Throughout the Public Lands Month of September, a few of the members of the New York Chapter of BHA put together a series of Virtual Learn to Hunt Zoom meetings. The series were targeted towards the many new hunters that had taken their Hunters Education in the spring and summer. The increase in people taking the education and safety course, as well as the dramatic increase in license sales this year in New York, indicates that more and more of us are taking to the woods and outdoors to participate in the activities that we love so much. At least 200 hundred individuals tuned in during the live events and hundreds more have watched online recordings.
The series was broken into conversations based on the different parts of planning and going on a hunt, and hopefully coming home with some game meat for family and friends.
-
Getting Into the Woods
This session dove into the subject of preparing for, finding a location, scouting and getting into the field. The panel covered important topics and tips for location where your game might be.
-
Getting Into Position
This session covered the key aspects of getting from your car and into position. What to look for, what to do, and how to handle yourself when finding your game.
-
Getting the Shot
You found the game, and you are getting ready to take the shot. The session covers different hunting implements, depending on which season and game you are hunting. It also covers the critical time after you have taken the shot, and made a hit.
-
Getting Home Safely
You made it, and you secured some precious meat. This session covers the important aspects of taking care of your game, getting the most out of it, and how to get home safely.
The pursuit of hunting, even as a seasoned hunter, always brings along some pressure to make sure we do this ethically and safely, and that we do our part of making sure the public continues to support what we love. And there is an opportunity to get stronger numbers of us, especially in these times we’re facing now.
If you did not get a chance to participate or see the sessions, they are all available on our Facebook Group and YouTube channel.
- Facebook - New York Chapters of Backcountry Hunters and Anglers Group
- YouTube - Backcountry Hunters and Anglers playlist for New York Chapter
The New York Chapter is planning a continuation of these virtual series. We will be doing sessions that go deeper into the topics we covered in this Learn to Hunt Series, and focusing on particular game seasons and techniques. If you are a new hunter you will find that hours can, and will, be spent thinking and talking about every nuance and aspect of this age-old tradition that we all love.
A big thank you to all the panelists that helped make this a great set of sessions!
Join our Facebook Group and follow us on Instagram to engage with this great community, and to get updates on when new sessions will be hosted.
About New York BHA
The New York Chapter is focused on bringing BHA's proven approach to conserving wild places and outdoor heritage to the Empire State. Join us to conserve our wilds!