Paige(l) and Mariah(r) Nelson are beaming as their proud father Paul looks on at the 10th annual Rydell NWR Youth deer Hunt. - USFWS photo by Juancarlos Giese

A beautiful weekend greeted young and old hunters alike on October 18-19, 2008, as the Rydell Refuge conducted its 10^th annual deer hunt for youth ages 12 – 15.  Nine deer were harvested, and all participants saw deer and were able to learn and explore the out-of-doors.  The Rydell hunt is a mentorship event, utilizing the experiences of adults and Refuge staff to introduce youth to the outdoors, hunting equipment and to learn how hunting is used as a big game management tool.  An adult mentor accompanied each youth during the hunt and during an advanced hunter education course held at the Refuge in September. The Advanced Hunter Education workshop, given by Refuge staff, gave the hunters an education on hunting culture and history, biology of white-tail deer, hunting techniques and an overview of ethics as it relates to being an outdoors person.  

This year’s hunt was coordinated through the Minnesota DNR Youth Recruitment division, with applications being processed through the electronic licensing system.  Fifteen youth were randomly selected to participate in the hunt.  The Visitor Center opened at 6:00 am on Saturday and Sunday, where hunters checked in and received updated hunting information.   Hunters were also provided with a two-way radio in the event they needed assistance with tracking a deer.  The Pine-to-prairie Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association also provided hunters with complimentary bag lunches to keep their energy throughout the entire day.  All involved were able to proclaim the weekend a success.