It is understandable that the Pennsylvania Game Commission has been watching the West Virginia Legislature's push to establish hunter-training courses in public schools for students in Grades 7 through 9. A bill to that effect was being considered by the legislature.

Like in West Virginia, overall hunting license sales in the Keystone State are down — to 945,892 in 2006 from their peak of 1.3 million in 1982 — and junior license sales have dropped. In 2006, only 101,185 were issued, as compared with 168,456 in 1976.

In West Virginia, between 1997 and 2006, the overall number of licensed hunters declined by 17 percent, according to that state's Department of Natural Resources.

The Natural Resources Department says more than 350,000 people hunt in West Virginia each year, creating more than 5,000 jobs and generating nearly $270 million for the state's economy.

As in West Virginia, decreased hunting license revenue resulting from fewer hunters is partly behind Keystone State officials' interest in what is happening regarding hunter training in the neighboring legislature. But instead of introducing hunter training in the schools, both states should be focusing on expanding students' opportunities in mathematics, science, economics and learning a foreign language. Hunting, after all, is a form of recreation.

Sportsmen's clubs and other venues have the capacity to — and should — continue offering hunter training as part of their overall missions. Those interested in promoting hunting also should be encouraged to become more active in spreading hunting's positive message and in trying to recruit more young people to the sport.

But that recruiting effort need not — and should not — be conducted in the schools, when so many other topics merit more urgent emphasis.

West Virginia Senate Majority Whip Billy Wayne Bailey, who introduced the hunter-training bill, makes a reasonable point that an introduction to firearms safety in the schools could save lives in the future.

"We want to . . . make it as easy as possible for kids who are interested in hunting to pursue it," he said.

But young people who really are interested in becoming hunters, and who have their parents' encouragement, will find a way to become qualified to hunt, without their school's and taxpayers' involvement.

Pennsylvania shouldn't try to imitate West Virginia's initiative.