Members of the St. Louis/Carlton County chapter of Pheasants Forever introduced five young hunters to pheasant hunting on Oct. 25 at the Old Vermilion Trail Shooting Preserve north of Duluth. This was the chapter’s second mentored youth pheasant hunt, said chapter Vice President Matt Bremer.
Eight chapter members worked with five young hunters, helping them shoot trap and sporting clays in the morning before moving into the field to hunt pheasants in the afternoon. The young hunters, hunting behind dogs, were able to connect on 12 pheasants, Bremer said.
He was walking with Katelyn Goman, 12, of Duluth while she hunted.
“She shot one and turned to me, and her face couldn’t have been more lit up,” Bremer said. “She said, ‘I got it! I got it!’ ”
The experience was excellent, said her dad, Mike Goman.
“I thought it was a fantastic day,” Goman said. “The guys that were there were super-good to her as far as positive reinforcement and teaching her the essentials. Katelyn was a little apprehensive when she first started shooting, but her skills started to improve. It was a real confidence booster. Halfway through the hunt, she said she’d love to do it again next year. I think she’s got the bug.”
Duluth’s Dawn Mahon, mother of 10-year-old Jaydon Soderlund and 12-year-old Brandon Soderlund, said the boys were excited to be part of the event and get an opportunity to shoot some birds.
“Now Jaydon wants to go shopping for a new gun,” Mahon said. “We have to figure out a way to go pheasant hunting again. He took one of the pheasants to his grandparents, and his grandma cooked it for lunch on Sunday.”
For more information on the St. Louis/Carlton County chapter of Pheasants Forever, visit stlouiscarltoncountypf.org.
Help set Northeastern Minnesota deer population goals
The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources still is looking for residents who wish to be part of a Deer Advisory Team, which will help determine deer population goals in Northeastern Minnesota permit areas next year. The deadline to apply is Nov. 17. For more information, go to dnr.state.mn.us/mammals/deer/advisory.html.
