Took my son Robert to my club to shoot 3D for the first time this past weekend. He had a great time and can't wait until this upcoming weekend for another round. He turned 13 on February 24th and will be taking part in the Youth Conservation Program to get his hunter safety course certificates in these next two months. The DEC and my club offer a youth conservation program that includes the safety certificates and some very important conservation awareness along with sportsman education. Anyone in the New York, Long Island area that has a kid or kids that are between the ages of 13 and 16 and have never taken the safety courses can still apply. There is no out of pocket expense. The first course, Bow, was scheduled for the weekend of the 16th and 17th of this month and has been consolidated to one day, the 16th because of the low number of applicants. The gun course is scheduled for the 20th and 21st of April. There is an application that must be filled out.You can contact the DEC for further details but you must hurry!
From what I hear there are some great activities included in the course. It is a great opportunity to get the kids out and started as junior sportsman. I am sorry for the short notice for the bow course but you can still get in if you hurry. Hope someone finds this info useful.

Anthony,
That's great. Nice of you to post this. It really is a great service for young people.
My club, the Matinecock Rod and Gun Club has hosted these courses in the past,
for young people and adults. We also had a Woman's Gun Safety and Shooting
Clinic run by the NRA that my Wife attended and really enjoyed. She came home with
some impressive targets for a first time shooter.
I think I better behave myself ... (Fat Chance).

Thanks Tone, I was in hopes somebody might have young ones to take advantage of this. I forgot to mention that it is the Peconic River Sportsman Club in Manorville NY. The OIC of this program for the club said this was the smallest enrollment he has ever seen. We need to get the young ones out from in front of the television and outside for some real fun!

Behave!!! She never had it so good! Just like my bride of 26 years!!

The real topic of youth involvement is critical for the next generation of US. We need to keep them involved to continue at least some stable enviornment for the future!

These programs are great!

My oldest daughter got her hunting license to honor her Grampa was an avid hunter all his life long. Not to easy here to get that license but she successes and I'm very proud of.
After that, time to kill her first hog came so we organized everything in no so large area where usually we go to train dogs.
4 hogs were released; 2 small, 1 medium & one large.
Olivia only got the gun...plus myself just for security reason.
3 shoots...3 dead..! She surprised all friends there to look at her...really!
But not much impressive...yet. When she put down the biggest one...crowd ask her to castrate that big male: she took her first Randall #26...Dad's gift...and did the job...
Her Grampa passed away already but, for sure, he look at his granddaughter...proudly !!!

Here the story with a nice and very symbolic matter among friends and my father-in-law' soul among us.
I forgot about the medium size fourth hog: that was my job!...the real cherry on the cake.


Here down...Olivia with her uncle Vincenzo: The Dogs Master !

Hey Anth,
Has anyone tried reaching out to local Boy Scout Troops? That's what we did
and we got a good response.
BTW, great club out there! My skeet instructor, Mike Cerce is a member,
along with some others I know.

Right you are, Steve!!!

Guido,
Bravo for your Daughter!!!!
What a great story. You are right ... I'm sure Grandpa was looking down, proudly!
Tony

As it was her first time killing a(3) hog...last symbolic matter was to "cross signed" her nice face with her first hog'...BLOOD.

Now this is what I'm talkin about!!! The Generations to come!~ Good work and great story and pictures!!
Thanks for sharing!

That's the best there is in my opinion; taking your daughter or son on their first hunting trip and having success. Also, more importantly, that they enjoyed it. Great pictures, and great memories.

Pap