Delta County Youngsters Learn Bird-Hunting Basics

More than 30 youngsters participate in annual event at Hotchkiss-area ranch

Seventeen youngsters from the North Fork Valley area hunted for birds Jan. 29 at special event sponsored by the Colorado Division of Wildlife and hosted by the Scenic Mesa Ranch near Hotchkiss. Another 15 kids hunted in a second program Feb. 5.
 
This was the seventh year for the youth-hunting event. Doug Homan, district wildlife manager for the Hotchkiss area, started the hunts in 2000.
     
“I wanted to get more youth involved in hunting,” Homan said. “They get a chance to participate in a hunt and this is also an extension of hunter education.”
     
To participate in the hunt, all the youngsters – ages 8 to 15 - were required to have earned their hunter safety cards. DOW wildlife officers, volunteers and parents accompanied the youngsters, teaching hunting technique, bird behavior and safety.
     
Scenic Mesa Ranch released nearly 100 birds and provided guides with dogs for the day. Four DOW officers also guided the young hunters and provided dogs.
     
“The dogs really add to the experience of the hunt,” Homan said.
     
The youngsters hunted for pheasants, chukar and Hungarian partridge. Not all the youth harvested a bird, but all of them saw birds and had opportunities to take shots.
     
“These kids are the future of hunting,” said Charlie Betts, chief guide for the ranch. “It’s important that we get them interested in the sport.”
     
Hobie Christian of Paonia brought his son K.C. who is 12 to the hunt. Getting kids out to the field is the only way for them to learn effectively, Christian said.
     
“This is important because it gives kids real hands on experience,” Christian said.
     
The day started with target practice and a review of basic hunter safety in the morning at Casey Stengel’s trap and target range west of Hotchkiss. Stengel and Frank Newcomb, both DOW volunteers and hunter safety instructors, talked to the young hunters about safety and shooting technique.
     
In the afternoon the youngsters hunted and bagged numerous pheasants.
     
Scenic Mesa Ranch is a commercial game park so the birds are plentiful. Jason Timbreza, who accompanied his 9-year-old son, Joey, was pleased that the hunt was held at the ranch.
     
 “If you take kids out and they never see any birds it gets frustrating for them,” Timbreza said. “Here they get to see a lot of birds. That makes it fun and interesting.”
     
After hunting for the afternoon, the youngsters were given on-the-job instruction on how to clean the birds.
     
“It’s important that they learn everything that goes along with hunting,” Homan said.
     
Also helping to lead and organize the hunt was Kirk Madariaga, district wildlife manager for the DOW in the Paonia area.
     
“This is one of the most important things that the DOW does,” Madariaga said. “These types of events give kids a positive first experience with hunting.”               
 

Click Here To Return To The Previous Page