Pheasant Forever making strides with youth hunters

Gallatin Valley Pheasant Forever making strides with young bird hunters

Picture 1 of 3

Darius Simmons of Bozeman takes aim on a youth hunt at Grey Cliffs Ranch. Photo by Ben Pierce.

By BEN PIERCE Chronicle Outdoors

Imagine you’re 12 years old. It’s a misty morning in the hills along the Madison River and the sun is just breaking through the clouds easing the chill in the air. You’ve got a shotgun clutch under your shoulder. There’s a wirehaired pointing griffon working the field in front of you.

You’re wading through waist-high scrub into a draw on your first hunt. There’s a grain field up ahead and some low brush to your left. You sense each blade of grass running along your hunting pants as you walk.

You’re scanning the field for movement; keeping an eye on the dog. You’re thinking back to all you have learned when suddenly the dog stops dead in its tracks.

____

For a group of young bird hunters this season, that feeling of anticipation and excitement is one that will stick with them for the rest of their lives. In its first year, the Gallatin Valley Pheasants Forever Youth Hunter Program has transformed 13 kids from the Bozeman area into competent bird hunters ready for the field.

“This is a program of development,” said GVPF youth coordinator Glenn Lehrer. “We are trying to not only develop shooting skills, but hunting ethics and dog training skills. These kids are going to be ready to go out with somebody that bird hunts and be right there.”

Lehrer developed the Youth Hunter Program with support from the hunting community in and around Gallatin Valley. The program accepted 15 kids who attended Hunter Education classes in April. Kids were nominated by Hunter Education instructors based on desire, motivation and need for hunting opportunities.

Program components began on June 26 with shotgun shooting instruction and carried on through the summer months with classes dedicated to gun skills, hunting ethics, habitat education and hunting dog training.

Along the way kids learned how to identify upland game bird species, take care of hunting dogs, clean birds — an all encompassing crash course in bird hunting.

“Through this process they have learned to appreciate what birds and animals need to survive and hopefully contribute to that in the future,” Lehrer said. “They have learned to value life. They’ve learned that fair chase is OK, but they need to contribute to the longevity of species.

“Bird hunting over a dog gets you to appreciate God’s creation.”

Lehrer said the opportunity for kids to learn from seasoned hunters that act as mentors adds an element of assurance for parents. He said many adults have enjoyed learning about bird dogs and the sport through their kids.

“Some parents might have been lukewarm in the beginning, but now I see an appreciation for what it takes to be a good bird hunter, to train a bird dog, to be a successful hunter,” Lehrer said. “I see parents excited about their kids in the out of doors, a depth of understanding — connecting with their kid as to why they want to hunt and looking to help them proceed.”

Mike Anczak of Bozeman, whose daughter Lauren Anczak, 13, participated in the program, said the incremental instruction helped build Lauren’s confidence with hunting.

He said the assistance in joining the program after Lauren completed Hunter Education was outstanding and said he’s seen his daughter’s anticipation for the program build throughout the summer.

“I think her interest is just over the top,” Anczak said. “She wouldn’t have gotten into (hunting) otherwise.

“They have really made sure the kids are comfortable and know what they are doing and cultivating an excitement about it.”

Anczak said he appreciates the opportunity to share Montana’s hunting tradition with his daughter.

“This is something that can be done here in Montana that can’t be done in a lot of other places,” Anczak said, “so this is a huge thing that they are doing, giving these kids an education for another recreational opportunity.”

Lehrer said the program — a first of its kind in the U.S. — not only helps kids get involved with hunting, but fosters the core values of Pheasants Forever and its role as a nationwide habitat organization.

“If we have hunters we have people to help with habitat efforts, because (Pheasants Forever) recognizes that the future of habitat in this country lies with landowners and hunters,” Lehrer said. “It is the people that hunt and buy the licenses and are out there in the field that make a difference.”

Dan Tracey, one of the program’s hunting mentors, agrees.

Tracey said it is the responsibility of all hunters to pass their knowledge on to the next generation.

“These kids are well prepared coming out here,” Tracey said. “Hopefully the momentum will keep going with these kids and it will be a lifelong passion for them.”

For youth hunter Darius Simmons of Bozeman, the passion is already there.

“It’s exciting, an awesome experience,” Simmons said.

____

You’re 12 years old again. The dog’s still on point. He’s waiting for your move. Your eyes scan the tall grass ahead for any sign of movement.

Your mentor leans in close and whispers in your ear. You slide your thumb across the safety and take a few steps forward waiting with bated breath for the bird to flush.

Suddenly, a burst of feathers erupts from the grass ahead of you.

You don’t even think.

Your shot is true.

You’ve been here before.

Tags: Gallatin Valley Pheasants Forever, Glenn Lehrer, Grey Cliffs Ranch, youth hunt

This entry was posted by Ben Pierce on Wednesday, September 29th, 2010 at 6:16 pm and is filed under Bozeman, Conservation, Hunting, Montana FWP. You can follow any responses to this entry through the RSS 2.0 feed. You can leave a response, or trackback from your own site.

About The Author

Ben Pierce

Ben Pierce lives, works and plays in Bozeman, Montana. He blogs about the outdoors for Chronicle Outdoors. Catch him on the river, in the mountains or at bpierce@dailychronicle.com.