Youth Pheasant Hunt 
duncsdad
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Youth Pheasant Hunt
Saturday’s Youth Pheasant Hunt was fairly successful. It was a warm and sunny day with little wind ion a beautiful area. In two hours we had a pheasant flight-in from other hunters and had solid points on three others. Some shots were fired, no birds were killed. Some lessons were learned about birds and dogs and cover.
But I think that the biggest lesson learned was by me. And that lesson is – Hunting, as we know it, is in serious jeopardy in PA.
Why do I think this way? This is the fourth year I offered to anyone in out 500 person plant the opportunity to take their kids, grandkids, etc. hunting with our Pointer(s).
Year one, I had 6 kids go. We pointed 18 birds; they shot at about half of them, and killed none.
Year two, I had no takers because the three kids that were lined up to go backed out because it was forecasted that it might rain (which it didn’t).
Year three, I had two kids. We pointed two birds in two hours, one of which was killed.
Year four (this year), I had a brother and sister participate. We pointed three birds and killed none.
What does this mean? Out of a pool of more than a hundred kids, less than a handful, except for the first year, cared enough to go at all. Of the first year kids that saw many birds in a short amount of time, but killed none, none have gone again. If the weather is anything but absolutely perfect, they aren’t going.
Hunting, even when served up on a silver platter – birds stocked just for them, no adults allowed to shoot, champion level pointing dogs, etc.; there just wasn’t any interest – in an area that is right smack in the middle of the hunting population of PA. This does not bode well for bringing new hunters into the sport at all.
On Saturday while waiting for my hunters to arrive, I was talking to grandfathers that had their 15 year-old grandson out for the hunt. Both grandfathers owned birddogs, as did the boy’s uncle – so it wasn’t his first rodeo. The grandfathers involved the youth to the point that they permitted him to decide where he wanted to hunt – a gesture that I thought showed a lot of thought in making the youth hunt really a youth hunt. When the boy told them that he preferred to hunt at a different area than they were at, they agreed to make the move. Out of curiosity, I asked what he based his decision on, quite expecting to hear that they always see birds when they hunt there, or he has killed some birds there, or he heard through the grapevine that that area was stocked heavier, etc. But his answer was – “Its flatter.â€
The area they were in was rolling hills at the worst, but the reasoning to not hunt there is that there was an even easier place to hunt.
So, what chance do we have of keeping this young man’s interest in hunting when there is heat or bugs or rain or hills or jaggers or cold or snowing sideways – especially when his opportunities are small and his success even smaller?
Hunting wasn’t a cake walk when I was growing up. We had beagles and I destroyed a pair of brush pants every year from busting brush. A pair of boots was usually torn up after two seasons. The clothing left a lot to be desired for warmth and there was no such thing as closed in deer blinds, walled tree stands, chemical hand warmers, Under Armor, etc. And we loved it – counted the days until the first day of squirrel, the first day of rabbit, the first day of buck, the first Saturday, the last day of buck, the first day of doe, the late rabbit season and everything in between.
Now, there are so many things for kids to do, they don’t need hunting for something to do. Heck, the parent that was along on Saturday (and he was a hunter) spent as much time texting on his cell phone and taking at least 4 calls as he did paying attention to the hunt.
It almost seemed that the hunt was just another thing to do among the several that they already had slated for the day and as soon as it was over they would be on to the next thing.
As hunting becomes more difficult, and believe me, it has already, not just for deer, but for small game as well, the fewer hunters there will be. Older hunters will drop out when their level of success drops below a certain threshold and few and fewer youths are starting – with a low percentage actually sticking with it for more than a few seasons.
When those numbers dwindle to a certain point, it will be financially impossible for the PGC to survive without General Fund money or merging with DCNR. Either of those two actions will be the death knell for hunting as we know it. From what I saw Saturday, it is not a matter of “if†any longer, but rather a question of “when.â€
Duncsdad Everything I say can be fully substantiated by my own opinion
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Over the Hill
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RE: Youth Pheasant Hunt
2007/10/09 18:48:21
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I can't agree with you more. You hit the nail on the head again. Your efforts are to be commended!
One comment: You had dogs when you we younger to hunt with? Man were you lucky! I was the youngest. Guess what? I learned the meaning of being in the "bush" the hard way... "Kid, get in there and push them birds out!" LOL!
