Annual Youth Upland Bird Hunt coming Saturday

The Columbia Basin Chapter of Pheasants Forever (CBPF) and Washington Department of Fish and Wildlife (WDFW) will partner to present the annual Youth Upland Bird Hunt from 9 a.m. to 1 p.m. Saturday, Sept. 23 at the Gloyd Seeps Wildlife Area, which is reached via the farm unit access road just north of Road 10 along Stratford Road. The event is part of the organizations’ effort to recruit youth into the sport of hunting, by providing area youth an opportunity to hunt wild and planted birds in some of the best habitat available in Grant County, according to a press release from Gretchen Fitzgerald, secretary of Columbia Basin Pheasants Forever.

In the past, the youth hunting event was held at B&G Farms, the release said, but was moved to accommodate the growing numbers of youth hunters. The hunting area has been in the process of being actively restored and will become a prime pheasant habitat once all vegetation becomes fully established.

Licensed hunters under the age of 16 will be eligible to participate. WDFW Hunter Education instructors will be on site and will help with shooting instructions and will offer loaner shotguns. Volunteers will also be providing hunting dogs to assist youth hunters. Pheasants Forever will provide food for all hunters and parents, and will give away a shotgun to one youth hunting participant. People wanting more information should check the Columbia Basin Chapter of Pheasants Forever Facebook page, or call the WDFW regional office at 509-754-4624.

— Staff report