article i wrote
Posted: Wed Feb 26, 2003 11:51 pm
Youth Beagle Camp
By
Mark "Goes" Betts
Youth Beagle Camp is a group of individuals and hunting clubs throughout the United States that want to make a commitment to our American Youths by way of Beagling. The camps that have been putting on youth trials are a great start, but to be honest, these kids are already into Beagling and small game hunting. Whether it may be through a parent or a neighbor that is already involved in the sport. I commend these clubs and hope to see more and more of them in the future.
However, we have seemed to skip a group to be involved in our sport, the boys and girls who would love to be part of this, but in one way or another, they never have been given the chance or opportunity. I will come back to the Youth Trial Meets further in the story.
As for Youth Beagle Camp. This is a camp for boys and girls from around the United States that are under the age of 18. To begin, the Club host donates a Registered Beagle Pup to each of the Kids to keep as their own. Over a 12-week program, that meets twice a week, the campers are taught Hunter’s Safety, Beagle Health and Proper Diet, and Scent training. Each meeting is devoted to a specific form of training that the campers work on with their pups until the next meeting.
For two of the 24 total meetings, are spent with Gun Safety and Clay Target Shooting by either "throwing" or "shooting" the targets across the ground to mock a rabbit in it’s decent to evade and escape. By far and away, this is the most fun for the kids until their own pups start to run the real thing.
Other events held during the meetings are special guests. Individual such as Veterinarians, Department of Conservation Officers’, Field Trialers, Agility Beagle Owners, and one of my favorites, the Retired Beagle Drug Dog. This is a portion that continues all of our efforts to keep kids away from drugs and keep ‘em in the woods.
Once basic backyard training is accomplished, the campers learn techniques to enhance their pups’ scent tracking ability and up to being able to jump and run their own rabbit.
On the last meeting, clubs can take the kids out to an old-fashioned Pack Hunt. This is a way for the kids to actually "feel the rush" of the old "arooooooooooooo" coming their way.
Now, if the club were to hold a Youth Field Trial after the Youth Beagle Camp, the interest would blossom, new junior members will want to be a part of it and the participants will be more than just the same kids already involved in the sport.
What we have just accomplished is to educate a new generation, that otherwise would not have had the opportunity, in addition to added club membership, more field trial applicants and a life long past time, that together we have helped to create. But, to me, the biggest point to this is, let’s take the idea that there will be 10 kids at each camp and the present number of 25 camps held by clubs, that’s 250 new voices every year to keep our sport alive and unaltered.
There is a saying by Vista Kelly that fits our program perfect. Snowflakes are one of natures most fragile things, but look what happens when they stick together.
By
Mark "Goes" Betts
Youth Beagle Camp is a group of individuals and hunting clubs throughout the United States that want to make a commitment to our American Youths by way of Beagling. The camps that have been putting on youth trials are a great start, but to be honest, these kids are already into Beagling and small game hunting. Whether it may be through a parent or a neighbor that is already involved in the sport. I commend these clubs and hope to see more and more of them in the future.
However, we have seemed to skip a group to be involved in our sport, the boys and girls who would love to be part of this, but in one way or another, they never have been given the chance or opportunity. I will come back to the Youth Trial Meets further in the story.
As for Youth Beagle Camp. This is a camp for boys and girls from around the United States that are under the age of 18. To begin, the Club host donates a Registered Beagle Pup to each of the Kids to keep as their own. Over a 12-week program, that meets twice a week, the campers are taught Hunter’s Safety, Beagle Health and Proper Diet, and Scent training. Each meeting is devoted to a specific form of training that the campers work on with their pups until the next meeting.
For two of the 24 total meetings, are spent with Gun Safety and Clay Target Shooting by either "throwing" or "shooting" the targets across the ground to mock a rabbit in it’s decent to evade and escape. By far and away, this is the most fun for the kids until their own pups start to run the real thing.
Other events held during the meetings are special guests. Individual such as Veterinarians, Department of Conservation Officers’, Field Trialers, Agility Beagle Owners, and one of my favorites, the Retired Beagle Drug Dog. This is a portion that continues all of our efforts to keep kids away from drugs and keep ‘em in the woods.
Once basic backyard training is accomplished, the campers learn techniques to enhance their pups’ scent tracking ability and up to being able to jump and run their own rabbit.
On the last meeting, clubs can take the kids out to an old-fashioned Pack Hunt. This is a way for the kids to actually "feel the rush" of the old "arooooooooooooo" coming their way.
Now, if the club were to hold a Youth Field Trial after the Youth Beagle Camp, the interest would blossom, new junior members will want to be a part of it and the participants will be more than just the same kids already involved in the sport.
What we have just accomplished is to educate a new generation, that otherwise would not have had the opportunity, in addition to added club membership, more field trial applicants and a life long past time, that together we have helped to create. But, to me, the biggest point to this is, let’s take the idea that there will be 10 kids at each camp and the present number of 25 camps held by clubs, that’s 250 new voices every year to keep our sport alive and unaltered.
There is a saying by Vista Kelly that fits our program perfect. Snowflakes are one of natures most fragile things, but look what happens when they stick together.