The Game Commission has hired a Outreach Coordinator. Ok, what the heck is that? More important, why is it important?
Well, lets start with the person. She is Julie Imes, Outreach Coordinator. A Perry County Native, she graduated from PSU in 2005 with a B.S. in Animal Sciences. She returned for a teaching certificate a year later and is certified to teach agriculture, biology, and general science. Julie is an avid archery hunter and fisherman who grew up enjoying these activities with her father.
She was hired by the Game Commission in February 2010.
From what I was handed Monday morning, she has been very busy. Julie was given the task to develop a youth hunting "guide" for those starting young hunters and clubs and organizations having a youth hunting event.
Initially focused on the new youth rabbit hunting season, it quickly became evident that the guide could be a comprehensive guide for those looking for tips on starting new hunters, or for clubs wanting to hold youth hunting events. The guide and the idea's within it, can also be used to help a parent or other adult make the first outings an enjoyable experience. It is also adaptable for the beginner adult new hunter.
Did she ever deliver!
The guide: Pennsylvania Game Commission Youth Hunt Planning Guide, is a 37 page booklet with a wealth of information. Though laid out and detailed more for a club or organization, everything is adaptable for one on one beginner hunters as well.
There are ten sections in the guide:
Overview and Introduction
Frequently asked questions
Planning your event
Suggested committee assignments
Sample timeline
General event planning and considerations
Prevent snags
Pre- and post hunt activities
Evaluating your success
Forms
There are twelve forms. These forms, are check lists, notifications for the Game Commission, schools, and parents, registration forms, planning forms and sponsor sample letters. That is a short list. There is more.
Basically, a group can take this guide and set a time line for a event and follow along to ensure all details are covered.
For the one on one hunting event, some things will not apply. However, using some of the ideas and the considerations, especially where kids are concerned, a much more enjoyable hunt will occur.
Julie isn't done yet. She is responsible for recruitment, retention, and reactivation of PA hunters. She will also be coordinating PA’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), and will be focusing on how to get those kids from shooting international-style target archery to hunting. Partners are UBP (United Bowhunters of PA) and ATA (Archery Trade Assoc). She will seek to build these youth archery programs throughout the commonwealth.
Some other ideas being discussed are to hold workshops for sportsman’s organizations and other relevant groups regarding National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF)"Best Management Practices for Recruitment and Retention". Maybe some sort of mentoring program that might end up looking like a "how-to" workshop for sportsman’s organizations.
The Youth Hunt Planning Guide will be on-line through the Game Commission web-site (no link yet link since the guide is still in draft form). All the forms in will also be available in electronic version and species-specific "fact sheets" (i.e. how to tailor the hunt to squirrels, rabbits, waterfowl, upland birds, etc.) will also be available. Of course, a hard copy of the guide will also be available in the near future.
Take it from me. The guide is impressive in what it covers and easy of use. Detailed but not complicated or overly long. I wish Julie all the best in her position, and much more success in her mission!
For more information, contact:
Julie S. Imes, Outreach Coordinator
Pennsylvania Game Commission
2001 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797
(717)787-4250 ext. 3327
FAX: (717)772-0542
[email protected]
Well, lets start with the person. She is Julie Imes, Outreach Coordinator. A Perry County Native, she graduated from PSU in 2005 with a B.S. in Animal Sciences. She returned for a teaching certificate a year later and is certified to teach agriculture, biology, and general science. Julie is an avid archery hunter and fisherman who grew up enjoying these activities with her father.
She was hired by the Game Commission in February 2010.
From what I was handed Monday morning, she has been very busy. Julie was given the task to develop a youth hunting "guide" for those starting young hunters and clubs and organizations having a youth hunting event.
Initially focused on the new youth rabbit hunting season, it quickly became evident that the guide could be a comprehensive guide for those looking for tips on starting new hunters, or for clubs wanting to hold youth hunting events. The guide and the idea's within it, can also be used to help a parent or other adult make the first outings an enjoyable experience. It is also adaptable for the beginner adult new hunter.
Did she ever deliver!
The guide: Pennsylvania Game Commission Youth Hunt Planning Guide, is a 37 page booklet with a wealth of information. Though laid out and detailed more for a club or organization, everything is adaptable for one on one beginner hunters as well.
There are ten sections in the guide:
Overview and Introduction
Frequently asked questions
Planning your event
Suggested committee assignments
Sample timeline
General event planning and considerations
Prevent snags
Pre- and post hunt activities
Evaluating your success
Forms
There are twelve forms. These forms, are check lists, notifications for the Game Commission, schools, and parents, registration forms, planning forms and sponsor sample letters. That is a short list. There is more.
Basically, a group can take this guide and set a time line for a event and follow along to ensure all details are covered.
For the one on one hunting event, some things will not apply. However, using some of the ideas and the considerations, especially where kids are concerned, a much more enjoyable hunt will occur.
Julie isn't done yet. She is responsible for recruitment, retention, and reactivation of PA hunters. She will also be coordinating PA’s National Archery in the Schools Program (NASP), and will be focusing on how to get those kids from shooting international-style target archery to hunting. Partners are UBP (United Bowhunters of PA) and ATA (Archery Trade Assoc). She will seek to build these youth archery programs throughout the commonwealth.
Some other ideas being discussed are to hold workshops for sportsman’s organizations and other relevant groups regarding National Shooting Sports Foundation’s (NSSF)"Best Management Practices for Recruitment and Retention". Maybe some sort of mentoring program that might end up looking like a "how-to" workshop for sportsman’s organizations.
The Youth Hunt Planning Guide will be on-line through the Game Commission web-site (no link yet link since the guide is still in draft form). All the forms in will also be available in electronic version and species-specific "fact sheets" (i.e. how to tailor the hunt to squirrels, rabbits, waterfowl, upland birds, etc.) will also be available. Of course, a hard copy of the guide will also be available in the near future.
Take it from me. The guide is impressive in what it covers and easy of use. Detailed but not complicated or overly long. I wish Julie all the best in her position, and much more success in her mission!
For more information, contact:
Julie S. Imes, Outreach Coordinator
Pennsylvania Game Commission
2001 Elmerton Avenue
Harrisburg, PA 17110-9797
(717)787-4250 ext. 3327
FAX: (717)772-0542
[email protected]
