Young hunters have successful season

I really enjoy it when people write or call in with stories of their sons or daughters going out with Dad or Gramps or Uncle Seymour to hunt, fish or just enjoy the outdoors. This time it was double duty because Bill and Faith Carlson have twin grandsons, and they both have harvested 8-point bucks this fall. Cody and Garrett Fues are both sophomores at Putnam County High School and enjoy the sport of archery.

Cody’s buck was taken on Oct. 12 and weighed 240 pounds. Garrett’s buck was taken Nov. 8 and weighed 160 pounds. That afternoon, Cody, Garrett and another friend, Alec Maish, a fourth-grader at Reagan School, caught 21 bluegills and three largemouth bass. I can see why Grandpa and Grandma are proud of their young outdoorsmen.

Another great outing for youth took place on Oct. 24 at Hickory Grove Hunt Club. Bureau County Pheasants Forever, along with hosts Mike and Laurie Wirth, welcomed 11 Bureau County youth to a live pheasant hunt. They were separated into groups and placed with experienced hunters accompanied by bird dogs. After receiving their safety instructions, they set out in different directions to pheasant hunt. Each group experienced success by bagging several birds. When the hunt was over, they all returned to the lodge for pictures.

Then the young hunters were all treated to a lunch at Tillie’s Grill in Manlius. Special thanks to Bureau County Pheasants Forever and Hickory Grove Hunt Club for supporting our youth.

We’ll run their picture in next week’s Bureau County Journal.

• There will be many hunters afield Friday for the first portion of shotgun deer season. Please use caution at all times. Blaze orange is a must.

I hope you see some coyotes, too.

•A few more things ...

Thanksgiving weekend will be the Spring Valley Walleye Club “Members Only” catch and release tournament. Hope the river is down some more by then, and they have good weather.

Snowmobile Safety class at Leone’s Polaris in Peru on Nov. 28. Call (815) 224-1670 for more info.

Dove season is over.

Zeke update: Black Bear Lodge’s Zeke Markshausen had six receptions for 104 yards and one TD for Northwestern vs. the Fighting Illini Saturday.