A Great Start on Forever: November 2007

People Making a Difference in Conservation

A Great Start on Forever: November 2007

Thanks From The Next Generation

John Hesslink of Grand Junction, Colorado, passed along this thank you note that his nephew Wesley Aragon wrote to thank the Ark 2000 Chapter of PF in Lakin, Kansas following the chapter's youth hunt.

Dear Folks at Pheasants Forever,

My name is Wesley Aragon. I live on my family's ranch north of Ordway Colorado. I am 13-years-old and attend Crowley County Middle School. Last year, I took a Colorado Department of Wildlife Hunter Safety class so I could join my uncle John on a pheasant hunt with his brother, Mr. Ted Hesslink, in Lakin, Kansas.

I learned pheasants hide in the corners of the circles and boy were there lots of circles. Keeping up with the grown ups was really hard, and I didn't want to do anything wrong. But I met a new friend, Mr. Bradley Wright, who said I should come back this year for a special youth hunt just for kids like me. So that's just what I did. I was told to be at the Fairgrounds west of Lakin at about sun up where the day was to begin. There I found one girl and a bunch of boys and some very nice grownups. Mr. Rich Higgins and Mr. Josh Cox told us about pheasant hunting and gun safety. We all received free Pheasants Forever hunter orange hats. Then we were split up into three groups. I was in the group of the youngest and smallest kids. The big kids went with Mr. Higgins and Mr. Eric Wright. Mr. Cox took us north and west of town where a patch of heavy cover was left in a swale at the end of a winter wheat field. Mr. Cox talked to us about safety again then gave us free shotgun shells. The dogs were very excited and were eager to start the first hunt of the season.

A Great Start on Forever: November 2007 The only thing our group was short on was height. Sometimes the weeds were over our heads. But we found lots of birds. We missed more than we shot, but Mr. Cox told us it was normal and not to worry. We did better in the wheat stubble where the birds held up in the maize rows. And then it was time for lunch. Mr. Cox told us to kennel up (he meant that we should get in his truck.). We returned to the Fairgrounds where some nice ladies had cooked hamburgers and hotdogs. I wish I remembered their names so I could thank them properly.

After lunch we went back out to new ground that looked like pheasant heaven. The hamburgers must have made a difference. We all shot better and we had lots of fun. There will be pheasants forever as long as there are good men like Mr. Josh Cox, Mr. Rich Higgins, Mr. Eric Wright and Mr. John Day, who let us hunt on his land.

Thanks forever,
Wesley Aragon

If you have story ideas, dog photos, pre-1980 hunting photos and requests for future On The Wing consideration, please send correspondence to ahauck@pheasantsforever.org.

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