First hunt: Mentored hunting program in its first year already a big hit

Posted 10/18/18

Like any first-time hunter, Lucas Young needed help if he was ever going to be able to successfully harvest a deer.

Young had to prove himself accurate with a rifle, but there’s a lot more …

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First hunt: Mentored hunting program in its first year already a big hit

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Like any first-time hunter, Lucas Young needed help if he was ever going to be able to successfully harvest a deer.

Young had to prove himself accurate with a rifle, but there’s a lot more to hunting than just pulling the trigger.

Ethics, etiquette and safety rules are something best taught by experienced hunters. That’s when he met Grant Stambaugh, noted northwest Wyoming hunting guide. Stambaugh volunteered to mentor Young through the process.

First came target practice — and the first time Lucas had shot a gun.

“It was pretty awesome,” the Powell Middle School student said. “I liked it.”

His mentor was impressed.

“He smoked the targets,” Stambaugh said.

After two days at the range, Young and Stambaugh headed for a private ranch near Meeteetse. The owners were kind enough to allow the new hunters a chance harvest a river bottom white-tailed deer.

Shortly after sunrise, Young and Stambaugh were in position with a nice doe in their sights. Young — wide-eyed and eager to prove his ability afield — was prone watching his target while his mentor glassed the deer more than 200 yards away.

“Make sure you have the crosshairs just above the shoulder,” Stambaugh whispered. “Squeeze the trigger when you’re ready.”

Young was patient, but when his shot rang out, the doe simply turned and ran. The two watched intently for the deer to fall, but instead it ran hundreds of yards away. The chase was on. The duo hot-footed it once they got below a swell, attempting to keep the targeted doe close. A heavy frost melting in the warming sun soon soaked through Young’s jeans. All eyes were on the target and there wasn’t time for complaints.

Every hunter has had that sinking feeling of being off target. Stambaugh was pretty sure the deer was hit at first. But the more they pursued the doe, the less sure he became. Eventually the doe circled back to the field near where Young had taken his shot. It gave the two a chance to look for blood. After an exhaustive search, none was found. Only then did they think about putting on another stalk.

Before moving on, the two discussed the ethics of the hunt and the safety rules of taking the shot. Lucas was all ears — his mentor’s words sinking in.

They didn’t have to go far to find another target. While glassing and quietly chatting, a doe following a young buck popped over a hill and headed toward their position. The buck stayed out of range, but the doe kept coming. Young wasn’t interested in a trophy on his first hunt. He was only concerned when he did shoot that it was a safe, clean shot. The mentor was proud of what his student had learned. Young’s second shot was perfect — a clean heart shot. Then Lucas received his first lesson in field dressing.

The nonprofit organization Wyoming Outdoorsmen, in cooperation with the Wyoming Game and Fish Department, offered mentored hunts to those who might otherwise miss out on hunting due to unforeseen issues on the home front. The program is called First Hunt. In many cases, single mothers applied, wanting their sons and daughters to grow up with broad experiences, including hunting. In some cases, family members grew up in a non-hunting home and simply wanted guidance to help learn to hunt safely and ethically.

The need is obvious, said Fred Williams, Wyoming Outdoorsmen member and First Hunt program coordinator.

“More than twice as many young hunters applied than there was room in the program’s first year,” he said.

Joanne Patterson has been trying to be both mom and dad for the past five years. It’s not easy with two boys. Her youngest, Matthew, never had a chance to learn to hunt with his father, Ray, before cancer took him.

Patterson’s oldest son, Kenneth, 17, was able to hunt with Ray before he passed. But Matthew was 7, and while he was able to follow his father on a hunt, he was too young to join in the harvest.

“We try to do a lot of activities so he’ll have a well-rounded life and hunting is part of it,” Patterson said. “I want to expose my children to a variety of experiences. When this opportunity with the Wyoming Outdoorsmen came up, it was great because it was an opportunity for Matthew to learn from knowledgeable hunters.”

The Wyoming Game and Fish Department decided to get involved after the landowner and the Wyoming Outdoorsmen approached the department’s hunter and angler participation coordinator, Kathryn Boswell. The program fit perfectly with the Game and Fish goal of recruiting young hunters to the sport, Boswell said.

“Programs like this are incredibly important to encourage youth to connect with the outdoors,” she said.

Nora Hart and her 13-year-old daughter Amy were lucky enough to both get a chance to harvest a deer. Nora is a single mom. When Amy applied, Nora was informed the group was opening the registration for single mothers. She was excited to be included.

“It’s a lost art,” Nora Hart said. She didn’t grow up in a hunting household, and without the program, the two may have never attempted harvesting a deer.

“We probably wouldn’t hunt if it weren’t for this program,” Nora said.

With the mentored help, the Harts are now a hunting family. As Amy lined up, she felt guilt, stress and anxiety all at the same time, she said of her thoughts while taking aim on the doe.

“After I shot, I was excited because I got a bigger deer than my mom,” Amy said.

Nora and Amy have already tried hunting rabbits. They are also planning to try upland game birds in the future.

“This is going to be our food — that’s the biggest thing,” Nora said.

For the Harts, being able go through the mentoring program together increased retention of the information.

“With this experience, we could probably do it by ourselves now that we’ve been walked through the process. The way our mentor taught was very logical,” Nora said.

A single mentored hunt may not be enough for a young hunter to grasp the entire process, Boswell said. The hope is relationships built in the mentoring process will continue.

“The First Hunt program is wonderful because it develops relationships that will last longer than just one hunt,” Boswell said. “This program is incredibly important. Hunters and anglers are declining and we need to replace these hunters. We’ll support the program in any way possible if they continue.”

For more information about Wyoming Outdoorsmen, visit www.wyomingoutdoorsmen.org.

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