A group of novice hunters will meet this weekend. Weele Nature Centera beautiful public property supported by the Alabama Forever Wild Land Trust and managed by the Alabama Department of Conservation and Natural Resources' (ADCNR) Division of State Lands.
This weekend in Bullock County includes a three-day “Learn to Hunt Experience” designed to promote quail hunting and teach participants about the important role hunting plays in conservation.
This event is promoted through a partnership between Quail Forever, The State Lands, ADCNR's Alabama Division of Wildlife and Freshwater Fisheries and Minority Outdoor Alliance (MOA). The 10 participants, who will arrive on Friday, January 26 and stay until Sunday, January 28, will learn all aspects of upland hunting, including bird ecology and the basics of hunting with dogs, before attending a live-action Participate in bird hunting.
“This initiative aims to provide a welcoming environment experience across the country that fosters a diverse and vibrant community of enthusiasts who share a love of upland birds, bird dogs, and habitat conservation.” said Darrell Smith, president of MOA and creator of the LTH curriculum. .
Minority Outdoor Alliance CEO Ashley Smith emphasized the importance of the “Learn to Hunt” program in the organization’s engagement model. “Our engagement model is based on the understanding that providing safe spaces for connections to occur is essential to inspiring the desire to protect and conserve natural resources,” she said. .
The Alabama Black Belt Adventure Association (ALBBAA) also supports the Friday afternoon program.
“Alabama's Black Belt offers some of the best hunting anywhere in the country, and we hope these hunters will receive this important training while enjoying the natural beauty here,” said ALBBAA Director Pam Swanner. It's great to be able to do that.” “We hope these novice hunters develop a lifelong love of upland hunting and return to black belt in the future.”
The Alabama tournament is one of six in the nation, with similar training weekends held in Colorado, Texas, Minnesota and Wisconsin. Another is scheduled for next month in South Carolina. Participants will receive both classroom and practical training.
“Hunter numbers have been declining for decades,” and hunting license sales across the country have correspondingly declined, said Ashley Chance, hunting heritage program manager for Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. He said that Funds from license sales sustain critical habitat creation and management services needed to provide recreational hunting opportunities for millions of Americans.
“If there are fewer hunters, there will be less funding for conservation,” Chance said.
The “Learn to Hunt Experience” is one of Quail Forever and MOA’s efforts to recruit new hunters from different backgrounds and cultures to help diversify the sports community. This creates a new group of hunters who purchase hunting licenses and funds management activities.
“We've been seeing a decline in quail populations for some time now, so we're losing some of our quail hunting culture,” Chance said. “It’s important to bring in new people and expose them to upland hunting.”
The success of the Learn To Hunt program is due to the strong partnerships formed with a variety of organizations and individuals dedicated to conservation education. MOA would like to extend a special thank you to Marilyn Vetter, her CEO of Pheasants Forever and Quail Forever. Colby Carver, Conservation Education Program Director. Justin Grider, his R3 coordinator at Alabama DCNR. We would like to thank ADCNR Conservation Officers, Sergeant Bill Freeman, and the Alabama Black Belt Adventure Association for their unwavering support and partnership.
The collaboration between MOA and Quail Forever represents an important step in promoting diversity in outdoor activities and conservation efforts. The “Learn to Hunt” program not only educates participants about sustainable hunting practices, but also instills a deep appreciation for the natural world and the importance of preserving it for future generations.
