Successful Madison County (TX) Youth Hunt

[TacticalHogControl]

Well, the 2009 Madison County Youth Hunt is in the books and we had a great time! The weather didn't exactly cooperate but that didn't stop 17 young hunters from harvesting 9 deer and one wild hog. The kids braved the rain and cold but they never complained. The group consisted of 7th and 8th graders.....11 young men and and 6 young ladies.



Four local-area landowners in Madisonville, TX. let the young hunters assist in their management programs, by providing a place for the kids to hunt. These properties are in the Level 2 and Level 3 MLD program. When the deer are harvested, field-dressed weights are recorded and a jawbone is removed for aging purposes. The kids actively participate in the data collection, especially once they understand the reason for it.





After the deer are weighed, they are taken to a local locker plant for discounted processing. The remainder of the processing bill is paid using donated funds and the meat is split equally between the entire group of hunters.

This program was started 10 years ago and it has been a huge success, thanks to a great group of sponsors and volunteer guides. I would like to thank each one of you, from the bottom of my heart.....I could not do this without you! You have made a positive impact on over 150 kids and for that, I am truly grateful !

The Guides of 2009 ................



Thank You. I hope to see each one of you back on December 10, 2010 for the 11th Annual Madison County Youth Hunt!

Adam would be proud!

 

[308win]

That's what I'm talking about! Great program!

 

[Flintknapper]

Good job guys!

 

[jbkebert]

Great job to all. I am involved with youth hunts here in KS and it is a blast. No better feeling than a youngster getting there first game animal.

 

[Tim the student]

Very cool, good job. Thanks for posting this.

 

[TacticalHogControl]

Thanks for the kind words guys.....It's a lot of work but the looks on the kid's faces make it all worthwhile. Some of these kids come from broken homes and don't have the opportunity to enjoy the great outdoors or shooting sports. We all believe that the kids are our future and my volunteers bend over backwards to make this a memorable experience. If anyone would like to organize a similar event, in their area, please feel free to contact me. We've learned a few things over the last 10 years and I would be happy to share some of the "do's and don'ts".

Here's a few more pics.....

Each youth hunt starts out with a trip to the local gun range, where the kids get a good lesson in gun safety from local area Game Wardens.



Afterwards, each child gets to shoot, using the same rifles that they will be using during the hunt. For many of them, this is the first time they have ever fired a gun....and it never ceases to amaze me how well they do!



Then it's off to the deer woods, for a weekend of good clean fun! Another thing that amazes me is the willingness of the kids, especially the girls, to jump in and get their hands dirty. Also the "yeah's and huh's" are replaced with "yes sir, no sir and thank you".....and that part just "happens". The kids seem truly thankful to be where they are and they realize that a lot of people are doing a lot of things to insure that they enjoy the weekend.

They also see the many Game Wardens that help out, in a different light. Instead of being someone to be scared of, the kids see that the Game Wardens are really interested in them and their success. A lot of kids seem to think that the Game Warden (or any law enforcement officer) is only there to "bust me when I do something wrong". After a weekend of seeing them as "a nice guy who taught me how to do things right", the kid's attitudes are totally different. I like to think that we helped put, or keep, these kids on the right track.

And, of course, there is the hunting ! Here's a pic from the 2008 hunt that shows some of the young hunters and a few of the 21 deer they harvested!



The late Adam Chrane and I started this program 10 years ago. Adam was a Game Warden/Special Investigator for the Texas Parks and Wildlife Dept. He passed away a couple of years ago, but his memory and the Madison County Youth Hunt lives on. Rest easy brother.

 

[crawfobj]

Great to see you on here, THC. Just stumbled onto this.

I am CERTAIN that Adam would be proud. Thanks for everything you do to keep making this happen year after year.

This is always the highlight of my hunting season, and the only weekend other than Christmas and Thanksgiving that is planned for me YEARS in advance. I wouldn't miss it for anything. You absolutely cannot beat the looks on a kid's face when they spot a deer for the first time, the excitement of the hunt, or knowing that you might have made a small difference in that young person's life. My grandmother likes to say that boys that hunt and fish don't rob old ladies, and she's right.

Besides, that it's one of the few/only times I get to see some of the "guides", and you cannot ask for a better bunch of guys.

For the rest of you out there, I highly recommend getting involved with something like this or starting something in your area. You will not be disappointed...

Here's a blast from the past from the 2004 hunt. I've got to get all of my pictures organized one of these days!

Crawfobj, aka Crawdaddy

 

[tommyintx]

it'd be great to be involved/participate in an event like this. you're pretty far from where i live though. I do alot of volunteer work, but have never had the opportunity to participate in something as rewarding as this looks !