Severance – With one eye on the sky and the other on a catalytic heater spewing warmth against an early chill, the future of Colorado waterfowl hunting waited for action.
The three hunters arose hours before dawn, then trudged sleepily into a dark cornfield where they lugged decoys through a mine field of ankle-high stalks – a ritual not unlike that of several thousand other goose hunters trying to squeeze a few more shots from a season with just more than two weeks remaining.
The difference was, this congregation almost certainly could claim to be the youngest gathering of hunters afoot that morning. In stairstep alignment they were Zachary Martin, 11, of Westminster; Austin Morton, 12 of Brighton; and Matt Malinosky, 13, of Centennial. All had hunted geese before, but this day was different, their first in a youth hunt under the auspices of the Colorado Division of Wildlife’s far-flung youth hunting program.
With their parents, they had signed up for a program drafted for the express purpose of keeping youngsters involved in hunting at a time when so many are drifting away. Every kid these days has a quick trigger finger for a PlayStation, but few are willing to do the heavy lifting for the real thing.
“We do the best we can to provide a really positive experience that encourages kids to continue to hunt,” said Jim Bulger, DOW’s hunting outreach coordinator. “When we built this thing, we wanted an educational and hunting program for as many kids and parents as we could handle in as many different ways as possible.”
The program has grown to encompass waterfowl, upland game birds and big game. It will expand to include turkey when that season resumes in April. During 2006, Bulger expects to accommodate nearly 1,200 days of individual experiences through a program that involves many dozens of volunteers.
Most of these serve as hunt masters, trained practitioners who take responsibility for arranging locations and paraphernalia for the hunts. Last Saturday, master Mark Strachan of Thornton teamed with Joe Kachnic, owner of Woods and Water outfitter service (303-589-4244), at one of the firm’s custom pits north of Severance.
Kachnic, who hosts up to 50 kids a year on various outings, joined guide Brandon Lawley in hauling out 150 “stuffer” decoys, an ultimate deception made from actual goose skins requiring more than four hours each to make. It’s a lot of work, but well worth it, Kachnic said.
“It’s important to plant seed for future generations of hunters and get them started the right way,” he said.
Although all three young participants had completed requisite education classes and possessed some hunting experience, both Strachan and Kachnik further stressed the importance of strategy and safety in the unusual environment of a goose pit.
Another outfit, Webbed Feet Down of Greeley, will host a youth hunt Saturday with noted authority Sean Mann, who will take time off from his seminars at the Denver International Sportsmen’s Exposition. DOW also gets an assist from Waterfowl Haven of Greeley.
More recently, Bulger has opened his outreach to include programs exclusively for women. As a way to reach those who normally would remain beyond the outdoor sphere, he also tries to involve kids with single mothers.
DOW operates a parallel program for fishing that processes an even greater number of participants during the warm months. Whether on land or water, it’s all a part of planting seeds.
