PULASKI  Area Learn to Hunt Program  

                                                          ----“Leadership that is Community Based”

 

Why We started the Pulaski Area Learn to Hunt Program

 

We are looking for some help in a unique program operated for many years in Pulaski and surrounding areas.  This program is our 23rd Pulaski Area Learn to Hunt Spring Turkey Hunt Program.  Over  the years, we have dedicated a tremendous amount of time to help our kids here in the community. Our goal is to get them involved with the outdoors by sharing our heritage and passion for hunting.  Statistics are very bleak, and long-term trends reveal that our children are giving up on hunting, filling their free time with a “video game craze” and using other electronic devices have greatly reduced outdoor activities.  The loss of the two-parent household has, in some cases, removed a mentor from some families.  As outdoor lovers ourselves, abundantly blessed by the local habitat and our own experiences, we decided to try and make a difference in the lives of young people.  A mentor program seemed the perfect way to share our passion and teach safe hunting skills to young people.  It also give us an opportunity to welcome them to the camaraderie and friendships of the sport that will last them a lifetime.  

 

Donations

 

As local residents of the Pulaski area, we have dedicated a tremendous amount of time to helping our young men and women get involved in the outdoors.  Our local NWTF chapter, The Pulaski Turkey Chasers have been a supporter of the program from very early on and continues to be a vital to its success via donations and volunteer mentors.  We are 100% non-profit and all donations directed to Learn to Hunt are used for Learn to Hunt equipment and supplies.  Every child receives a gift bag with a turkey call, gloves, a flashlight, face mask, and/or whatever other goodies we can manage to procure for them.  We maintain a loan closet of equipment and warm hunting clothes for those kids that don't have hats, boots, mittens, or a warm jacket to wear.  This needs to be replenished often, as some of these kids really NEED these things for everyday use and not just for the hunt.   Every child is warm and dry for the hunt!  Donations are put to good use.

 

Landowners

 

The Pulaski Area Learn to Hunt program depends on local landowners for land use.  Without their generosity this hunt would not take place.  Many of the kids in the program live in town and have no access to rural property to hunt.  Our mentors strive to teach participants respect for the game they seek, the land and the landowners.  Our hunters love to share their stories and pictures with landowners at the landowner/mentor appreciation luncheon.  Some landowners are only able to open their land up for one or two days of the hunt, this is wonderful.  We understand if you or your family hunt the property yourself.  Other property owners request that only one or two birds be taken for a certain spot.  We are happy to work with any requests landowners may have.  It is your property!  To be granted access for the program is an honor.

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About the Learn to Hunt program

The program involves the LTH children taking a mandatory class and range day to learn safe gun use, safe hunting techniques, as well as the methods and technology of turkey hunting. This include an opportunity to target practice with a LTH provided shotgun on the range with trained Hunter's Education Instructors.  After this class and range day with trained Hunter’s Ed instructors and DNR Professionals, and dozens of volunteers, the novice hunters can legally hunt turkeys the first week of April, with their assigned experienced mentor.  

LTH mentors will be within arms reach of their new hunters.  The novice hunters are the only ones allowed to shoot at a turkey, but the mentor is instructed to carry the one loaded firearm at all times for safety purposes,  Only when they are safely in their turkey blind, will the new hunter be handed the gun. This prevents any gun safety concerns, and also keeps everyone safe... especially when turkeys may be gobbling in the distance.

 

Liability

 

The kids, parents and mentors must sign a "hold harmless agreement" against all parties involved--including the landowner. In doing this, all parties involved realize that there are inherent risks involved with hunting on properties, and thus cannot find landowners liable in case of an accident.  Wisconsin Law also give full protection to landowners that allow people onto their property for such activities.  

 

Hunt Rules

 

All parties also understand that this is a "special hunt" and this program does this give them any implied consent for any other hunting times, now or in the future.  We have instructed our mentors, parents and children to not "hound" landowner in the future for more hunting privileges.  Doing so could jeopardize future participation in the program. We will also carefully monitor hunting pressure, as to not overharvest any flock or local population. There will never be more than one child hunting on each land at a time.  Our goal is usually to not have to harvest more than one Tom turkey per property during the season---unless a landowner mentions to us that those pesky turkeys are getting annoying!

 

How you can help-as a landowner

 

If you would like to at all help with this program by donating the use of your land for any for the dates listed, please call, Wylie Dantoin, Pat Kryzanek or Terry Erdmann, as soon as possible. You may also work with a mentor that has contacted you in person.  Your help in this program is vital for the success of the program and for the tradition of hunting to continue strong in Wisconsin.  If you would like to join us as a mentor, or have young family members who fit the criteria for this program feel free to contact any  of the coordinators listed below.  We promise all will have a hunt to remember!

Thank you so much for taking the time learn a little more about our program. To show our appreciation, we would like to invite you to our Landowner/Mentor Appreciation dinner at the Pulaski High School Commons  on Monday April 6th from 5:30 PM until 7:00 PM!  Please come and enjoy the stories from the kids and see for yourself the excitement you have supplied to the youngster!  

 

Please call:

 

Wylie Dantoin at 920-609-8626 or email at  wdantoin@netnet.net

                          or

Pat Kryzanek at  920-655-0090 or email at pkryzanek@gmail.com

 

We look forward to hearing from you.   Please let us know if you will be able to join us for the appreciation luncheon.  We invite you to visit our Facebook page titled "Learn to Hunt" to see some of last years excitement!  Thank you so much for considering the Pulaski Area Learn to Hunt Program participation.

 

How can I help- as a new mentor

 

New mentors join the program at all levels of experience.  Because of this we use a mentor trainee program.  The program is not necessarily meant to teach calling or hunting techniques, but to learn the in’s and out’s of the program.  It can, however, be utilized by novice turkey hunters interested in becoming LTH mentors.  The LTH board of directors will decide when novice hunters move on to mentor independently with a child.  Experienced hunters will join a current mentor in preparing for the hunt, setting up blinds, and mentoring a child.  In the past more experienced hunters have welcomed the chance to share techniques and tricks with other skilled outdoorsman.  This mentor training program helps new members to more easily integrate into the team concept of the LTH program.  The length of the mentor/trainee relationship will vary, both parties must feel comfortable with the trainee taking a child out independently.  A board member must give verbal approval to end training status.        New mentors are no longer able to mentor their own children.  They are still welcome to join as a trainee and co-mentor their child.  Current mentor are still able to take their own child on the hunt.  If interested in becoming a new mentor please contact Pat Kryszanek, Jack Schwartz or Joe Henn for more information.

 

Pat Kryszanek at at  920-655-0090 or email at pkryzanek@gmail.com

Jack Schwartz at 920-619-8862 or email at sch@netnet.net

Joe Henn at 920-615-3546 or email at carebear7@tds.net