Daughter STILL hasn't killed the animal. DAD did.

Dad could go hunting deer (or wabbits) with a gun and Daughter could *shoot* a deer with a camera. She STILL needs hunting safety courses.

It is NOT the Hunter's Education classes that I am objecting to. They are over anyways. It is forcing our daughter to go into the woods and fire a weapon at an animal when she has repeatedly voiced her objections. She told the class instructor that she does not want to kill anything! I her dad kills something in front of her is it really going to help her? I don't think so. Especially if dad is forcing her hand on the trigger. So what if it is dad's pressure that pulls the trigger. It is our daughter who is watching this. She may choose to do this next year. At this point in her life she chooses not to. This is one time where her dad should be forced to recognize her wishes.

 

[JacobJoel]

Easy

If he is a felon this is a no brainer. research the laws for gun handling and gun ownership for your state.

i taught hunter safety, you have to handle the weapon in the class. did he do so?

he is possibly in violation.

with the climate of today's law on guns and gun ownership this is bizarre.

who are these guns registered to? unregistered, better for you, worse for him.

evidently he has money, right? sad.

if he is an abuser it is very likely that he would, in fact, make your daughter kill something, especially if he is totally completely aware of her desire not to.

it's a control thing. it's also abuse.

my heart to you, your child and your situation.

and good on you for your many awards for marksmanship. me too.

could come in handy.