KALIDA — It was a simple question for 9-year-old Dylan Tumlinson, of Fort Jennings: Would you rather be at home playing video games on Saturday morning or be outside pheasant hunting?
“Pheasant hunting,” he said, smiling and without hesitation.
That enthusiasm is the goal of the Pheasants Forever Black Swamp chapter’s youth pheasant hunt, which took place Saturday morning. Held in cooperation with the Kalida Fish and Game Club and now in its second year, the hunt is part of a national program titled “No Child Left Indoors,” which aims to see young people out enjoying nature and building memories while hunting rather than just killing time inside playing with electronic devices.
“Our local chapter really supports that initiative,” Black Swamp Pheasants Forever President Adam Anspach said. “It’s about enjoying the outdoors, getting them outside and off the computer and video games.”
The hunt included 75 young people, both beginners at hunting as well as more seasoned veterans, many with adults going along to help. All hunters had to have a valid youth hunting license and the event also featured bird cleaning lessons after the hunt. With no wild pheasant population in the Kalida area, nearly 200 pheasants were released to help facilitate the hunt.
“They can shoot roosters only, and that’s part of the state law,” Anspach said. “We promote habitat conservation for wildlife in general. We want to preserve this for future generations.”
Fort Jennings’ Ian Howbert, 10, and Dylan both participated in last year’s hunt and were eager to get back out for this year’s rendition.
“I love going out and having fun and tracking down pheasants,” Ian said.
“I love going out and watching the dog running around finding the birds,” Dylan said. “We have to train the dogs to find them. Then I shoot them.”
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