Hey Seaweed - Excellent topic and sme good questions.
I have two boys that passed hunter Safety 2 years ago at ages 7 and 9. I'd like to think that they are the "squared away young Men" that Dogfish referenced above. They are rapidly becoming great hunting partners. My oldest boy carried a fire arm under VERY CLOSELY SUPERVISED CONDITIONS for the first time last year. I simply didn't think he was ready at age 9 - a parental call. Meanwhile my younger boy- who passed the tst at 7 - didn't carry at all as a 7 or 8 year old. He did just carry on a recent muzzleloading elk hunt for the first time, and I'm proud to say that he passed on a cow that was staring at us from 50 yards (over her shoulder - he had only a butt shot and knew better).
Anyway regarding the test - my 7 year old passed it all on his own with no help but he is a superb reader well beyond his class. The instructors made it clear that parents COULD NOT HELP, but that if a child had a question they were to raise their hand and wait for an instructor. They brought in extra instructors for test night. There were several kids who couldn't read well enough on their own. I think they all failed. I know that the instructors who volunteered their time and energy to do our class did a grat job. They would give a kid a synonym if he didn't understand a word, but that was about it. they had no qualms with failing a kid (or an adult) who hadn't done the home work.
There is also a shooting and carrying portion of the test - in addition to the written part (at least where we took it). The kids had to load, unload, fire, and safely carry a real weapon through a course that simulated various scenarios. They failed a kid ahead of us for "sweeping" some folks with the muzzle. They made no exceptions to the "Muzzle control, muzzle control, muzzle control" rule.
Now, I know my boys are mighty young to be hunting. To be sure, we keep it to controlled conditions. As a dad, I limit my "success" when I take them with me. Yet, somehow, it is so much more rewarding to be teaching some young hunters.
I just had them out of school two days last week to hunt elk. You can bet that hunting means enough to my boys that they keep great grades - they know they won't get out of school to hunt if they sluff....
Washington state does not have minimum age for hunting - just the requirement that new hunters pass hunter safety class. While there is no official minimum age, there are some practical limitations. When my boys took the class two years ago at ages 7 and 9, the instructor told me not to expect my 7 year old to pass, and not to be surprised if my 9 year ld didn't pass either. The instructors made it VEREY clear that they weren't there to make sure that kids passed. There were even kids who couldn't safely handle a rifle becuase they were too small, uncoordinated or tentative - they failed.
While I can understand a persons natural uneasiness at the thought of boys this young hunting, I'll tell you that they are safer, better firearm handlers than Many, many adults I watch. They know that they get no second chances at maintaining muzzle control, and I feel very safe hunting with them. I think the guys we've hunted with feel the same after they've seen the care my boys exercise.
Bottom line: I'm a Libertarian on this one. the state set some minimum competency marks, and my boys met them easily. From then, it was up to me as a father to exercise judgmenet as to when they were ready.
P.S. Both boys have doe hunts coming up in a couple of weeks. They are excited and their dad is really excited for them.
P.P.S. ant your kid to pass? Don't leave it to the instructors. Teach them. Get them a BB gun and get them practicing. My 11 year old shoots a pretty good group with his pellet gun.
Happy hunting.
Fisherdan