Hunting Heritage

Article and photo by BOB BARNETTE

The splendors of glorious sunrises are a treasured part of time spent outdoors.

Hunts in the Texas Youth Hunting Program are by design educational events. There are no guarantees of a shot opportunity or a harvest, or even that game will be seen. But we do, however, assure that our participants will learn, as they are exposed to both direct and indirect educational experiences when in the outdoors with TYHP.

Lessons learned through TYHP can apply to everyday life and last a lifetime. Examples of subjects encountered include:

Skill Development: Shooting a rifle, shotgun or bow with skill and accuracy is a very satisfying accomplishment and is vital to hunting ethically—and it is just plain fun. TYHP hunters must meet minimum marksmanship standards to attend a hunt, but they often increase their skills through shooting instruction at the hunt.

Conservation: Hunting is an important tool for wildlife conservation. Not only do hunters help manage wildlife populations through sustainable harvest, but license fees and taxes on hunting equipment directly pay for the vast majority of conservation efforts in the U.S. TYHP hunters relish the chance to learn about this process and be part of it.

Teamwork: TYHP hunters see teamwork in action as crews of volunteers work together tirelessly to ensure they have a safe, fun and educational experience.

Giving back: TYHP hunters receive priceless gifts as landowners and volunteers contribute opportunity, time, food, gear and much more to ensure they have a chance to experience and learn about hunting. Seeing such examples of generosity and selflessness motivates youth and adults to find ways they too can give back and pay forward. Many TYHP participants volunteer with us later on.

Sharing: TYHP hunters benefit from the sharing of others and learn more about how to share themselves. They see examples of and learn how to share time, resources, wisdom, humor, food, drink and sometimes even the game they harvest.

Biology: Hunting provides up-close exposure to the wonders of biology and the relationships among plants, animals, birds and ecosystems. The process of field

dressing and breaking down harvested game for the cooler reveals the marvels of how animals live and the fascinating ways muscles, bones and organs interact.

Patience: Hunting requires patience. Finding the right animal, in the right place, positioned in the right angle for a shot and within the right shooting distance, can take what seems like forever. And often does not happen at all, requiring more patient waiting for the next potential opportunity. Many life lessons here. Patience is definitely a virtue and a skill/attribute taught well by the act of hunting.

Perseverance: Perseverance and patience often go together in the lessons hunting teaches. Be patient for the right opportunity, and keep trying without giving up!

Ethics: TYHP hunters experience real-life situations requiring decisions based on ethics. Some may be questions of compliance with laws or regulations; others are questions surrounding something that might be legal but may not be a good idea.

Hunters learn there are consequences to their choices, and there are endless ways in which choices must be made. TYHP hunters benefit from the coaching of volunteer guides that help them sort out dilemmas and learn from each situation.

Food awareness: Many non-hunters have no idea of where meat comes from or how it ends up in a grocery store or restaurant. Sadly, many don’t care either.

Hunters know exactly where their meat originated, how the animal lived and how it died. They have profound respect for the life they have taken in order to sustain their own, and they care greatly about the welfare of the species they pursue.

Hunters work to ensure that wild animals can thrive in wild places, forever. TYHP hunters learn about their food early in their lives, building a life-long awareness of and appreciation for where they obtain their nutrition.

Like-minded people: On most TYHP hunts, the youths arrive not knowing any of the other participants. Often kids come from all parts of the state. New friendships form very quickly, and soon it seems as if the kids were life-long friends.

TYHP hunts provide unique chances to meet like-minded kids who normally would not cross paths. How else might a youth from a rural Panhandle county bond closely with a kid from Dallas or Houston? It’s very important for kids to know there are others everywhere who share similar interests and values.

Best teachers—the animals: Many of the best educators encountered on TYHP hunts, or any hunt, are the animals themselves. Regardless of how much people think they know, animals will always teach new lessons and sometimes in a painful manner!

Think of all the times you have seen a deer or duck or turkey do something totally unexpected and what it was that made the behavior unexpected. It was probably something normal to the animal, but unusual to you because you already thought you knew everything about them. Smart hunters are always open to the lessons that animals provide.

You can do hard things: Sometimes hunting requires tough choices and tough actions. Dealing with challenges of harsh weather, fatigue, getting lost or a difficult recovery of a harvested animal can be overwhelming.

Hunters learn first-hand that they can solve difficult problems and overcome significant hardships. Again, such lessons are applicable to many areas of life.

Responsibility for actions: TYHP hunters are exposed to the realities of being responsible for one’s actions. There are numerous choices to be made regarding everything from being safe to the consequences of attempting to take the life of the animal you are hunting. Choices matter, and mentored hunts such as those conducted by TYHP provide many opportunities for youth to learn about weighing options and choosing actions wisely.

Helping others is fun: TYHP hunts require tremendous work and effort by volunteers who choose to spend time helping others. These folks have many motivations for their toils, but one of them is definitely that helping others is great fun. Our volunteers provide great examples of selfless, cheerful service, demonstrating that contribution of one’s skills and resources to a worthy cause has many rewards.

Hunting is an activity that lends itself to planning of many details. However, those plans can easily be derailed by weather, illness, commitments to school or work, or any number of unforeseen obstacles. The ability to adapt a plan and regroup is a great life skill, and hunters are taught this lesson with great frequency.

Sunrises and sunsets are often overlooked in our daily lives. When we are outdoors hunting or fishing though, they can hardly be ignored and are usually one of the best things about a given day. TYHP hunters learn to treasure the simple visual splendor of morning and evening skies.

the soul: Whenever possible TYHP hunts include an evening campfire. Opportunities to reflect on the hunt often result in expressions of heartfelt appreciation for the blessings of the weekend and all who were part of it.

I’ve heard amazing testimony from the most unlikely speakers around a hearty campfire. Campfires warm both the body and the soul.

and binds hunters to nature: Those of you that hunt with your family members know this truth well— experiences through the ups and downs of hunting build relationships and memories in unique, permanent ways that defy explanation.

The bonds are both strong and significant and just do not occur through other endeavors. We bond with each other while bonding with nature.

The list could go on and on, but you get the idea. TYHP hunts educate in many ways, at many levels and sometimes even in ways not revealed until long after the hunt. TYHP hunts are not about pulling triggers, but rather triggering a pull to the great outdoors and the lessons awaiting there.

If you would like to help us in this mission, contact our office at (210) 930-2177, and we will help you get started.