Wingshooting Blast

Wayne Doyle, retired Hunter Education Program coordinator, and I just finished a basic wingshooting program at the Pratt Gun Club. We worked with six youngsters and three adults one night a week through July. The program was Wayne’s brainchild four years ago. He wanted to provide more instruction than beginning shooters get during a hunter education field day or a one-day outdoor skills event. The multiple sessions allow the shooters to learn basics and then apply those skills to different target presentations.

Even though this July’s extremely hot weather made the evening sessions uncomfortable, the shooters showed up each night eager to learn. Everyone made great progress and learned that wingshooting is truly a blast. All participants raised their hands at the close of the last evening when I asked them if they planned on hunting this fall. I truly hope they all get the chance.

I know the hot weather has made this summer seem to last forever, but it will be over before we know it. But it’s not too late to get involved in a shooting program. Many 4-H Shooting Sports programs are gearing up for youth events that will take place over the next month. Check with your local extension office or local gun club. Many of the youth programs conducted at gun clubs provide several practice sessions before a final competition day. These events are great fun, and can help prepare young hunters for the fall hunting seasons, improving not only their shooting skills, but their safe gun handling skills as well. 

First Dove Hunt

I remember by first dove hunt. It was probably my third year of hunting, and I had all but resigned to the fact that I had to wait until the second Saturday of November. Pheasant hunting was all I knew at that point, and opening day seemed a long way away. When Dad learned a little about dove hunting, we talked about going. I can still almost taste the excitement that filled me as we anticipated an evening hunt. That afternoon, as we readied our gear, our neighbor called to see if I could mow his lawn that evening. I mowed his lawn regularly that summer, and he was my largest single source of income at the time. I was nearly in tears when I got off the phone, thinking our dove hunt was cancelled. Dad just chuckled and said, "Just call him back and tell him you'll mow tomorrow night. He won't mind." Dad was right, and I was back in business. We set up in the abandoned farmstead where Dad had grown up and waited. Just as we'd been told, doves started showing up to roost in the big elms and cottonwoods. We both managed to kill a couple of doves that evening - not a huge bag by most standards, but it was an incredibly successful hunt for me. I've dove hunted each fall since, and I imagine the memory of that first hunt is part of what draws me back every September. Never underestimate the power of passing it on.

PLAN NOW FOR FALL HUNTS

While it may be difficult to think about hunting seasons when the temperature outside is 105, it’s time to start planning for fall hunting. The dove season opens September 1, and there are some fantastic opportunities to get young hunters into high-quality hunting experiences through “Special hunts.” Visit the KDWPT website (www.kdwpt.state.ks.us), click on “Hunting” then on “Special Hunts Information,” and you’ll find a list of special hunts, many of which are geared toward youth hunters or youth/mentor pairs. These hunts allow limited access on specific dates to hunters who are drawn from a pool of applicants.

There are also some wildlife areas where certain dove fields are designated for youth hunting, and others open certain fields for youth or youth-mentor pairs for the first few days of the season. To find out more about wildlife areas with managed dove fields, go to “Hunting,” click on “Migratory Birds,” then “Doves” and finally “Managed Hunting Areas.” Wildlife area managers will often plant sunflowers, wheat or millet on these fields. If conditions are right, these fields can be dove magnets and provide excellent dove hunting with lots of action – the perfect situation for a mentor to teach a youth about wingshooting.

On the Special Hunts list, you'll also find opportunities during the the youth deer season, which is September 10-18. And in addition to the limited-access Special Hunts, some biologists, game wardens, wildlife area managers and park managers host special youth hunts in cooperation with local conservation groups. These hunts accept applications for a limited number of young hunters, who are guided by local hunters on either public land not normally open to hunting or private land. Watch the newspapers for notices and application deadlines or call your nearest Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism office for information.

Applications for any of the Special Hunts in September and October must be submitted by August 14. 

You can do a lot your fall hunting preparation on the computer from the air-conditioned comfort of your home, but make time between now and September 1 for a few outings to the local gun range. A little shooting practice is fun and will make a big difference when the seasons roll around.

FISHING IS GOOD FOR YOU

I truly believe fishing is good for your health. Here's why: First, there are the obvious attributes. Going fishing gets you outside and usually there is some  exercise involved. Fresh air, exercise and being outside is good for your body. Second, fishing is good for your mental outlook. Fishing can take your mind off of whatever worries or stresses are weighing on you. Spending an hour or two fishing can truly relax your mind and refresh your outlook. And third, fishing can improve your relationships with family and friends. Spending a couple hours helping your child catch a fish or learn to cast a spinning reel will benefit both of you.

Several years ago, a single mother called me to ask about the Pass It On program. Her son was interested in hunting, and she was unsure how to help him get involved. She was from an urban environment and guns scared her. However, she noticed how different her son was when he went fishing with his cousins. Being outdoors fishing had a calming effect on her son, and it resulted in an improvement in his behavior. I admired her for her willingness to overcome deep-seated fears to help her young son.

Of course fishing isn't for everyone, but most people will benefit from spending time fishing. Think of it as a form of self improvement. Go fishing today.

NEVER UNDERESTIMATE THE POWER OF PASSING IT ON

I gave a program to our local Rotary Club at noon today. It's a small-town club, and they're always interested in what's going on in Kansas Wildlife, Parks and Tourism. I told them about what I did and what the Information Production Section did, and then I started talking about Pass It On. I'm passionate about the program and what it represents, so it's easy for me to talk about. However, my Dad's a Rotarian and was in the crowd. When I got to the part about being one of the lucky kids growing up because Dad always took me along when he went hunting, I choked up. I was pretty sure I would get emotional, but I didn't feel it until I uttered those words, "I was one of the lucky ones . . . " Even I didn't realize the impact that would have. I had to pause for several seconds and compose myself before I could speak again. Dad's simple act of including me in his hunting trips had a profound impact on my life that continues to this day. Never, ever underestimate the impact of your actions when you spend time hunting and fishing with youngsters. They won't forget it, and the time you spend together will have a positive influence on their lives and your relationships. I'm 52 years old and speaking about my dad taking me hunting 40 years ago chokes me up. Never underestimate the power of passing it on.