Wisconsin Lawmakers Consider Lowering Hunting Age to 10

In an effort to keep hunting alive in Wisconsin, state senators were scheduled to vote Tuesday on a bill that would allow children as young as 10 to hunt with a rifle.

The bill, S.B. 167, would allow 10-year-olds to hunt, provided that a parent or guardian with a hunting license accompanies the child, that he or she is always within "arm's reach" of the child, and that the duo carry only a single firearm.

State Sen. Jim Holperin, D-Conover, said he's sponsoring the bill to "divert youth attention" back to the shrinking sport, countering the "increased urbanization and fragmentation" of young Americans and how they choose to spend their free time.

"It's to expose young people to the sport early in a meaningful way and to get their commitment to hunting, fishing and trapping that will hopefully last a lifetime," Holperin told FOXNews.com. "There's going to be attrition in the number of hunters over the years."