By Staff
DOWAGIAC - Youth hunters can sign up to participate in the 2006 Youth Pheasant Hunt at the Pheasants Forever booth at the Hunter's Rendezvous, which will take place on Saturday, Jan. 21 at the Dowagiac Conservation Club.
The date of the 2006 Youth Pheasant Hunt will be Feb. 25, and the hunt will be held at Rolling Hills Shooting Preserve in Marcellus.
Through the generosity of the Cass County Chapter of Pheasants Forever, the Youth Pheasant Hunt is being offered free of charge. The hunt is open to young hunters, age 12 to 14 years old and to their hunting mentors. Only 35 youths and 35 mentors can be accommodated at the hunt. If more than 35 youths sign up at the registration, a lottery will be held to select the 35 hunters.
Interested youths can register for the Youth Pheasant Hunt during the Hunter's Rendezvous, which is open from noon to 6 p.m. They need to bring their hunter's safety certificate, their hunting license and their hunting mentor to the sign up at the Pheasants Forever booth. In addition to the free pheasant hunt, the youngsters will also receive a free youth membership to the Dowagiac Conservation Club.
During the Youth Pheasant Hunt, the youth hunters and their mentors will be grouped into teams of two youths and two mentors with a hunter's safety instructor and a dog handler. The hunt will start at 11 a.m. with complimentary coffee, juice and rolls. The hunt will end at 4 p.m. with a lunch served to all participants.
The Youth Pheasant Hunt embodies the philosophy of the Hunter's Rendezvous, which encourages youths to become responsible hunters by working with a mentor or experienced older hunter.
Along with the Pheasants Forever booth, the Hunter's Rendezvous will feature information displays by several wildlife conservation organizations, such as Ducks Unlimited and the Rocky Mountain Elk Foundation. There will also be displays of locally harvested deer and turkey.
The Hunter's Rendezvous is a fund-raising event to benefit the Youth Education Fund of the Dowagiac Conservation Club.
While there is no admission charged, deer camp chili and hot dogs will be available for a $4 donation.
For further information about the Youth Pheasant Hunt or the Hunter's Rendezvous, contact Richard Atkinson at (269)424-5186 or Butch Dohm at (269)683-0499.