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National Youth Hunt 2008
Posted by Junior Shooters
Youth Hunters Experience – the Hunt of a Lifetime
By: Lindsay Thomas, Jr.
For an experienced hunter, there are few things as rewarding as introducing someone else to the fun of hunting and the outdoors, especially if that someone is a youngster. That’s why the Quality Deer Management Association (QDMA) Staff enjoy organizing the annual National Youth Hunt more than any other event. The 2008 hunt was held October 23-26 in Georgia, involving ten kids from all over the United States, and the pattern for the event is clear, it just keeps getting better each year.
Nominations for Youth Hunt attendees are solicited from every QDMA Branch in the United States and Canada. The attendees are selected from the nominations based on a number of criteria, with priority going toward youngsters who want to hunt but do not have a place to do so or anyone to accompany them. Other factors are also considered, and the resulting group is a mix of kids with different backgrounds and a range of hunting experience.
The ten future deer stewards selected to attend the 2008 hunt (and the QDMA Branches that nominated them) were Jarrett Benoit, 13, of West Chester, Pennsylvania (Delaware Valley Branch); Jordan Berti, 13, of Cicero, New York (Central New York Branch); Jason Davison, 14, and his brother Nicholas, 12, of Holly Springs, North Carolina (Cape Fear River Branch); Travis Juch, 9, of Florissant, Missouri (Gateway Branch); Eric Matuszak, 12, of Cuba City, Wisconsin (Southwest Wisconsin Branch); Noah Neuerberg, 12, of Edwardsburg, Michigan (Eaton County Branch); Hunter Panning, 12, of Chaska, Minnesota (Prairie to Woods Whitetail Branch); Nathan Whitton, 13, of Gouverneur, New York (Seaway Valley Branch); and Shelby Wilson, 11, of Waynesville, Missouri (Ozark Branch).
A special treat at this year’s Youth Hunt was the participation of Army Rangers from the U.S. Army Marksmanship Unit (USAMU) at Fort Benning, Georgia. Walter Stroman, a civilian marksman, and SFC Kyle Ward, volunteered to pass on their expertise to the kids. Kyle, who is the NCO in charge of the USAMU’s Service Rifle Team, and Walter arranged a fantastic program covering firearm safety and marksmanship. Kyle was joined by SFC Lance Dement and SSGs Joel Micholick and Todd Pace. Together the four have amassed a long list of awards in competitive marksmanship. While Kyle and Lance train Army Rangers in marksmanship at Fort Benning, Todd and Joel both served overseas as Army snipers. All four soldiers are avid hunters as well.
The four Rangers worked with each young hunter on safety and techniques for accurate shooting, then assisted each in sighting in their rifles ? Remington youth model rifles in .243. As a test to graduate from the course, each hunter climbed into a ladder stand with their assigned hunting guide and took a single shot at a buck silhouette at 75 yards. All ten of the hunters made a lethal shot on the target.
Afterwards, the Rangers joined the hunters and their parents for lunch at the lodge, and the kids received USAMU T-shirts and caps before the Rangers headed back to Fort Benning. Throughout the rest of the hunt, parents, guides and QDMA staff members noticed that the number of accurate, lethal shots made on deer ? some at distances up to 150 yards was far above what would 
be expected for 10 youth hunters, nine of whom had never killed a deer before, and everyone gave credit to the Rangers.
Suffice it to say that the property and facilities make the event a true dream hunt for the kids, and the ongoing QDM program on site is a perfect example for young hunters. The landowners and hosts of the event have welcomed the National Youth Hunt for the second year in a row while wishing to keep their contribution anonymous. Additionally, the property’s staff go beyond the call of duty and take a personal interest in each of the kids and in the success of the event, organizing educational scavenger hunts, bird-dog and retriever demonstrations, and more.
Another aspect of the annual Youth Hunt that makes it an unforgettable event for the kids is the support of a number of sponsors who ensure that each youth hunter is well supplied for the hunt and able to return home with new gear and keepsakes.
Travel expenses for each hunter and guardian, as well as meals and snacks, were provided by QDMA. All that was required of the hunters was to show up ready for an unforgettable experience!
The National Youth Hunt is an extension of QDMA’s REACH Mentored Hunting Program. In fact, one of this year’s hunters, Jarrett Benoit, was the first young hunter to complete the program along with his mentor and dad, Jim Benoit. While the National Youth Hunt is a once-a-year event, QDMA’s Mentored Hunting Program is active every day of the year, helping to recruit new hunters and teach them what they need to know to be lifelong stewards of deer and deer habitat.
About QDMA
Founded in 1988, QDMA is a national nonprofit wildlife conservation organization with more than 50,000 members in all 50 states and Canada, and several foreign countries. Membership in QDMA is open to anyone interested in better deer and better deer hunting, and committed to ethical hunting, sound deer management and the preservation of the deer-hunting heritage. To learn more about QDMA and why it is the future of deer hunting, call (800) 209-3337 or visit www.QDMA.com.
Copyright & Published By Junior Shooters & Junior Sports Magazines Inc. March 2009
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