philosophical “ debates ” earlier , this man is the reason I used quotes . Our “ debates ” routinely involve chippy , smartass responses to each other ’ s zingers and counterpoints over social media , direct messages , texts at all hours and in person ( usually involving a few beers ).
Somewhere in the twisted , extremely liberal logic of this Rasputin-looking dwarf , firearms took hold . But not like you ’ d expect . He ’ s a bona fide gun nut who builds his own , reloads and is always tinkering or looking for another addition to his safe . I don ’ t know if the discussion we had about my Sportsmen ’ s Alliance Huntervationist t-shirt a few years ago initiated the hunting itch or if it festered elsewhere within his black soul , but last season he scratched it . He took hunter education , asked questions and just … went . With other friends , with me and on his own .
I helped him where I could , answered questions and took him out chasing pheasants . The first time we went to a preserve where he was in awe ( as he often is in my presence ) at my dog ’ s work . Next , he learned the difference between pen-raised and wild birds as we trudged over hill and dale in Washington ’ s scablands in search of few-and-far-between roosters . Once we went after a heavy snow when it was minus 5 degrees , and another time we brought his son , Carmine , along . We scratched out a few hard-earned birds .
Carmine found success on public land in 2022 .
I don ’ t know if this counts as mentorship , but at our alumni camping trip last year he told me I was his mentor in this journey , a sensei matched in reverence only by the sensei teaching him jiu-jitsu . That ’ s good enough for me , and something I can hold over him for life ( not that it ’ s difficult , he ’ s short ). Hunting , like the fraternity experience , has a way of bringing even those separated by distance in political views together . The point , of course , is that there are people all around you to help get started , and sometimes the ones you ’ d least expect are the ones most likely to jump at the chance .
HELPING THE STATE Putting aside my disdain for Washington state , or more precisely Gov . Inslee ( see page 20 ) and five of the nine game commissioners , I volunteered to help the Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife with a mentored pheasant hunt . To be honest , this wasn ’ t purely altruistic ; I was just as interested in getting my Lab into birds and working sit-to-flush under controlled circumstances .
But I answered the email , made the commitment and drove the hour-twenty to St . Johns in snowy , icy conditions . Tucker came with the understanding he didn ’ t get to hunt , just volunteer time and help others . As it would turn out , the weather kept several mentees from making the hunt , so he was allowed to participate .
The morning hunt consisted of another member of Inland Northwest Wildlife Council and me running our dogs while his grandson , Tucker and Joe , an adult-onset hunter , worked the snowy scablands for pheasants we planted . It was all very measured and controlled with safety at the forefront , teaching muzzle control , how to stay in line as they worked uneven ground , coulees and high cover , as well as positioning and shot order pre-flush .
In the afternoon , we grabbed a few more pheasants and worked with a pro trainer and her champion pointing Lab . Tucker and a different adult-onset hunter , Brian , repeated the exercise .
All this is to say : every state has opportunities to help . You don ’ t have to make a long-term commitment . A weekend can help inspire or reaffirm a newcomer ’ s resolve to keep going when the steep learning curve seems impossible to climb .
BRIAN LYNN ( 2 )
Mike ( right ) and Carmine had their first wild-bird hunt last season .
COURTNEY NICOLSON , DIRECTOR OF COMMUNICATIONS My hunting journey started later in life as an adult-onset hunter . At 22 years old I had the itch to try hunting , and if it wasn ’ t for a connection to a fellow female my age who would become my mentor , I ’ m not sure I ever would have started . Something special happens when women mentor other women , and it has been woven through the story of my life as a sportswoman .
Since 2017 I have mentored an annual youth girl ’ s pronghorn hunt in Wyoming . Each year , we bring four young women together for a scholarship-based hunt . They come from all over the country , from cities and rural towns , first-time hunters and experienced , most of them seeing the American
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