38 NEBRASKALAND • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 39

part of the ranch.“Shoot one,” Charlie whispered to

his son.“I don’t want to take my second one

today. I want to go hunting tomorrow,”pleaded Drew.

“But if you shoot your second one,we can go home tomorrow,” his dadjoked.

No chance, Drew said. Just threehours into his first deer hunt, he knewhe wanted more. But it wasn’t just morehunting Drew was looking forward to –it was spending time in deer camp withsix friends who had also made the trekwest from Lincoln for this special mentored youth hunt, and four who had

much shorter trips from Gordon andChadron. Drew had been hearing storiesabout deer camp since he and his friendswere first invited on the hunt, and hedidn’t want to miss any of it.�

This wasn’t your average, every daydeer camp, however. These younghunters, all recent Hunter Educationgraduates, were guests of Kent Forney, aNebraska Game and Parks Commissionboard member from Lincoln, and hisfamily, who organized the hunt withConservation Officer Heath Packett andOutdoor Education Specialist AaronHershberger.

The Forney family had more deer

than they wanted – too many mule deeron their ranch south of Gordon and toomany whitetails on land they owned inthe Pine Ridge north of Rushville. “Ithought, ‘Well, what better way to [trimthe herd] than to get some kidsinvolved?’” said Forney.

So they rolled out the red carpet forthe boys and put a simple game plan inplay. “Make sure they’re full, warm andbusy, and if they get to shoot a deer,that’s wonderful,” Forney said. “Andthen if they learn to like it, you’ll havethem hooked on hunting.”

These boys didn’t have time to getbored, which Forney said is a “big no-no” for this type of hunt. The Lincoln

Until January, Drew Hedstromhad never shot a deer. He’dnever even hunted deer. Yetnot quite a minute after heharvested his first deer, he

knew he liked hunting enough that hepassed on a chance to take his second.

Drew and his father, Charley, hadbeen sitting in a ground blind next to ahalf-circle of center-pivot irrigated corntucked into a valley on the Forney Ranchin the western Sandhills since earlyafternoon. Two hours after their huntbegan, deer began to filter out of a cedargrove on the hillside just above the pivotand into the corn, albeit out of range.

“There’s a family,” said Drew. It wasthe first of many observations the 12-year-old shared with his dad, also afirst-time hunter, who mostly sat back

and watched.“There’s two of them looking right at

us,” Drew said a bit later. “Oh, there’s anice buck.

Later yet, “Oh, I could shoot thatone. Should I get my gun ready?”

Be patient and wait for one to getcloser, Charlie told Drew.

So he did. More deer walked out ofthe cedars and the hunters watched astwo does raised up on their hind legsand batted at each other with their front.“Oh, they’re fighting,” said Drew.

As father and son looked on, severalof the herd leapt atop the string ofround alfalfa bales laid end to end onthe edge of the field. “I could shoot oneoff the top of the hay bale,” joked Drew.

Eventually the deer began to worktheir way into the corn stubble and

closer to Drew. “What do you think?”he asked. With Dad’s “If you’re comfortable” blessing and a doe turnedbroadside at about 150 yards, a singleshot from Drew’s borrowed rifle,resting on donated shooting sticks,dropped her in her tracks. Instantly,three of the deer she was with beganrunning directly toward the blind.When they stopped 30 yards or so infront of it, Drew had a decision tomake. He had purchased two $6 youthdeer permits, which during this latefirearm season allowed him to harvesttwo mule-deer does and two white-tailed does. Harvesting his secondmulie doe would end his hunt on this

Charley and Drew Hedstrom of Lincoln were all smiles after Drew harvested his first deer.

Hookedon Hunting

A Mentored Hunt at the Forney RanchText and photos by Eric Fowler

CoDee Johns of Gordon takes aim at a deer under the watch of Heath Packett, aCommission conservation officer and one of the hunt organizers.

were out the window. Forney had beendown that road before and didn’t wantany of the boys to miss out on one ofthe most important aspects of the hunt.

Nor did the boys get cold. During theday, they stuffed their gloves and bootswith chemical hand- and toe-warmersbefore they climbed in pop-up blindsdeployed across the ranch for the hunt.A cash donation by Dan and PattyKreitman of Wahoo bought the boysblaze orange stocking caps to keeptheir ears warm, as well as shootingsticks, gloves and other gear and afanny pack to carry it in. TheKreitman’s also threw in a laserrangefinder that Drew Hedstrom wonin a drawing, and Cabela’s donated hatsfor the hunt’s participants as well.

