Column: Woods & Water, by Dick Herfindahl

As we inch our way ever closer to fall and all of the hunting seasons that are associated with it, I wonder what the future has in store for our natural resources.

It seems as if the youth of today are not as inclined to do the outdoors things that past generations enjoyed.

There is so much technology available to today’s youth that entertaining themselves is never a problem. Many would rather sit on the comfort of their couch with a game in front of them and controller in hand, rather than get up before sunrise and head out into the cold.

Thankfully when I was a kid, there were not a lot of options, so I had to get outside and create my own fun. Spending time outside naturally made a person closer to nature and of course the sports that are associated with nature like hunting and fishing.

I don’t believe there could be a more peaceful time than when sitting in a duck blind or a deer stand at the crack of dawn waiting for the morning sun to peek over the horizon.

There are less and less of our youth getting involved in hunting and fishing these days. What it boils down to is that it takes a certain type of person to rise at 3 a.m. on a cool rainy morning to head out to a lake or pond and spend hours in a blind hoping for a flock of geese or ducks to come in to their decoys.

I was never big into waterfowl hunting, but I have friends and relatives who live for that season. I can see how they would enjoy it, and I don’t see any sport where you would be closer to nature than that one.

As those hunters get older and getting up in the morning gets harder, reality sets in and some have to give up the sport they loved for many years. This is not any new information. As we get older, we have to at least cut back somewhat on what we love doing pertaining to the outdoors.

I have grandsons who all like to hunt and fish. As an outdoorsman and a grandpa, it makes me proud to see they will be there to carry on the sports that I love.

Two of the boys, Trevor and Dylan, are heavy into fishing and pretty much like to wet a line whenever the opportunity arises. Taylor and Grant enjoy fishing and hunting waterfowl, but they are not as intense as their brother Trevor. He is pretty much all about hunting and fishing. Dylan, their cousin, hunts waterfowl and is the only one who hunts deer.

With the seasons approaching faster than I’d like to think, the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources has given us the opportunity to introduce our youth to some of these sports. Without getting our youth involved in the outdoors and introducing them to the sports of hunting and fishing, we could eventually jeopardize the future of these sports.

The DNR has several youth hunting opportunities offered this fall.

Youth can hunt with adult mentors during several organized youth hunting opportunities this fall. Application forms and more information can be found online or by calling the Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Information Center at 651-296-6157 or 888-646-6367, or Mike Kurre, the DNR’s mentoring program coordinator at 651-259-5193.

 

Youth and family upland bird hunt to begin in October

A youth and family upland bird hunt is for ages 12 to 17 and family members who want to hunt together. Hunts and orientations are Saturday, Oct. 17 or 24. Locations are throughout Minnesota. Apply by Sept. 8.

 

Youth deer season starts this fall

For ages 10 to 15, youth deer season is Thursday, Oct. 15, through Sunday, Oct. 18. Permit areas are in southeastern and northwestern Minnesota and portions of the Twin Cities metro area. Twenty-seven deer permit areas are open to hunt. See the hunting regulations book or DNR hunting page for permit areas.

 

Take a Kid Hunting Weekend will be in September

From Sept. 26 to 27, adult residents accompanied by a youth under age 16 can hunt small game without a license but must comply with open seasons, limits and other regulations.

Until next time, if you take a little time to introduce a youth to fishing or hunting I can almost guarantee that they will want more. Just remember that our youth are the future of our outdoors heritage and that passing something on is a very rewarding experience.

Please remember to keep our troops in your thoughts and prayers because they are the reason we are able to enjoy all the freedoms that we have today.

 

Dick Herfindahl’s column is published in the Tribune each Sunday.