The Pheasants Forever National office, The Theodore Roosevelt Conservation Partnership, and the Minority Outdoor Alliance all joined forces on a new outreach program to be piloted in 5 states. Colorado was one of the five and South Metro Pheasants Forever was asked to spearhead the project here.
On Sept. 17-18, 2022, nine members of various minority communities who were interested in learning to hunt and six minority members of the hunting community were hosted by Pheasants Forever volunteers at The Bluffs Hunt Club in Byers, Co. The event was the first 2 day learn to hunt event done by the PF chapter. Our guests were provided extensive training in gun safety, hunting techniques, and conservation on Saturday. There was the extensive practice in gun handling and clay shooting in the afternoon. They were able to spend the night at the Bluffs lodge and enjoyed the hospitality of the Bluffs’ owners and each other. New relationships were forged over some brews. Sunday, our newly trained hunters were hosted for an actual hunt at the nearby Valhalla Hunt Club near the town of Bennett.
PF volunteers provided pointing dogs, guides, and field safety officers for hunts over terrain that included wooded river bottoms and crop fields. Our new hunters were able to combine their recently acquired skills to live bird hunting and do so safely with the added excitement of harvesting the game.
Subsequently, some guests of this outreach participated in another hunt and even attended a PF monthly chapter meeting. Everyone is encouraged that this type of outreach achieves the goals of introducing new participants to the sport of hunting and to conservation.
