Sauk youth take part in outdoor education day

As the air turns crisp and many area adults turn their attention to hunting, so to do the youth who wish to learn to hunt.

And 16 of those Sauk County youngsters got an opportunity to do just that on Nov. 1 as part of the 13th Annual Youth Outdoor Education Day at the Merrimac Conservation Club and Riverland Conservancy's Merrimac Preserve, according to a press release by preserve manager Deborah Frosch.

They spent the morning at the club taking part in various activities, including an instruction in how to track a blood trail by conservancy volunteer Ron Schnell; a lesson in wilderness survival skills by Tom Schlough of the Reedsburg Outdoorsmen's Club; a lesson in trapping skills by Tom Roessler of the Wisconsin Trapper's Association and a trap shoot led by Jack Taylor of the Spring Green Rod and Gun Club.

In the afternoon, the youth got an opportunity to put their skills to use by  hunting for pheasants, which were donated by the Department of Natural Resources. The afternoon activities were led by the Sauk County chapter of Pheasants Forever.   

Ben Benson and his sons, Kevin and Randy, as well as Clarey Busse, Gene Hein, Jason and Sally Caudillo, John Young and Jack Taylor helped the youth hunt the pheasants, while also helping them handle the dogs used in the hunt.

"This is a great opportunity to get kids into the outdoors and to learn some lifetime skills," Frosch said in the press release. "The kids always have such a good time. It's fun to watch."

- Dan Larson