Get Them Outside

In my last blog I wrote that worrying about success and instant gratification is a waste of time. In reality, the things we have to work for will mean the most to us. And there is another reality: not everyone will love hunting and fishing. I know parents who worry that if their kids don't get lots of action on every hunt or catch lots of fish on every trip, they won't turn out to be hunters and anglers. We'll, some won't no matter how much action you show them. Over the last 11 years I've been working with youth programs, I've developed a theory about this. I believe that if we had a group of 30 youngsters and took them on a field day -- shooting, hunting, fishing -- that regardless of how much action there was, 10 would think it was the best thing they've done and would want to go again and again. Ten would have fun and would want to go again if their friends or family went. The other 10 would enjoy aspects of the day, but they will still prefer to play sports or video games. Not everyone is born to be a hunter and angler. However, time is not lost on those who decide not to take up hunting and fishing. Spending time teaching youngsters about the outdoors will still be beneficial to them and to you. And down the road, they'll be more likely to support conservation programs because they'll understand how and why they're important. The point is, we need to give all youngsters the chance to hunt and fish and learn about the outdoors.  We need that 20 percent or 30 percent who think it's the best thing they've ever done, and we need the other 70 percent who will like it and appreciate it, even though they may only be casual anglers or hunters, at best. Getting kids outdoors and having fun is only thing you need to worry about.

The Best Things In Life Require Time And Effort

I've heard it dozens of times: "Today's kids require instant gratification. If you want them to become hunters or anglers, they'll have to have fast action." We'll I guess I don't completely buy into that line of thinking. In fact, I think the things in my life that mean the most are the things that I've worked for -- they required effort and success wasn't immediate. But when success did come, it was truly appreciated. I recently spent three days fishing for trout in Colorado with one of my best friends. We forged our friendship hunting and fishing together while we were in high school. It's a friendship that's lasted and one that picks up right where we left off, no matter how long it's been since we've seen each other. It took time to build that friendship, but it's so much better than a casual acquaintance. As a matter of fact, one evening while reminiscing we talked a little about our early attempts at becoming pheasant hunters. As youngsters, we both trudged many miles without success, but lack of success fueled a determination in us. All the while, we were learning. Initial success was a single bird, and it was truly satisfying when it finally came. We're still pursuing and still learning. We hunt and fish differently today and measure success in a different manner, but hard work and perseverance still pay off. By the way, our fishing trip was a perfect example. It was cold and very windy and the fish were finicky. Catching one required true effort and time. We fished until our muscles ached in ridiculous conditions with only a few fish to show. But the fish were large, and we enjoyed each other's company. We both agreed it was one of our best trips -- not measured in numbers of fish.

My point is that the rewards of spending time with your children or friends hunting and fishing aren't birds in the bag or fish on the line. For sure, plan trips for the best chances of success, but know that each minute you spend is an investment not only in a lifetime outdoor heritage but also in building strong, lasting relationships.

Remembering

It's funny some of the memories from my youth I hold onto. I'll never forget the first time I hunted behind pointing dogs. I had several seasons of walking fields for pheasants under my belt and was thoroughly hooked, but none in our hunting party owned a hunting dog. When one of my dad's coworkers invited us on a quail hunt near Protection, I was excited. But what made my excitement nearly uncontainable was the fact that several of the hunters were bringing dogs -- a pointer and a setter. I couldn't wait. It was a great day but what I remember most was the first point in the first walk. Just after sunrise, we were walking a little homestead site. The pointer went on a rock-solid point. We all approached slowly, and I was literally shaking with anticipation. But after kicking and walking through the patch of grass, nothing flushed. I was disappointed. However the dog stayed on point. A closer look revealed a patch of quail skin and feathers half the size of a dollar bill. It was probably from a bird killed by a hawk or other predator earlier that morning, but the fact that the dog scented it and pointed it fascinated me. I have been fascinated and in love with bird dogs ever since. And I've never lost that boy-like anticipation I feel while walking up to a dog on point. Just writing about it now, I can visualize the intensity in the dog's eyes, every muscle taut, waiting for the explosion of grass and feathers. I'd say that one hunt when I was 13 had a profound impact on me.

It's Never Too Late

Most of my blogging has focused on getting youngsters started hunting and fishing because today's youngsters are the future of wildlife conservation. However, it's never to late to discover the joys of hunting and fishing. My aunt is a perfect example. For some reason, she didn't figure out how much she enjoyed fishing until a few years ago. She began fishing off the docks while visiting a home on Lake of the Ozarks in Missouri. She caught the fishing bug and spent hours fishing there with mixed results. She's my dad's sister, so I encouraged him to invite her on our annual Canada fishing trip. I'm already imagining the look on her face when a 10-pound northern pike explodes on her lure. I think I'll get more of a kick out of her catching fish than I will my own. This past weekend, she was in town to visit Mom and Dad, and I told them we needed a warm-up fishing trip. We spent the morning on a private sand pit and had a ball catching crappie and small bass. As I expected -- I got as excited as she did when a crappie hit her jig and pulled her float under -- maybe I got more excited. I can't help it. That's probably why I am so passionate about passing it on -- it's as much fun for me as it is the "kids" -- no matter their age.