They were good times though, wouldn't trade them for anything. As a matter of fact, I wish I could go back. Anybody have a time machine for sale?.....OTH
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jlh42581
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RE: Youth Pheasant Hunt
2007/10/10 13:38:13
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Ive been telling you guys this for awhile. It boils down to the parents more then anything. Keep in mind, im only 26. We didnt have half the technology we do now when I was starting to hunt, and I didnt care if we did. I watched my grandfather walk out that front door in the morning and come back empty handed consistantly. When I started hunting, we had our days where it was successful, but 90% of the time it wasnt. The passion I had was that I was going to be that person that shot the deer, killed the birds... The way I look at it is, if they dont want it, they dont care. Its the parents duty to show kids the outdoors and make them appreciate it. You know what my 3yr old told me the other day... "Dad, when I get big like you, we'll go hunting and shoot monster bucks, I'll drive" She see's how much I enjoy it, I had her at a fly tying vice at 2 years old. But if for some reason she doesnt want to do it then thats her choice. I too opened up the offer to hunt with my dog, not a single person contacted me, I broadcast it on this site think how many people read these boards! I went to our club last week Shawn and the very first day my dog hunted we put up 4 birds. Were going again this Sunday... bet that invitation is still on this board...still not a single contact. XBOX, Playstation, Text Messaging and god forbid young people worring about sex these days havent helped. What really worries me is the parents that are my age. So few of my generation likes the outdoors. I remember being in highschool and I was a "hick" cause I liked to hunt and fish. But Im strong enough in my mind that I didnt care about my "image". I see people that me an kelsea know that have kids who pawn their kids off on someone every chance they get so they can sit in a bar room or do things with their friends. Welfare is raising most kids these days. Im sure glad I can say they arent raising mine.
post edited by jlh42581 - 2007/10/10 13:47:32
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bingsbaits
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RE: Youth Pheasant Hunt
2007/10/11 07:38:32
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As I'm pushing 50 quite hard now I can see a great loss in our hunting heritage. Some of my fondest memories are of my youth and chasing grouse(my bird of choice) with my single shot 20 gauge. Must thank my Grandfather for that he lit the fire in my heart for the outdoors. You must understand this was a man that fought in the end of WW1. Lived through the depression. Retired as a train engineer and still had time to take his grandson hunting or fishing. Hope I can pass that on to my son (3yrs old).
Seems there aren't enough fathers that hunt any more and I think that has a very large affect on the number of youth hunters. You know how they want to be just like dad.
Sure do miss the days when everyone hunted it seemed. Deer season was almost a holiday like atmosphere. The first day of small game was better than Christmas. Which by the way we used to get a box of shells from Santa Clause. Try explaining that to new age pundits.
"There is a pleasure in Angling that no one knows but the Angler himself". WB
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Katty
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RE: Youth Pheasant Hunt
2007/10/11 10:47:44
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Took my 12 year old son Zack out Saturday, Monday,Tuesday,Wednesday. Walked around Segal swamp kicked out three birds, By the way I am the pointer,The first one he did not have a shell in the chamber ready to shoot. We both laughed about it. The second one he missed and the third one he just stood there and looked at it. When I couldn't find it the second time he was really mad at himself. All in all we both are having a blast and he will be a good hunter in the future. We are going to Somerset for early muzzleloader this weekend.
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Guest
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RE: Youth Pheasant Hunt
2007/10/11 14:39:41
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I'm 32 now, and remember the first year of hunting at age 13 like it was yesterday. On my very first hunt ever, I shot a squirrel 5 minutes into the hunt and not a single thing the entire rest of the year. My dad and I would go out almost every weekend for small game & deer (I missed a lot of rabbits that year, and the biggest buck I've ever shot at at 7:15 on the first day). I loooved hunting in any conditions. My dad grew up in Ligonier (we lived in Irwin) and the "mountains" had such a magic to them. We would hike up & down mountains, through the laurel, tramp around overgrown fields, sit in woodlots and be gone from sunrise till sunset most Saturdays from October through the end of deer season. Then in the winter, we'd fish for brook trout in a mountain stream. Those are some of the best memories of my life.
My dad quit hunting at age 28 when he was almost shot by a friend while deer hunting and didn't start again till I was 13 (he was then 41). 95% of the time, we came home empty handed. I shot a rabbit & a 5 point buck my second year of hunting. I played sports, but they were secondary to my love of the outdoors. I never did the all star basketball teams I was invited to be on because they took too much time away from the outdoors. I played football in high school, but it was a nuisance to me because I'd have much rather been out hunting doves or chasing deer with my bow. I have 2 older brothers who never really spent much time outdoors, until one brother started hunting about 8 years ago. His oldest daughter, in her second year of hunting, is now addicted. They spent several days last week hunting pheasants and put up a few, but no shots.
I started taking my son hunting this year. He'll be 4 in a few weeks. And I've taken by 6 year old daughter out before too. My son & I bagged a few doves, and he wants me to cook them for his birthday party!
I think, like the others have said, it depends a lot on the parents. We have a million activities to choose from just like everybody else, but my wife & I try to set some pretty stiff limits on what our kids can participate in. My daughter wants to do everything - dance, soccer, cheerleading, Brownies, softball, & riding lessons - but we only let her do 2 at a time. Right now it's soccer and riding lessons. In November, the whole family & our black lab Hank, will spend a day or two dove or goose hunting. I'll be taking my kids out on deer hunts with me this year if it's not freezing cold.
As with anything you want your kids to pick up - whether its your faith, your values, your hobbies, or anything - the key is intentionality. I appreciate when others do things for my kids - as many of you have offered to do by offering your pointers - but those kinds of things rarely stick unless mom & dad are reinforcing them. I know I wanted to hunt because of the stories I heard from my best friend and his dad, but unless my own dad had invested the time in me, I doubt I'd still be hunting today.
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