Ten-year-old A.J. Hendrickson has been looking forward to the upcoming deer season like no other. He was three-years-old the first time his dad, Steve Hendrickson of Hollandale, took him along on a deer hunt.
This year will be different, however. The weekend of Oct. 10-11, A.J. and any other youth between the ages of 10 and 15 may take part in the Youth Deer Hunt in Wisconsin. With the passage of the Hunter Mentorship Program law, 10- and 11-year-olds will be able to fire a gun for the first time under the watchful eye of an adult mentor.
"We've been sizing up the bucks around here," A.J. said with an air of authority. "We've seen some nice sized bucks, some really mature ones." He leaves it up to his dad to determine if a buck is a shooter, however.
They have been watching lots of hunting shows together, A.J. said.. "I ask him if it's a shooter, and he'll tell me yes or no," he said. "So I have a basic idea about what a shooter looks like."
Preparations have included lots of practice during the past month. "We bought a .243 Savage bolt action this summer, and we've been doing a lot of target practice," A.J. said.
"I'm as excited as he is," Steve Hendrickson said. "I'm hoping a doe might come out first so he can get some experience," he added.
Youth hunters may hunt deer with a gun Oct. 10-11 in all deer management units except state park units. The bag limit is one buck, which must be tagged with a gun buck deer carcass tag. Any additional antlerless deer must have an appropriate antlerless tag.
In the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone, youth hunters are exempt from the Earn-a-Buck requirement, but are allowed only one buck. The exemption only applies to the two-day youth gun deer hunt. During all other seasons, youth hunters are required to follow Earn-a-Buck requirements in the chronic wasting disease zone.
One adult may accompany two youth hunters. However, if one of the hunters comes under the hunter mentorship rules, the other youth must be between 12 and 15 and possess a hunter safety certificate.
For youth hunters 12-15 who possess a hunter education certificate, the adult must be within both visual and voice contact of the youth. The adult does not have to be a licensed hunter or a hunter education graduate to accompany hunters 12-15. The adult may not gun hunt for deer during the youth hunt, but may hunt for other game species that are legal during the youth hunt period.
The youth deer hunt is designed to give young hunters an opportunity to gain valuable experience before any other hunters are allowed in the field. The youth hunt was made possible through the Deer 2000 and Beyond Project.
Annual Youth Pheasant Hunt is Oct. 10
The Sugar River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the Argyle Rod and Gun Club and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will sponsor their 12th Annual Youth Pheasant Hunt Saturday, Oct. 10. The all day event is free starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Rod and Gun Club on State Hwy. 81 between Monroe and Argyle. Pheasant hunting opportunities are available at the club and other nearby properties.
The chapter is seeking volunteers with dogs to assist as mentors. Call Bob Wesenberg at 325-4494 or Dave Wisnefske at 325-4606 to reserve a hunting slot, sign up as a mentor or get further information.
In addition, the Sugar River Valley Chapter will hold its 22nd annual banquet at Lelle's in Woodford, Saturday, Oct. 3. Members' gun and other door prizes, several exciting raffle drawings and the highly popular live auction will all be a part of the banquet. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
The annual chapter membership is $50 and includes a dinner ticket, door prize opportunities and membership in Pheasants Forever. Contact Bob or Dave for more information or to purchase tickets for the event.
- Lee Fahrney is the Monroe Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
This year will be different, however. The weekend of Oct. 10-11, A.J. and any other youth between the ages of 10 and 15 may take part in the Youth Deer Hunt in Wisconsin. With the passage of the Hunter Mentorship Program law, 10- and 11-year-olds will be able to fire a gun for the first time under the watchful eye of an adult mentor.
"We've been sizing up the bucks around here," A.J. said with an air of authority. "We've seen some nice sized bucks, some really mature ones." He leaves it up to his dad to determine if a buck is a shooter, however.
They have been watching lots of hunting shows together, A.J. said.. "I ask him if it's a shooter, and he'll tell me yes or no," he said. "So I have a basic idea about what a shooter looks like."
Preparations have included lots of practice during the past month. "We bought a .243 Savage bolt action this summer, and we've been doing a lot of target practice," A.J. said.
"I'm as excited as he is," Steve Hendrickson said. "I'm hoping a doe might come out first so he can get some experience," he added.
Youth hunters may hunt deer with a gun Oct. 10-11 in all deer management units except state park units. The bag limit is one buck, which must be tagged with a gun buck deer carcass tag. Any additional antlerless deer must have an appropriate antlerless tag.
In the Chronic Wasting Disease Management Zone, youth hunters are exempt from the Earn-a-Buck requirement, but are allowed only one buck. The exemption only applies to the two-day youth gun deer hunt. During all other seasons, youth hunters are required to follow Earn-a-Buck requirements in the chronic wasting disease zone.
One adult may accompany two youth hunters. However, if one of the hunters comes under the hunter mentorship rules, the other youth must be between 12 and 15 and possess a hunter safety certificate.
For youth hunters 12-15 who possess a hunter education certificate, the adult must be within both visual and voice contact of the youth. The adult does not have to be a licensed hunter or a hunter education graduate to accompany hunters 12-15. The adult may not gun hunt for deer during the youth hunt, but may hunt for other game species that are legal during the youth hunt period.
The youth deer hunt is designed to give young hunters an opportunity to gain valuable experience before any other hunters are allowed in the field. The youth hunt was made possible through the Deer 2000 and Beyond Project.
Annual Youth Pheasant Hunt is Oct. 10
The Sugar River Valley Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the Argyle Rod and Gun Club and the Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources will sponsor their 12th Annual Youth Pheasant Hunt Saturday, Oct. 10. The all day event is free starting at 9:30 a.m. at the Rod and Gun Club on State Hwy. 81 between Monroe and Argyle. Pheasant hunting opportunities are available at the club and other nearby properties.
The chapter is seeking volunteers with dogs to assist as mentors. Call Bob Wesenberg at 325-4494 or Dave Wisnefske at 325-4606 to reserve a hunting slot, sign up as a mentor or get further information.
In addition, the Sugar River Valley Chapter will hold its 22nd annual banquet at Lelle's in Woodford, Saturday, Oct. 3. Members' gun and other door prizes, several exciting raffle drawings and the highly popular live auction will all be a part of the banquet. Doors open at 5:30 p.m.
The annual chapter membership is $50 and includes a dinner ticket, door prize opportunities and membership in Pheasants Forever. Contact Bob or Dave for more information or to purchase tickets for the event.
- Lee Fahrney is the Monroe Times outdoors writer. He can be reached at (608) 967-2208 or fiveoaks@mhtc.net.
