Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Upland Birds => Topic started by: ljsommer on November 04, 2024, 09:33:27 PM

Title: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: ljsommer on November 04, 2024, 09:33:27 PM: My wife and I attended https://www.register-ed.com/events/view/219947 last Saturday and had an amazing time.

I have been hunting for coming up on 8 years, and have struggled quite a bit. I have one deer (2019) and one turkey (2022). My wife started hunting around 2020 and had yet to secure any measurable success. When we saw this opportunity for a mentored pheasant hunt, we leapt on it immediately! We were both very excited for the day to come, and loaded up all our gear.

Unfortunately, when we arrived, my wife was observant enough to notice that I had left on our turkey chokes which did not allow steel shot (which we were using, as the site requires non-toxic shot) and if we put a shell through it then it may rip the choke out of the barrel. I had no other chokes with me. Moments after this realization, one of the mentors came over and introduced himself and offered that we use his shotgun, as well as one of the other available shotguns.

We spent the day hunting with and talking with our mentors, as well as the other hunters. Every single person there, without exception, was kind and friendly and knowledgeable. Lunch was provided for free by the event organizers, and I was repeatedly impressed by how gracious folks were with not only their time but their resources. We flushed many pheasants and missed many shots, but at the end of the day I had shot a beautiful rooster and my wife had shot a beautiful hen - her first ever hunting success! We were both ecstatic and so incredibly grateful for that opportunity.

I have already thanked (repeatedly) the folks who arranged the event, but I wanted to extend a thank you to anyone here on these forums that have ever mentored a new hunter, or in my case, a hunter that is not new at all but has just really struggled to figure things out. Your time and effort mean more to that person than you may realize!

We have upcoming hunts in November for turkey and deer and this event really energized us to think that "yeah this is possible!".
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: full choke on November 04, 2024, 09:53:16 PM: Great post! :tup:
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: Bob33 on November 05, 2024, 06:35:33 AM: Those are great photos and a nice story as well. Congratulations.
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: ASHQUACK on November 05, 2024, 07:48:44 AM: Those mentored hunts are a blast. I am a fhf mentor in my area and was going to volunteer for that hunt however things just didn't align as my mom broke her hip and had replacement surgery. As well I'm currently training a new bird dog and she's just not ready. Every mentor I have met is, above everything else trying to get more folks involved in the outdoors. I believe it's one of the very few things WDFW is doing correctly. The mentors are passionate about safety, and making sure the participants learn and have fun at the same time. It's a great experience.
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: mboyle0828 on November 05, 2024, 10:08:02 AM: This is really awesome!
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: 7mmfan on November 05, 2024, 10:24:18 AM: :tup: Look slike it was a great time. Nice birds!
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: Slamdunkem on November 10, 2024, 11:15:24 AM: Boykin? One of those has me! Best dog I've ever had. We found each other through Boykin Spaniel Rescue. Got him when he was 3 from a guy who could no longer hunt, living in Midland, Texas. He was bred in Alabama and hunt trained.

Have only met one other in the 3 years We've had him in WA. Good for you getting out and enjoying new hunting experience.
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: Tafinder on November 18, 2024, 05:47:27 AM: Congratulations on your mentorship bird experience! I really like these kind of programs and would encourage more of us experienced bird hunters to join together to help beginners learn about hunting birds! I’ve tried several times to help Sadly they were no shows!!!!
Title: Re: Amazing experience at mentored pheasant hunt
Post by: EnglishSetter on November 19, 2024, 02:42:28 PM: Careful now. It’s known to be addictive. Should have a warning label or sumpin. ;)