Learn to Hunt and Mentored Hunting Opportunities
Dear Hunting enthusiast:There is no doubt about it; the future of hunting is up to hunters. Thank you for rising to the challenge.
Times are different for today?s families: more people live in large cities, time is more structured and planned ? leaving less ?free? time, and today?s generation of young adults has had less exposure to nature and hunting. The good news is you can make a difference. Please use the ?Learn to Hunt? guide enclosed with this letter to help you in hosting an event this fall. Working with clubs and organizations like yours, we would like to have at least 2,000 participants and one LTH in each county this coming year. I know a lot of hunters who want to help, and I think we can do it. If you have any questions or would like more pamphlets, please contact me at (608) 576-5243 or keith.warnke@wisconsin.gov.
It?s an important time for sports, rod and gun, and conservation clubs. Wisconsin citizens recognize the importance of hunters to conservation and they strongly support us. But you, as club members, have a real challenge; turn that support into action to strengthen the next generation of hunters. Think about recruiting people from your community who are not involved in hunting. We all know hunting is an activity focused on family and friends so I encourage you to reach beyond the local hunter education class to your friends and their children. Club members are the qualified mentors for the next generation and the family oriented conservation club is the perfect setting to recruit new hunters. It?s up to us as hunters to make sure that our great tradition remains strong.
Wisconsin?s learn to hunt (LTH) program is simple and flexible. It combines a short classroom training session along with a range session for practice and then an actual hunt. There is also a reimbursement program through which groups can receive $25 per novice hunter to help cover the costs of hosting a LTH event.
You can design your own unique LTH. Participants do not need licenses or any stamps and these hunts can take place within or outside of the regular season dates on public or private lands. I believe the way to be most successful will be to focus on the family fun surrounding hunting. Rather than kids alone, focus on bringing the whole family out to the field and sharing our tradition and knowledge with them. I recommend you include a game feed as a part of the LTH event also. New hunters will be even more interested when they experience the high quality meal!
Get out your calendar and schedule a LTH event for the fall. The instructions and application forms you need to organize a LTH event are available on the DNR website (
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/lth/). Sponsors should work closely with the local wildlife biologist and warden when planning an event. Small game hunting is an easy way to introduce new hunters. Squirrels and rabbits are abundant on public land and easy to hunt with minimal equipment. LTH pheasant events can also be scheduled on public or private property and DNR provides pheasants at no cost to you. Remember, this opportunity is open to novice hunters of all ages, so let?s focus on reaching beyond our traditional audience.
I also want to draw your attention to the mentored hunting program. It's easier than ever to introduce someone new to hunting in Wisconsin. Anyone 10 or older can now hunt without completing a hunter education course. He or she must be accompanied by a licensed hunter and hunt within arm's reach of the mentor. Consider mentoring someone with no previous exposure and pass along the tradition. This one-on-one mentoring opportunity gives first-time hunters a chance to try hunting and enables veteran hunters to pass on their passion for the outdoors and help keep Wisconsin's hunting heritage strong. You can get more information by contacting me or visiting our website:
http://dnr.wi.gov/org/land/wildlife/hunt/mentor.htmAs you know, the future of hunting is up to us ? those of us who hunt. We can work together through our clubs and organizations to grow the next generation of hunters. Your local DNR conservation warden, wildlife biologist, and I are ready to help. Please contact me if you have any questions.
Sincerely,
Keith Warnke
Hunting and Shooting Sport Coordinator
keith.warnke@wisconsin.gov