Shooting Opportunities

If you've never shot a shotgun, you don't the fun you're missing. Breaking a flying target with a shotgun is a satisfying accomplishment, and it's a blast to watch the orange target explode into dust when you center it in your pattern. Wingshooting is a valuable skill that will make your bird hunting more enjoyable and successful, and practice during the off season is necessary. From now through next fall, local gun clubs all across Kansas will be holding trap, skeet and sporting clay shoots. Kansas 4-H clubs are starting their shooting sports programs this spring, as are some high school and college shooting clubs. Shooting competitively is fun and exciting, and it will make you a better wingshot when the fall hunting seasons open. Contact your local gun club, Extension office or nearest KDWP office to find out about any local shooting programs. Shooting is a blast!

Recruiting Hunters With Hunter Education

When we first began planning a hunter recruitment and retention program, we tried to identify anything that could prevent a youngster from experiencing hunting. We made some assumptions, and one of those was that mandatory hunter education was a barrier. It stood to reason that 10 hours of classroom instruction over several evenings and a Saturday morning could be a time commitment that some youngsters wouldn’t make unless they knew they were going to enjoy hunting. However, early studies, comparing states that required hunter education with those that didn’t, showed equal youth recruitment rates. Even so, we changed our laws to make it easier on parents and kids to experience hunting. Currently, youngsters under the age of 16 don’t need hunter education certification if they hunt under adult supervision. Kind of a “try it before you buy it” situation. We also have a new delivery method that utilizes computers and the internet – something today’s youth are hooked into. The internet-assisted course allows students to complete one of the approved hunter education internet courses before coming to a field day. The first step is to pre-register for an internet-assisted course. You can find a list of course schedules on KDWP’s Hunter Education webpage. There are a couple of options to the internet course, which must be completed within 90 days prior to the field day. The internet course will require several hours of work. The field day is the fun part. After a short time in the classroom, students get outside. Most field days are divided among several stations, including live-fire, gun handling and a trail walk. Students will spend an hour or more at each, receiving hands-on instruction and walking-through field scenarios. After the stations are completed, students come back into the classroom to complete the final test and receive their certificates. Most students indicate they enjoy the field day immensely.

In fact, during a recent course in Pratt, the weather did not cooperate for the field day. It was cool, breezy and rainy, but the students were ready and willing. At the shotgun live-fire station, students huddled out of the wind waiting their turn, but all broke targets and had fun. Approaching lightning ran us inside several times, but we persisted. A couple of young ladies, who had not shot a shotgun before, showed particular promise, breaking targets and thoroughly enjoying the wingshooting despite the weather.

As the Pass It On program has evolved and partnered with the Hunter Education Program, I see Hunter Education as a key recruitment tool rather than a barrier. The field day experience can provide students with confidence that they can learn the outdoor skills necessary for hunting. Another young shooter last week assured me he would not break a flying target with a shotgun. He told me he’d tried before and just wasn’t good at it. Our instruction is designed for success, and I bet him he would break a target. He wasn’t convinced, and he missed the first two targets. However, after some instruction and encouragement, he broke the next eight targets we threw. After he broke a couple of more difficult crossing targets, I told him not only could he shoot but that he was good at it. He left the stand with a broad smile and new-found confidence. Experiences such as this convince me that Hunter Education can be a student’s initiation into hunting and start them on a life-long road of adventure and discovery.

ANTICIPATING FUN

Taking a child turkey hunting this spring is a big deal – both for you and for the youngster. I hope those making plans are looking forward to opening morning with anxious anticipation. In fact, the anticipation – looking forward to the hunt is almost as much fun as the hunt. Preparation for an upcoming hunt not only will make you and your young hunter more likely to be successful, but it is also a big part of the hunting experience.

Preparation should start now, and it can be as simple as an evening drive in the area you plan to hunt. Seeing a flock of turkeys feeding in a field is a great way to build confidence and excitement. Spring time is also a great time to see rooster pheasants boldly strutting and crowing along the back roads, waterfowl gathered in roadside potholes, and deer on the move.

Get your young turkey hunter a couple of turkey calls so he or she can start practicing now. The easiest to operate is probably the push-button-type call, but with a little practice, a box call is easily mastered. I still enjoy playing with – I mean practicing with my turkey calls, so imagine how a youngster preparing for his or her first turkey hunt will feel.

A short trip to the gun range to practice shooting at a turkey head target should be on the list. This will teach the shooter proper aim point, help select a good load and choke, and it will build confidence. Talk to the youngster about being in the right position to reduce movement. Have the hunter wear a hat, facemask and gloves, and talk through a likely scenario.

This preparation will make the young hunter feel ready on opening morning, and it’s guaranteed to be fun for both of you.