A group of 12 to 15-year-old hunters is taking to the woods this weekend as part of a program run by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. A-Jay Winter is coordinating the event that takes the kids on a hunt for deer in the Springbrook State Park. He says they just completed their hunter education course and he says they want to give them an experience they might not normally have. Winter says the young hunters will get some specific instructions. He says the hunter education course covers the basics, and they cover a day of deer-hunting knowledge, and then take them on a hunt. Winter says they hope to get the kids hooked on hunting. He says the idea is to get them another opportunity to be outdoors. He says it also addresses the problems of the increasing deer herd, and the need for kids to get out and get some exercise. Winter says the kids have a lot of options if they do bag a buck. He says they’ll have an adult mentor with them and if they get a deer, they can have it processed and take it home. Or they can donate it to the HUSH program. The HUSH program provides venison for food banks. There’s a website with more on the event at www.iowadnr.
