spectr17
08-16-2002, 01:25 PM
August 2, 2002
UDWR
Sign-up for special youth pheasant hunts
Salt Lake City — A chance to hunt ring-necked pheasants with other youths awaits 12- to 15-year-old hunters who sign up for one of five special youth pheasant hunts to be held in Utah this fall.
"We're holding these hunts to increase the interest young people have in upland game hunting," says Dean Mitchell, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "The hunts are a lot of fun. The kids don't have to compete with dad or older brother for a pheasant and those who have participated in the past have really enjoyed it."
Getting qualified to participate is easy. All that recent 12- to 15-year-old Hunter Education course graduates have to do is complete an application and write a one paragraph essay on:
"I want to continue the Utah upland game hunting tradition because ... " or, "I would like to start my own upland game hunting tradition because ..."
Completed applications and essays must be postmarked on or before Sept. 7 to be considered for one of the hunts. Applications are available on page 23 of the 2002 - 2003 Utah Upland Game Proclamation; at Division of Wildlife Resources offices and hunter education centers; and on the Division's upland game Web page at : http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/upland.htm
Youths must include their name, address, telephone number or e-mail address on their application, and indicate which hunting session they'd like to attend.
The youth hunts will be held Nov. 9 on five state wildlife management areas. The WMAs will be closed to all other hunters on Nov. 9. The hunts will be held at the Willard Bay WMA south of Willard Bay Reservoir; at the James Walter Fitzgerald WMA, about 6 miles north of Vernon; at the Mallard Springs WMA, about 1_ miles southeast of Myton; at the Pahvant WMA, about 5 miles northwest of Fillmore; and at the Huntington WMA, about 2 miles north of Huntington.
The Willard Bay WMA hunt will be limited to 90 youths, the Mallard Springs WMA hunt will be limited to 30 and the Huntington WMA hunt will be limited to 75. The remaining two hunts will be limited to 100 youths each.
Each youth who participates will be allowed to take two pheasants from a number of birds released on the areas before the hunts.
"We've noticed that the number of youth participating in hunting in Utah has declined significantly over time," Mitchell said. "These hunts are an opportunity to get youth interested in upland game bird hunting by allowing them, without competition from other hunters, to go into the field and experience what it's like to take an upland game bird.
"They also allow us a 'hands-on' way of teaching these youth what it means to be ethical, responsible hunters."
Upon arriving for the hunts, youth hunters will be given a brief presentation about hunter ethics and safety by certified Utah Hunter Education instructors. After the presentation, youth hunters will go afield and will have two to three hours to harvest their birds.
Once hunters have taken their birds, they will be given a demonstration and presentation about proper game care and field dressing. Hunter education instructors, Division of Wildlife Resources personnel and other volunteers will assist hunters in the game care and field dressing of harvested pheasants.
Each youth must be accompanied by someone 21-years-of-age or older, who is willing to sign a waiver of liability. The person 21-years-of-age or older is the only person who will be allowed to accompany that youth into the field during the hunt.
"Participants who have a trained hunting dog, or dogs, are encouraged to bring them," Mitchell said.
More information about the hunts is available on pages 22 and 23 of the 2002 - 2003 Utah Upland Game Proclamation, or by calling the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the Division's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.
The special youth hunts are sponsored by the Division of Wildlife Resources; the Golden Spike and Great Salt Lake chapters of Pheasants Forever; and the Salt Lake County Fish and Game Association.
UDWR
Sign-up for special youth pheasant hunts
Salt Lake City — A chance to hunt ring-necked pheasants with other youths awaits 12- to 15-year-old hunters who sign up for one of five special youth pheasant hunts to be held in Utah this fall.
"We're holding these hunts to increase the interest young people have in upland game hunting," says Dean Mitchell, upland game coordinator for the Division of Wildlife Resources. "The hunts are a lot of fun. The kids don't have to compete with dad or older brother for a pheasant and those who have participated in the past have really enjoyed it."
Getting qualified to participate is easy. All that recent 12- to 15-year-old Hunter Education course graduates have to do is complete an application and write a one paragraph essay on:
"I want to continue the Utah upland game hunting tradition because ... " or, "I would like to start my own upland game hunting tradition because ..."
Completed applications and essays must be postmarked on or before Sept. 7 to be considered for one of the hunts. Applications are available on page 23 of the 2002 - 2003 Utah Upland Game Proclamation; at Division of Wildlife Resources offices and hunter education centers; and on the Division's upland game Web page at : http://www.wildlife.utah.gov/upland.htm
Youths must include their name, address, telephone number or e-mail address on their application, and indicate which hunting session they'd like to attend.
The youth hunts will be held Nov. 9 on five state wildlife management areas. The WMAs will be closed to all other hunters on Nov. 9. The hunts will be held at the Willard Bay WMA south of Willard Bay Reservoir; at the James Walter Fitzgerald WMA, about 6 miles north of Vernon; at the Mallard Springs WMA, about 1_ miles southeast of Myton; at the Pahvant WMA, about 5 miles northwest of Fillmore; and at the Huntington WMA, about 2 miles north of Huntington.
The Willard Bay WMA hunt will be limited to 90 youths, the Mallard Springs WMA hunt will be limited to 30 and the Huntington WMA hunt will be limited to 75. The remaining two hunts will be limited to 100 youths each.
Each youth who participates will be allowed to take two pheasants from a number of birds released on the areas before the hunts.
"We've noticed that the number of youth participating in hunting in Utah has declined significantly over time," Mitchell said. "These hunts are an opportunity to get youth interested in upland game bird hunting by allowing them, without competition from other hunters, to go into the field and experience what it's like to take an upland game bird.
"They also allow us a 'hands-on' way of teaching these youth what it means to be ethical, responsible hunters."
Upon arriving for the hunts, youth hunters will be given a brief presentation about hunter ethics and safety by certified Utah Hunter Education instructors. After the presentation, youth hunters will go afield and will have two to three hours to harvest their birds.
Once hunters have taken their birds, they will be given a demonstration and presentation about proper game care and field dressing. Hunter education instructors, Division of Wildlife Resources personnel and other volunteers will assist hunters in the game care and field dressing of harvested pheasants.
Each youth must be accompanied by someone 21-years-of-age or older, who is willing to sign a waiver of liability. The person 21-years-of-age or older is the only person who will be allowed to accompany that youth into the field during the hunt.
"Participants who have a trained hunting dog, or dogs, are encouraged to bring them," Mitchell said.
More information about the hunts is available on pages 22 and 23 of the 2002 - 2003 Utah Upland Game Proclamation, or by calling the nearest Division of Wildlife Resources office or the Division's Salt Lake City office at (801) 538-4700.
The special youth hunts are sponsored by the Division of Wildlife Resources; the Golden Spike and Great Salt Lake chapters of Pheasants Forever; and the Salt Lake County Fish and Game Association.