nmyotebuster
Active Member
- Messages
- 309
About this time last year, there was a thread come up about how some felt that it was ridiculous that the youth in our state got some of the "prime" hunting windows.
I took a personal exception to this, and made a public promise to take one new hunter under my wing every year and hopefully start them on a path that has blessed my life over and over.
An oportunity arose that I couldn't turn away from. A friend from HS has a son who had seen us shooting our bows in the yard ( my 3 daughters and I ) and showed interest. After seeing the cost, ( he came and asked me how much our stuff was ), I could see the hurt in his eyes when he realized he would probably never be able to afford what we do, being 12 years old, and having a single mom raising him and his 2 younger brothers on her own.
I worked out a deal with him that if he would help me around the yard, and do some work for me, I would cover half the cost of the bow out of my pocket, and he could pay off the rest with work. I found a GREAT used parker buckshot on AT, and was able to get that for a steal.
Here are a few photos of us this past year ( I don't think he owns a t-shirt that isn't RED );
It started in the yard, with him BARELY able to draw it:
After a while, his form started to shape up, and he was getting the hang of it:
A bit more practice, and they were all in the kill zone:
Soon we were giving the ditches a hard time:
He did some pre-season scouting with us for my Sept Deer season, but due to school, could not make it out on the hunt.
Next was my daughter's youth encouragement hunt for elk in November that he accompanied us on:
He found his first muley shed:
And got to experience the thrill of bull elk up close, but no cows, and also learned how to keep a jeep moving in 6 inches of muck:
WInter rolled in, and we were FINALLY able to get him into a Hunter's Education class, did I mention he scored a 100%! Unfortunately we didn't get drawn for those amazing guided hunts, but it was a great success for him.
With hunter's ed done, we can now HUNT!!
A trip out chasing ducks!!!
Today was the day he had been counting down to. We just finished his first application for the New Mexico draw. I have put he and my daughter together on an elk app, and he couldn't be happier. ( I can't wait to see his face WHEN they draw, not if ..... ).
Thanks New Mexico, for the opportunities that you present the hunters of the future here in our state. They are the ones who will keep this passion of ours alive, long after we are gone.
He will accompany us this spring for turkey, and will help us whittle away at the bass and trout numbers over the summer, all in anticipation of his first hunt this fall ( youth encouragement if necessary ).
Now to find that next hunter that I can hopefully help with my addiction.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I hope you too can find the joy I do in bringing a new sportsman into our fold.
NMYB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teach your kids to hunt now, and you won't have to hunt for them later.
I took a personal exception to this, and made a public promise to take one new hunter under my wing every year and hopefully start them on a path that has blessed my life over and over.
An oportunity arose that I couldn't turn away from. A friend from HS has a son who had seen us shooting our bows in the yard ( my 3 daughters and I ) and showed interest. After seeing the cost, ( he came and asked me how much our stuff was ), I could see the hurt in his eyes when he realized he would probably never be able to afford what we do, being 12 years old, and having a single mom raising him and his 2 younger brothers on her own.
I worked out a deal with him that if he would help me around the yard, and do some work for me, I would cover half the cost of the bow out of my pocket, and he could pay off the rest with work. I found a GREAT used parker buckshot on AT, and was able to get that for a steal.
Here are a few photos of us this past year ( I don't think he owns a t-shirt that isn't RED );
It started in the yard, with him BARELY able to draw it:
After a while, his form started to shape up, and he was getting the hang of it:
A bit more practice, and they were all in the kill zone:
Soon we were giving the ditches a hard time:
He did some pre-season scouting with us for my Sept Deer season, but due to school, could not make it out on the hunt.
Next was my daughter's youth encouragement hunt for elk in November that he accompanied us on:
He found his first muley shed:
And got to experience the thrill of bull elk up close, but no cows, and also learned how to keep a jeep moving in 6 inches of muck:
WInter rolled in, and we were FINALLY able to get him into a Hunter's Education class, did I mention he scored a 100%! Unfortunately we didn't get drawn for those amazing guided hunts, but it was a great success for him.
With hunter's ed done, we can now HUNT!!
A trip out chasing ducks!!!
Today was the day he had been counting down to. We just finished his first application for the New Mexico draw. I have put he and my daughter together on an elk app, and he couldn't be happier. ( I can't wait to see his face WHEN they draw, not if ..... ).
Thanks New Mexico, for the opportunities that you present the hunters of the future here in our state. They are the ones who will keep this passion of ours alive, long after we are gone.
He will accompany us this spring for turkey, and will help us whittle away at the bass and trout numbers over the summer, all in anticipation of his first hunt this fall ( youth encouragement if necessary ).
Now to find that next hunter that I can hopefully help with my addiction.
Sorry for the long winded post, but I hope you too can find the joy I do in bringing a new sportsman into our fold.
NMYB
--------------------------------------------------------------------------------
Teach your kids to hunt now, and you won't have to hunt for them later.