At night, the crew made their beds inthe Forney house, in campers broughtin for the hunters, or in the RunningWater Outfitters lodge, provided bySeth Tausan of Gordon, who also volunteered as a mentor for the hunters.Getting all of them herded into the latterwasn’t always easy. “I don’t think I cango to sleep,” James Young of Lincoln

said that first night, still excited aftergetting his first deer.

That excitement was the rule for theweekend, both among the rookies andthe four young hunters who had someexperience. No one had to ask the boysif they got a deer when they got back to camp.

“The kids came running up to thehouse telling people they got a deer. Itreminded me of when I got my firstdeer,” said Tom Bowen of Lincoln, alongtime friend of Forney’s who hadrecruited members of his son’s youthbasketball team, which he also coached,to go on the hunt when Forney pitchedhis idea.

Most of the boys were joined by theirfathers. “I’m really impressed,” saidTroy Drahota, who like his son, Taylor,hadn’t hunted deer, but was there whenTaylor harvested his first. “He’s prettystoked. To see the looks on their faceswhen they get their first deer ... it getstheir adrenalin pumping.”

With plenty of mule deer coming tofeed on Forneys’ pivots in the eveningand not moving far from them during

the day, conditions were ripe for success,whether the boys were hunting from aground blind or taking the spot-and-stalkapproach. But many of the boys werestill able to learn why it’s called hunting.

CoDee Johns of Gordon learned thatwhile mule deer aren’t as apt to runaway at full speed as whitetails, youstill need to move quickly or miss yourchance. But you have to make a goodshot, too. When CoDee didn’t, he gotan hour-long tracking lesson fromPackett that ended in relief and a bigsmile. “If I would’ve had more time, Ithink I could’ve hit her in a better spot,”he said after finding his trophy. “I waskind of mad.”

“It happens to everybody,” Packetttold him.

CoDee made good on his secondopportunity minutes after his afternoonhunt began, with a clean 150-yard shoton another mulie doe. “That was fun,”he said, grinning ear to ear.

Matthew Henning also missed hisfirst shot at a deer. “I was almost certainI had her,” the 11-year-old said aftermissing a mulie doe with his father,

40 NEBRASKALAND • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 41

contingent split their trip into two legs,deadheading in a motel Thursday nightbefore driving the rest of the wayFriday and heading to the field soonafter they arrived. The western contingent arrived in time for dinnerFriday, the first evening of activitiesthat included outdoor trivia ands’mores around a campfire. Everyoneheaded to the field Saturday morning.Back at camp for some midday downtime, they were treated to rides behinda team of sled dogs ran by Forney’snephew, Austin.

If any of the boys got hungry, it wasonly because they were too busy tostop and grab something off a table fullof snacks the Forneys provided. TheForneys served venison for every meal– burgers, breakfast sausage, chili and,finally, backstrap steaks from one ofthe harvested deer. Only for the latterdid the boys know they were eatingdeer before they ate it. By then, anypreconceived notions about deer meat

Matt Henning and his father, Mark, of Lincoln, watch from a ground blind, hoping to spot mule deer moving from the hills to feed ina cornfield during an evening hunt.

Aaron Hershberger, outdoor education specialist with the Commission and an organizer of the hunt,leads the hunters and mentors through a nature trivia quiz after dinner.

Commissioner Kent Forney of Lincoln, his nephew, Austin, and mentor Wes Baxter ofLincoln cook a breakfast of scrambled eggs and deer sausage on an outdoor grill.

do so,” he said. “We’ve got kids, butthey aren’t this age. Our kids like to goout [and hunt] by themselves now.”

The boys were tired that second night,and after filling up on deer steak andhaving a bit more fun, it wasn’t nearlyas difficult to get them off to bed. Afterall, a long day of hunting deserves tobe followed by a good night’s sleep.

And dreams of the next hunt. “Iknow all of the boys want to go again,”said Bowen.

Which is the ultimate goal. ■

AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011 • NEBRASKALAND 43

Mark, beside him during his first huntever. “I could feel my heart pumping.”

Matthew’s heart got pumping againthe next morning when his shot rangtrue. And on the second evening, huntingin the Pine Ridge, he found satisfactionwithout even pulling the trigger afterwatching a herd of deer feed just out ofrange of their blind. “The fun part is thatyou get to see all of the natural beauty,”Matthew said.

“He’s been here all day and he’s stillnot cold,” said Glen Forney, Kent’s

brother and a guide for the Pine Ridgecontingent of hunters, nodding towardMatthew and noting the chilly Januarytemperatures. “I think he’s got a littleadrenalin going.”

By the time darkness set in Saturday,six of the hunters had harvested theirfirst deer and all ten boys had taken atleast one. The hunters were happy, andso were the mentors.

