Youth learn to bag a deer in hunting workshop

Featuring somewhat overcast skies and temperatures in the 30s, Saturday in Forest was not the ideal day for deer hunting, at least not concerning the comfort of the hunters.

But those conditions didn’t deter Jeffrey Tyree Jr. from setting up his deer blind among the leaf-stripped trees in the acreage behind the New London Technology and Development Center.

Jeffrey and nine other youth, aged 12-15, participated in a deer hunting workshop, organized by the Virginia Department of Game and Inland Fisheries and the Virginia Hunter Education Association.

“It is a good way for young hunters that don’t have maybe a good opportunity,” said Vernie Kennedy, president of VaHEA, “to get on good land to hunt.”

“We want to give them a good hunt, good safe hunt, teach them the right, ethical way to do it.”

Jeffrey and his father, Jeffrey Tyree Sr., along with instructor Rick Crickenberger, set up an improvised deer blind not far from a creek.

Jeffrey, who received his hunter education certificate two years ago, said before the hunt that he hoped to bag the first deer of his life Saturday.

“Hopefully two,” he said, adding that he hadn’t used a 12-gauge shotgun, Saturday’s weapon of choice, before the 2008 hunting season.

Aside from the gun, some of the process was familiar for Jeffrey, as he’d hunted with Crickenberger before.

“I usually go and help him call the deer in,” he said, an exciting job, but not the same as being responsible for bagging the target.

Dewayne Sprinkle, who coordinated the event from DGIF’s side, said the idea came about when he was discussing deer-related damage with Bedford County officials.

“It’s one of those deals I didn’t think it was going to happen,” Sprinkle said, “but I’m right happy that it (did).”

Sprinkle said he was grateful for cooperation from the county and the Forest Volunteer Rescue Squad, whose building served as the base of operations.

“We can’t tell the county how much we appreciate what they’re doing for us,” he said.

“Everything’s worked really smoothly so far.”

For the organizers and participants, safety was paramount.

Each hunter had to participate in a classroom-style safety preparation Saturday morning, and be accompanied by a parent or guardian, along with a hunting instructor.

Despite two recent hunting fatalities in Campbell County and Gretna, Kennedy said with proper supervision, hunting is a relatively safe sport, even for youth.

“The (number of) injuries are really insignificant, compared to the number of hunters out there.”

“It’s a really safe sport,” he said, “even (compared to) golf.”

The hunt lasted until 5:33 p.m., about half an hour before sundown, per regulations. According to Jeffrey, only one hunter came away with a kill.

Jeffrey said his crew didn’t even spot a deer until about 3:30, when several doe came within close range.

But Jeffrey said the lure of antlers kept him from taking the shot that could have landed him his first kill.

“We kept hearing more stuff behind them, and we thought it was a buck,” he said.

“So we waited, and we saw some more (doe) and I was going to take one,” he said, “but I just decided that I didn’t want to fool with gutting it.”

Even though he came away from the hunt empty-handed, Jeffrey said he considered it a good experience.

“I’m going Monday,” he said, to Crickenberger’s land, “and going to, hopefully, if anything, get a doe.”