Reluctant Mentors?

This winter I read a newspaper editorial about the writer's frustration with the department's Special Hunts Program. The program is designed to provide high-quality opportunities to hunters by limiting the number of hunters in an area on a given day through a lottery draw process. Our public lands managers realize that not everyone has exclusive access to private land and that some hunters avoid open public land because of hunting pressure. By going through the application process, hunters can draw opportunities for a variety of hunts, including waterfowl, upland birds, and deer. There are also hunts that cater to youth and novice hunters -- part of the department's hunter recruitment and retention program. The writer was dismayed that mentors would be allowed to hunt and he didn't agree with the definition of novice. He also took issue with the fact that some of these hunts took place on areas not previously open to hunting, or refuges, as he called them. In my opinion, his view of the entire program was clouded by a few hunts he disagreed with and the fact that he missed the application period. However, my real problem with his piece was his interpretation that the days when "adults were willing to give of their time to see youngsters enjoy life" were gone. He thought that today's adults wouldn't take youth hunting without the lure of hunting themselves.

I wonder how many hunters the writer actually knows. I'm not sure I know a hunter who hasn't mentored someone, and most mentor every season. It's a natural part of the hunting heritage. However, we've identified "not enough time" as one of the biggest barriers to hunting, so if we can provide high-quality opportunities for both mentor and youth or novice hunters, why wouldn't we?

And I have no problem with mentors hunting with youth. I don't know about you, but I learned to hunt by hunting with my dad and granddad. I watched and learned, and it was a natural process. When Dad or Granddad killed a bird, I was as proud as if I had bagged the bird, and I felt part of our success. Most public land managers who design these hunts want participation. They especially want youth involved, and I guess they're not worried about an adult mentor's real motivation.

The Special Hunts Program is popular. In fact, I think this is the first negative comment I've seen, but I guess we can't please everyone. But make no mistake, today's hunters are "Passing It On."