Headwaters PF Chapter 563 - Youth Page
Attention Montana Youth!
Welcome to the next generation in conservation and pheasant hunting enthusiasts. In efforts to help our younger generation play a larger role in our efforts to conserve and provide habitat for upland game, our chapter provides today's youth with opportunities to learn about what Pheasants Forever is truly about. We provide conservation educational materials, safety of firearms and mentor youth hunts for those kids who may not have the same opportunities as most. Take a moment and read about our youth events or find out how you can become a key component of helping future Pheasants Forever Members.
2022 Youth Hunt Another Year of Success!
We had another great youth hunt in late September of 2022 Thank you to Kirk Miller, Greg Wirth, Bob Heiser, Jean Frank and their dogs for hosting the kids. Plenty of birds were seen, a couple roosters harvested and several got away. I guess that's why they call it "Pheasants Forever"! A special thanks to our Youth Coordinator Greg Wirth for his efforts to put the event on.
2017 Headwaters Youth Hunt a Success
Our Youth Hunt took place on Saturday September 23rd at the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area. We had seven eager young men who put in the miles on the ground which resulted in everyone having shooting opportunities and a number of wild roosters being harvested. Thanks again to Luke Murphy and Greg Wirth for organizing the event and for MT Fish Wildlife and Parks for hosting the event. Matt and Shelley Murphy, Pat Howe and Kirk Miller also brought their bird dogs and helped mentor the young hunters. Photo credits to Pat Howe, Shelley Murphy and Kirk Miller
National Youth Leadership Council Appointment From Your Chapter
Luke Murphy, a youth member from the Headwaters PF 563 Chapter, has been selected to sit on the Board of the National Youth Leadership Council for Pheasants Forever. What a great opportunity for Luke, our Chapter and Montana. Luke intends to work with Montana youth through youth hunts, habitat projects and youth involvement. You can contact him at: nutnbuthorns@yahoo.com or 406-202-3045 if you would like to discuss involvement, youth hunts, possible habitat projects or anything else youth related.
Hunter Education Courses
While we all like to have fun in the field and chase pheasants for miles, safety is one of the most important aspects. We promote and encourage hunter safety in the field. If you plan to hunt in Montana, you must have a hunting license. In order to purchase a hunting license, all individuals born after January 1, 1985 must hold a certificate demonstrating that they have completed a hunter education course by the State of Montana, another state or a Canadian Province. In Montana, beginning hunters must take the hunter safety course offered through the Montana Fish and Game Department. This course follows standards established by the International Hunter Educational Association.
Hunter education classes show both youth and adults the proper way to hold, maneuver and practice proper gun care. The Headwaters Chapter organize a youth event each fall that requires kids participating in our youth hunt to meet at the Helena Trap Club in the days prior to the hunt. Trap club shooting instructors work with the kids while giving the youths the opportunity to shoot clay pigeons using club facilities. We at the Headwaters Chapter believe it is essential for kids to become familiar with gun operation and be comfortable with handling their firearm.
Any Montana youth between the ages of 12 and 17, who completes hunter education, is eligible to receive their FIRST hunting license absolutely free. The Resident Youth Combination Sports License includes: a conservation license, fishing license, upland game bird license, hunting access enhancement, elk license, and deer A license. After completing hunter education, stop by any FWP office and get your first hunting license for free!
If you are interested in enrolling yourself or your child in the Montana hunter education course, please click the link below.
2015 Headwaters Youth Hunt
The Headwaters 563 Chapter of Pheasants Forever held their 2015 upland bird youth hunt on Saturday, September 26 at the Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area. Justin Feddes, the Townsend Area game Warden for the Montana Fish Wildlife and Parks Department was on hand to talk the the young hunters prior to the morning hunt. Excited kids, their parents, bird dogs and the dog handlers were soon scouring the fields looking for one of Montana's premier game birds. For most of the youths, this was their first opportunity to hunt upland birds and the anticipation was evident in their faces. Several youths were fortunate to bag birds on what turned out to be a classic fall day in Montana. Pictured is 12-year old Violet Opitz and Dakota. Dakota is owned and handled by Randy Piearson, President of the Headwaters PF Chapter. While Violet will participate in many more hunting days in the field with her father John Opitz, she will always treasure the memories of her very first pheasant.
2014 Youth Mentor Pheasant Hunt
The Headwaters Chapter of Pheasants Forever was excited to again host a Youth Mentor Pheasant Hunt in conjunction with the youth pheasant opener on September 27th, 2014. The event included an orientation, practice shoot and gun dog demonstration at the Helena Trap Club prior to the field day at Canyon Ferry Wildlife Management Area (WMA).
Twelve youths, one of their parents and a dog handler/gun dog team were assigned a specific field to hunt at the WMA. Everyone met at 8:00 AM that morning at the Canyon Ferry Fish & Game Headquarters near Townsend, Montana. Adam Grove, the Canyon Ferry WMA manager and area biologist met with the group to stressed hunter safety just having fun.
While the weather did not cooperate, everyone had a good time, particularly the kids. Lasting friendships were created between the dog handlers and the kids. Several handlers exchanged phone numbers with parents and promised to take their kids out again this season.
The Helena IR covered the event and a front page story appeared in the paper two days later. Click on the link below to read this article.