“It’s a great experience for kids,” saidTausan.

“I love it,” Packett said. “I could do it

every day.”“I think we had a really good hunt,”

said Glen Forney. “These kids are reallyexcited and had a good time.”

So did Kent Forney, who receivedplenty of help during the hunt from hisbrothers Dean and Bruce, sister Joann,and several of their spouses, whether itwas guiding hunters, chauffeuring themto and from blinds, or cooking anddoing the dishes.

“Our family doesn’t get together alot, so we always look for an excuse to

42 NEBRASKALAND • AUGUST-SEPTEMBER 2011

By Aaron HershbergerMentoring does not have to be on a grand scale. Traditionally it has been done on a

very small scale as older family members tutored younger ones in the art of the sport.Unfortunately, many families no longer have an experienced member to help the

youngsters learn to hunt, and it is up to other hunters to help keep our country’s richhunting traditions alive. If every hunter would take the time and effort to instill thethrill of the chase in just two new people, the positive impacts on conservation andthe sport would be tremendous.

Keep in mind that being a mentor is a bit different than being a guide because thegoals aren’t necessarily the same. Mentoring involves equipping new hunters withthe skills and knowledge needed to become successful as a hunter in their own right.True mentoring success goes beyond simply harvesting game and is based largelyon the relationship developed between the experienced hunter and the newbie.

You can start mentoring by simply inviting interested individuals you already knowto take part in your hunting adventures. If you’re interested in getting youth into thefield, be sure to invite a parent along so they see what all the excitement is about,too. If you keep the hunts fun, safe and provide a good model of sportsmanship,there is a good chance you will have found yourself a new hunting partner.

If you are looking to help at a larger event, contact a local wildlife conservationorganization such as Pheasants Forever, Ducks Unlimited or the National WildTurkey Federation to find out about mentoring opportunities they provide in your area.

For more ideas and tips on mentoring, check out www.HuntSafeNebraska.org andwww.outdoornebraska.org/youth.

Mentoring TipsProviding a fun, safe and comfortable experience for the new hunter is the key to

success when mentoring. Here are some thoughts on how to make that happen:•• Food – We all like to eat and snack while in the field. Bring extra. Quiet foods andwrappers are a bonus.•• Start Short – Few new hunters can spend the entire day in a tree stand or walkingthrough tall grass. Keep initial outings just long enough to keep their attention withsome chance for success. The younger the hunter, the shorter the trip.•• Species and Techniques – Choose game birds and animals that best suit thenew hunter. Most new hunters have trouble sitting still and like to ask questions. Usemethods such as blinds that allow them to do this, and build up to more challengingstrategies and game.•• Involve – Many of us consider the preparations we do prior to the hunt as work.Not so with many new hunters. Get them involved with the pre-hunt activities as itwill get them more prepared and build excitement for the actual trip.•• Target Practice – Burn some powder, fling some arrows and make it fun. Thisbuilds confidence and helps prepare newbies for the moment of truth.•• Monkey See… – Regardless of what you might think, you are being watched byyour new hunter. Your actions will carry a lot of sway – more so than what you say.•• The Harvest – Remember to keep safety in mind during this exciting happeningand celebrate the accomplishment, but don’t put too much emphasis on this beingthe true measure of success.•• Be a Paparazzi – Always take a camera and be sure to take a lot of pictureswhile in the field. Photos of the harvest are obviously a good thing, but avoid the“tailgate” syndrome. Don’t feel bad about staging photos either.•• Weather – Try your best to hunt conditions that favor an inexperienced hunter aswell as the intended game. If a new hunter isn’t comfortable, nobody is having fun.•• Gear Up – Don’t expect new hunters to have all the equipment or clothing that youhave accumulated through the years. Helping fill the gaps can be a good thing thatcan make the experience positive, but the new hunter must have some “buy-in” too.•• Keep it Legal – You know the rules and regulations, but your apprentice may not.Use this as an educational opportunity and help them find out what they need toknow and, just as importantly, where to find this information.•• Let’em Learn – Avoid the urge to use your skills to cover for their inexperience allthe time. Sometimes trial and error is the best teacher, as long as safety and ethicsare not in jeopardy.•• Encourage and Instruct – This is a learning process that needs to remain interesting and positive. Keep in mind that you didn’t become as good as you areafter just a couple of hunts.•• Hunter Education – Be sure your protégé gets enrolled into a Hunter EducationCourse, regardless of age. These courses help provide a solid foundation. Check foravailability at www.HuntSafeNebraska.org.

Hunters were treated to s'mores around the campfire the first night of the hunt.