By JONATHAN ZWEYGARDT
Hays Post

The annual Youth Upland Hunt is scheduled for this weekend in Hays.

Smoky Hill Pheasants Forever in cooperation with the Kansas Department of Wildlife is hosting the 11th annual youth hunt this Saturday at the Hays City Sportsman Club.

Saturday’s event is held in memory of former volunteers Darrell Brown, La Vern Steiben, LeRoy Culbreath and Sid Carlile.

The hunt designed for youth between the ages of 12 and 18 years of age not only will give participants a chance to harvest at least 4 birds, but they also will learn how to hunt with dogs and how they are trained, field safety, gun handling, how to clean and prepare birds, and what type of habitat to look for when hunting upland birds.

Hunts like this one are part of the Kansas Hunter Recruitment and Retention Program called “PASS IT ON.” The program addresses the need to recruit new hunters and retain existing hunters in order to ensure the future of hunting.

For more information or to register, contact Shayne Wilson at (785) 628-1415 8am-5pm. Monday through Friday. There is no charge for the hunt.