Created: 11/06/2009 10:50 PM KSTC45.com | Print Story By: Becky Nahm

More Minnesota Teens are Taking up Hunting

Many moms and dads will share a deer stand with their children when the firearm hunting season opens Saturday.

The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources says that up until the past few years the younger generation wasn't hunting, but now more people ages 12 to 15 are taking up the sport.

Last year, 51,000 hunters under the age of 17 were licensed with the state. And the DNR says this year is on track for even more.

Officials credit the hunter recruitment and retention program which actively finds young people interested in hunting and helps educate them on the sport.

People older than 45 are also applying for licenses in increased numbers.

The group of people ages 16- to 44-years old has the fewest number of hunters.

The DNR says research shows that age group was the video game generation.