Hunting is the official state sport of Idaho, thanks to a 9yo

Idaho, USA, this week made hunting the official state sport and its next move is likely to be nominating an official state firearm.

Hunting is exceptionally popular there. Roughly 15% of the state’s residents hold fully paid hunting licences but that figure surges to about 85% when you factor in tags, permits etc.

Watch this US news report about Idaho’s adoption of hunting as its state sport

Yet Idaho is not the US state with the highest proportion of hunters. That honour belongs to South Dakota, where about a quarter of the population is licensed for it.

Idaho’s decision was kicked off by nine-year-old Betty Grandy, who realised Idaho had no official sport and so conducted an informal survey of her own asking whether people preferred skiing, fishing, rafting, ice staking or hunting/archery.

An overwhelming majority of 12 nominated hunting, according to Grandy, who turned it into action.

“I went to the governor’s office,” she said. “And now here we are.

“I’m glad that I got to be a part of Idaho’s history and that we now have a state sport that reflects Idahoans’ love of nature.”

Hunting, fishing and trapping are protected in Idaho’s constitution, and the state recognises hunting as being historically and culturally significant.

In November, citizens will vote on what will become the state’s official firearm, in a move that acknowledges the historical importance of firearms in Idaho and US history, including in the Revolutionary War and during the westward expansion of settlement.

The bill includes specific mention of explorers Lewis and Clark, who it says “depended on rifles for survival while crossing Idaho’s wilderness, hunting game and protecting against dangers”.

Voters will choose from an initial list of options that includes:

Winchester Model 1894 in .30-30
Winchester Model 1873 in .44-40
1873 Colt Peacemaker in .45 Colt
M1 Garand rifle in .30-06
Colt M1911 in .45 ACP
Remington Model 700 in .30-06.

A number of other US states have official firearms, covering a diverse selection.

To name just a few: Texas, naturally, chose the Colt Walker revolver. Kentucky has the flintlock Kentucky Long Rifle, and Pennsylvania the Pennsylvanian-designated equivalent. Utah chose the Colt 1911, designed by local hero John Browning, while Tennessee went local in picking the Barrett M82 .50-cal rifle. Alaska was a bit more pragmatic and went for the Winchester Model 70.