The gals should chime in too. (hey, equal rights and all)
54 yo and started small game hunting at 14 and deer hunting a year later, IIRC. In 1976 the State started a program called Junior Archery and 14 & 15 yo kids could hunt deer (maybe bear too??) with the bow of course. Gun hunting started at 16 yo.
Soooo, I'm 40 years into it, legally.