More than 140 children in the area covered by Herefordshire Police, West Mercia Police, are allowed to use weapons, figures show.
The Gun Control Network said it was “absurd” to allow children to use powerful weapons such as shotguns and warned that gun safety cannot be guaranteed among young people.
But the British Association of Shooting and Conservation says it should be encouraged to teach children how to enjoy the benefits of responsible shooting.
At the end of March, 146 children under the age of 18 in West Mercia had certificates authorizing them to use shotguns or firearms, according to the Home Office.
You were among the 28,158 people in the area who were allowed to use the guns.
In England and Wales there is no minimum age to have a shotgun license, but a child must be over 14 years old to have a gun license.
The numbers show 135 shotgun and 11 firearms certificates issued by West Mercia Police held by teenagers between the ages of 14 and 17 – some of whom could have both types.
There are also 11 children under the age of 13 who have a shotgun license in the area.
The law restricts the use of firearms by children for slaughtering animals, playing sports, competitions, target shooting and shooting vermin.
You cannot purchase your own guns or ammunition, but you are 14 years old and older to own some firearms.
And certificate holders under the age of 15 are allowed to borrow shotguns for use under adult supervision but are not allowed to receive their own shotgun until they are 15.
Across England and Wales, 2,084 certificates were held by under-18s at the end of March, with the youngest shotgun license holder believed to be only seven years old.
This is a decrease from 2,770 in March 2020, while in West Mercia the number of children with certificates increased from 145 over the same period.
Peter Squires of the UK Gun Control Network said: “The fact that children can be licensees is a ridiculous anomaly as children can never be legally responsible for the safety of the gun.
“GCN firmly believes that the right to own and use a firearm should be very closely linked to the responsibility for its use and safety. This cannot be guaranteed in the case of children.”
To obtain a gun or shotgun license, the police chief of the local police force must satisfy himself that he has a good reason to own a gun, that he is appropriate to be entrusted with it, and that it does not endanger public safety or peace are .
Martin Parker of BASC said the current legislation will benefit those who train for Olympic and Commonwealth shooting disciplines and who are taught pest control techniques.
He added, “It should be encouraged to encourage younger people to enjoy the benefits of responsible shooting while teaching the principles of safety and self-discipline.”
A Home Office spokesman said the UK had some of the strictest gun laws in the world, with gun ownership being tightly controlled.
He added: “Young certificate holders have strict controls that must be carefully checked by the police.”