Get involved in Youth Hunts
We all know that times are a changing. Fewer places to hunt, more diverse leisure interest, more and more anti hunting pressure means less licenses being sold every year. It seems it is only a matter of time before hunters will not have the numbers to make a stand. Could there actually be a time when hunting in your backyard is a thing of the past? It has already happened in many areas in southern Michigan. Many folks I have had this discussion with talk about the good ole days when they hunted pheasants or ran a trap line in Pontiac, or east near Romeo, where huge subdivisions now stand. Urban sprawl is probably the biggest enemy of hunting, as it is the one issue that stops hunting forever.
So how can we combat the loss of hunting in the future? The complexities are great, and the answers are few. Even the hunting preserves are now facing pressure from neighbors, townships and counties, and it is doubtful they could survive if a subdivision grew up around them. One constant in the battle that we all must understand, is the need for hunters passionate enough to wage the fight. Without anyone standing up for our sport it is all academic, we lose. Hunting will be only available to those who have the money to fly to remote locations and buy their trophy. Pheasant's Forever has long understood the need to “mentor the future”. Nearly every PF chapter around the country has a youth program. Some chapters assist in getting kids through a hunter’s safety program, others provide hunting opportunities.
The Lapeer County Chapter of Pheasants Forever recently completed the second of two annual hunts. It is one of the most important activities the chapter does each year. It not only helps kids get acclimated to using firearms in a live situation, it can eventually lead to creating advocates for the outdoor lifestyle 20 years from now, when we will need it most. Lapeer expanded the youth program just for this reason and have two youth chairs that solely concentrate on youth programming. It is that important.
So how can you get involved and help hunting in the future? There are many ways. Certainly get your child involved in a youth program. That means get them through the hunter’s safety certification. That is a very important aspect because we know that opportunities may arise later in their life when some friends may ask if your child wants to go up north hunting. If they don’t have the ability to buy a license, they usually don’t go. What could have been a real turning point in an outdoor hobby is lost because they never got through hunter’s safety when young. But what if you don’t have a child? Certainly helping an organization that provides youth outdoor programming is a good way. Helping on a youth hunt is a lot of fun. Volunteer to run your dog or be a spotter, which is the safety instructor during the hunt. If you can’t break away from your own busy lifestyle, sponsor a child in a hunt. Even 25 dollars can help get an extra child in the field each year. Call your local Pheasant’s Forever Chapter, Duck’s Unlimited, Grouse Society, Whitetail’s Unlimited, Quail Forever or Quail Unlimited. They will be glad to get your help in their next youth activity. Local Sportsman clubs like the Lapeer County Sportsman’s Club often put on hunter’s safety classes. You can also help sponsor youth hunters their as well.
