New program helps preserve hunting legacy
The 2015 Montana Legislature passed a bill creating the Apprentice Hunter Program, under which youth between the ages of 10 and 17 are allowed to hunt before they’ve completed hunters education. Under the new program, an estimated 3,600 youth hunters took to the forests and fields of Montana in search of white-tailed deer, the only big game allowed by the program.
Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks game warden Tamie Laverdure said the program was a resounding success, from her perspective.
“All in all, I just want to say that I was really pleased with the outcome of the apprenticeship program in its first year,” she said. “It was great to see responsible mentors teaching these kids the right way to do things.”
In order to qualify for the Apprentice Hunter Program, youth hunters must be between the ages of 10 and 17 at the time they purchase their license, they must also complete an Apprentice Hunter Certification and have a certified mentor with them at all times while hunting.
The mentor must be at least 21 years of age or older and be related to the apprentice by blood, marriage or legal guardianship, or be designated by the apprentice’s legal guardian. The mentor, if under the age of 30, must also have successfully completed hunter education and agree to accompany the apprentice at all times while in the field.
Laverdure said during this year’s hunting season, which ended Nov. 29, she recorded no hunting violations among the youth participating in the apprenticeship program in the Libby area.
John Roark and his son Thomas were participants in the apprentice program this year. In addition to white-tailed deer, Thomas also bagged some grouse and a wild turkey during the season.
Roark said he’s been taking his son out to the range to shoot for several years now, and this program provided the opportunity for him to get into the field and start hunting, something the younger Roark has always wanted to do.
“It was difficult to get a 10-year-old on a buck,” the elder Roark said. “I had to teach him how to walk softly, remain quiet long enough to get a good buck and keep him warm while out in the woods. But it was worth it.”
Teaching his son how to hunt was a legacy Roark wanted to continue, to pass down the lessons of safety and responsibility he learned at the feet of his own father years ago.
“It’s important to know how to be safe with a weapon, how to be responsible,” he said. “Like my dad taught me when I was a kid.”
The youngster, using a Savage .223 with a bipod for stability, learned his father’s lessons, exercised patience and brought home a nice 4 x 4 white-tail.
Roark said for him it is about more than hunting. He looks at the program as an opportunity to instill into his son the same love of the outdoors his father taught him, as well as the same sense of responsibility.
“It’s a chance to teach my son about the outdoors,” he said. “I taught him about safety and preparation, about what to pack in the backpack. We talked about how to be prepared to find shelter and everything he needs to be safe not just while hunting, but any time he’s in the woods.”