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By Shirley Grenoble
sports@altoonamirror.com
I barely got the church door open until a report of gobblers bagged the day before on youth day was thrown my way.
When I got home, I got a call from a good friend, Connie Mertz of Danville. A fellow outdoor writer, now retired was ecstatic that her grandson had also bagged a nice gobbler.
Opening up the youth days for youngsters to be able to hunt was one of the productive programs the Pennsylvania Game Commission features. All the excitement felt this day after opening day is a testimony to that.
When this program was announced a few decades ago, it met with the usual criticism that they receive anytime they introduce something new.
People were sure that youngsters in the woods would all be shooting each other, etc., etc. Instead, we found out it is a great way for youngsters, under the watchful eyes of fathers, grandfathers, friends and neighbors who stepped up to volunteer their time to take a youngster under their wing, so to speak.
Morgan's gobbler was a whopping 21 pounds, a real winner for Pennsylvania. Morgan also bagged his first buck last deer season. I guess I'll have to get him to take me out this coming deer season.
Once a young person gets hooked into the excitement of hunting and fishing, he or she is usually hooked for life. I credit my love of hunting by often taking my son on forays into the woods in the offseasons.
He would pester me to go to the woods anytime there was a break in the Little League schedule. We saw a lot of birds and animals on summer and fall days.
He became a hot-shot hunter seldom missing a shot at anything. Few men learn hunting at their mother's knee but my son did. Introducing your son or daughter, or the neighbor kid, to the outdoors instead of social media could be profitable.
I hear lots of complaints that hunter numbers are diminishing. If taking an interest in youth, and teaching them to enjoy the outdoors is what it takes to install the love of nature and smart hunting techniques, then I say it will be worth it.
The sparkle in his or her eyes over the first turkey or deer or squirrel is a priceless gift.