Youth hunt

[Kimosabe]

Just thought that I would put this out there kinda as a feeler. I work for a timber company just south of Columbus GA. We are hosting a youth hunt this year for kids that have never hunted before on some of the company GMA's but we seem to have had a hard time finding kids that either did not already hunt with their parents while the ones that didn't hunt, did not have an interest in doing so. We did finally manage to find 25 kids that we will be taking out this weekend. My question to the Woody's crowd is this...
Next year, do any of you know any kids that would be interested in going hunting. Bear in mind we are not looking for kids that were born with a 243 in their hands. We would like to take kids that never get the opprotunity to go whether it be that their dad won't take them, single mother with kids, or what ever the case may be. At any rate, please let me know. If there is enough interest, I will see about setting something up for next year. We will provide food, drinks, & etc. May also be able to do a little caming.

Thanks,
Kimosabe

 

[CuznDave]

Youth Hunters

Define youth. I have a young man on my high school soccer team whose father left he and his mother. I have taken him under my wing and helped him with getting a job, car problems, and preparing for the SAT's. He has expressed an interest in hunting with me. Would you consider him a "youth"? He will be a college freshman next hunting season, but he has still never hunted and wants to.
I'll check back to see what you think or you can pm me if necessary.
Bringing all new hunters, young and old, is important to keeping hunting alive.

 

[Smiley]

Youth Hunt

Kimosabe, Just wanted to applaude your efforts on getting kids involved in the outdoors! How did this weekends hunt go? I can imagine how difficult finding kids not already involved in hunting and supervising them could be but hope you and your company contine with the hunts. You might want to contact the GONetwork and let them know you have an opportunity for kids to go hunting but are having problems connecting with ones who would be interested. I'm sure there's youngins out there who would enjoy this, hope you find them. Good luck and keep us posted.

 

[Kimosabe]

CuznDave, we defined youth as being some where between 10 and 15 years old. The reason we stopped at 15 was so the kids wouldn't have to buy a liscense. A lot of the kids were from poorer family's so we wanted this to be as cost free as possible. We teamed up with the local NWTF chapter to find the kids that came but they still had a difficult time with it. The kid that I took with me was in the 6th grade and had already killed 9 deer so far for his hunting carrer. Just seems hard to find kids that are interested in going but have never been. As far as this past weekend... we didn't do as well as we would have liked. Out of the 25 hunters we ended up with 3 deer. 1 doe, 1 button head, and 1 eight point. We had 3 lucky ones but I think a good time was had by all. Well thanks for the interest and let me know if anyone else is interested.

 

[CuznDave]

Thanks for info

Congrats on a successful hunt -"a good time was had by all" - that qualifies as a success to me. Thanks for the explanation regarding age. I have student who has heard me me talking of hunting and has shown interest. He is a foster child and has never had a steady family life. He has expressed an interest in hunting. It would take a little doing to get everyone to approve it, but I would like to bring him to the next hunt that you put on. Please pm when you set up a schedule or any other activities to introduse hunters. I would like to take this young man through the hunter safety program before he went hunting.
I applaud yoyr efforts. Well done.
CuznDave

 

[Chuck Martin]

kimosabe

Let me point you in another direction, get on the web and go to Special Youth Challenge. The Director is Charles Walthour out of Dallas a good friend of mine. They put on hunts for handicapped and cancer youth. They've been doing it for about 10 years or so and host hunts all over the country. I can tell you from helping guide some of the youth hunters it's real rewarding. GON is one of their sponcers and also help out with land acusations and guiding these worthy youth. I know that they would really be happy with more help and locations to hunt. Give him a yell and tell him I sent ya.

 

[Kimosabe]

Thanks for all the info. When we start trying to get our group up next year, I will put a post here on Woody's around September to try and get something going. Thanks again everybody.