In April, former New England Patriots offensive tackle Matt Light’s foundation will host a Youth Wild Turkey Hunt in Rhode Island. After over a decade of youth events in Ohio, the Light Foundation is bringing their hunt to Rhode Island. The two-day event is in partnership with the Rhode Island Department of Environmental Management (DEM) to provide a hunting experience for 10 kids ages 12-15.

But Dennis Tabella, president of Defenders of Animals of Warwick, believes the hunt is a bad example for kids and has called on the governor to intervene.

April Brubaker, program director for the Light Foundation, said that former DEM employee Jessica Pena reached out to the organization to ask if Light wanted to host a program in Rhode Island. Brubaker said Light owns property in the Addieville area and sought help to host an event there.

Jenny Kilburn, principal biologist for the Rhode Island DEM Game Bird Program, said Monday they have received some criticism regarding the hunt, but a goal of the event is to give kids a hands-on opportunity to learn about the animal they are hunting, conservation and proper harvesting of an animal.

Kilburn said that the wild turkey population is classified as stable, making it possible for them to be harvested. She added that there is no guarantee that each kid receives a turkey to bring home.

And as for the group hunting, Kilburn said, 10 kids would be led by mentors who know the proper techniques. Kilburn added that a common trait amongst hunters is to appreciate the nature around them. 

“It’s really important to continue to have people who appreciate hunting,” Kilburn said about the 12-15 age range.

Another goal the DEM has is to provide kids the opportunity to form a bond with others around the same age or older mentors. According to the Light Foundation website, Light wanted to provide an activity for kids who have perhaps been facing depression, feeling isolated or are not connecting with others. By creating this group, he aims to provide that opportunity to bond.

But that’s not the way Tabella sees it.

On Sunday, Tabella issued a press release calling on the governor to stop the state from promoting events that encourage children at the age of 12 years old to hunt. Tabella said his concern with this event is that its participants are too young. 

“I don’t think a 12-year-old child is ready to watch an animal die in the woods,” Tabella said.

Brubaker countered, as a parent of kids who have participated in the Ohio hunt, that age range isn’t too young at all. She said kids are taught to respect the animal they hunt and utilize every part of it. Brubaker said that aside from eating the meat, the wing bones can be used for turkey calls. She added that aside from hunting skills, kids who attend also learn leadership skills from the licensed mentors.

“It’s more than just a hunt,” Brubaker said.

Another worry Tabella has is that this event teaches kids that killing or maiming animals is something fun. He also said that introducing kids that age to this could desensitize them to the suffering of other creatures and kill them simply because they are equipped to do so.

Tabella understands the need for population control but believes there should be a different way to do it besides killing the animal. Kilburn responded to Tabella’s release and said a 16-year project from DEM in the 1980s and ’90s restored the wild turkey population in the state.

Kilburn said, “The turkeys that many Rhode Islanders see in the wild today exist because of a restoration project that was funded in large part by state hunting license fees.”

“There is an inconsistency in our message to children. We have educators teaching and conveying compassion in our schools while we have a state agency encouraging children as young as 12 years old to kill animals,” reads the release.

Twelve is the youngest age of eligibility for owning a junior hunting license, and holders are required to be accompanied by a licensed hunter aged 21 or older. 

At the moment, the foundation has no intention of canceling the hunt. For those interested in attending the event, the sign-up is on Matt Light’s website. The requirements for applying is to be within the 12-15 age range and own a valid 2020 youth hunting license. The deadline to enter is April 1. Those selected will be notified on April 10.