BC Pheasants Forever schedules youth hunt
Bureau County Pheasants Forever is planning a live pheasant hunt for local youth Oct. 24. This a great opportunity for young hunters to shoot over a good dog while accompanied by a veteran adult. The youth need to have a license and a hunter’s safety card to participate.
First choice will go to Ringneck members, and any left over spaces will go to any youth, 12-18. The hunt will take place at Hickory Grove Hunt Club. All interested hunters need to be there by 7:30 a.m.
After the hunt, all participants will be fed lunch, compliments of Bureau County Pheasants Forever.
To sign up for this event or to get more information, interested hunters should call Scott Wright at (815) 303-7626 or Eric Paull at (815) 646-4844.
• Tickets are now available for the Bureau Valley Ducks Unlimited banquet on Nov. 6. The banquet will be at Wise Guys and will feature a delicious prime rib dinner. This is always a gala event, and this year should be no exception. The doors will open at 6 p.m., and it’s a good idea to come early to see all the raffle items featured this year.
One of the new auction ideas for this banquet is a brand new freezer stocked with steaks, pork chops and chicken. This should prove to be quite interesting. Another favorite, last year, was the “Duck Bingo” for a shotgun. The wives of the committee members will, again, have on hand the “Baker’s Dozen,” a wide assortment of pies, cakes and other goodies sure to please your palate.
The duck season will have been underway for two and a half weeks by then, so there will certainly be some good stories floating around.
Tickets are available and can be purchased from any committee member. If you have any questions, call Erik Ellberg at (815) 876-6659 for more information.
• The PHS Sportsman’s Club had an organizational meeting Tuesday with about 30 members signing in. The students were informed about the Illinois Youth Duck hunt this weekend, archery shooting at a Dixon archery range, the possibility of participating in the IHSA bass fishing tournament and the pheasant hunt at Hickory Grove. More events will be added as the year goes along.
I contacted Steve Moser at the Hennepin Canal Parkway and he informed me only one archer has taken a buck at Mautino’s and none at the Parkway. Hunters have to take a doe first, so I don’t know how many does have been harvested yet.
Also, the fall trout season will start Oct. 17 at the Parkway.
• If any youth still doesn’t have their hunter’s safety card, I received a flier from the Laborers’ Union, Local 393, in Marseilles, stating they will host an IDNR hunter education course from 8:30 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. Oct,17 and 18. It will be held at the Union Hall, 142 Lincoln St., in Marseilles. For more info, call David Raikes at (815) 795-2829.
Finally, for those who have been anxiously awaiting the start of duck season, please check your gear and boats to see if you are properly equipped. Stickers, fire extinguishers and flotation devices are a must. Have a safe and prosperous hunting season. Good Luck!
Lee Wahlgren is the BCR outdoor writer. Contact him at pdub52@verizon.net.
