The Texas Youth Hunting Program needs landowners to open their gates for the sake of young hunters and the hunting tradition.
“TYHP was created to get young hunters in the field on private land, so they could experience safe, ethical hunting first hand and help ensure our hunting tradition continues,” Col. Chris Mitchell (RET.), TYHP Director, said. “If we’re going to take more kids hunting, we need more ranches and volunteers.”
TYHP is a joint effort of the Texas Wildlife Association (TWA) and the Texas Parks and Wildlife Department (TPWD).
Although TYHP enjoys the support of two stellar organizations, it’s driven by the passion of volunteers, ranging from Huntmasters and gun range instructors to landowners. The program can’t succeed if any of the pieces is missing. – Colonel (Ret.) Chris Mitchell, TYHP Director
Since its inception in the mid-1990s, TYHP has taken 62,000 youth hunters and their significant adults on 2,600 hunts across the state. The volunteer-intensive effort offers introductory, instructive youth hunts for deer, turkey, hogs, javelina, exotics, dove, small game, waterfowl, varmints and other species. Normally, TYHP provides mentors, lodging and meals. Currently, the organization is planning the 2017–18 season.
“Frankly, we need more landowners to provide more ranches so we can reach more kids and their significant adults,” Mitchell said. “TYHP provides a conservation win. Landowners can get help with their management programs, while giving youth a hands-on education in land stewardship and safe, ethical hunting.”
He continued, “TYHP changes lives—on both sides of the gate.”
Brad Bishop’s first-hand experience
Brown Ranch | Maverick County | Emily Brown and Brad Bishop, Co-managers
As a child growing up on the Texas Gulf Coast, Brad Bishop camped, canoed and fished. He never had the opportunity to hunt.
“My parents were outdoorspeople, but they weren’t hunters,” Bishop said. “I know what’s like to be a kid who wants to hunt and not be able, so TYHP spoke to me.”
In addition to the emotional kinship Bishop immediately felt to the program, it filled a practical need for the ranching operation, which Bishop characterizes as “51 percent livestock and 49 percent wildlife.”
“Our ranch enrolled in MLDP in 2016, so we also needed assistance to harvest excess does to meet our land management goals,” Bishop said. “The program benefited our wildlife
management efforts and got people outdoors—it seemed like the perfect win-win.”
TPWD Wildlife Biologist David Rios introduced Bishop to the program as he was assisting with the MLDP process. Then, Bishop called TYHP Executive Director Chris Mitchell, who talked him through the program, the process and allayed Bishop’s fears that the old ranch house on the property was too “rustic” to accommodate the youth.
“Instead of a lodge, we have an old ranch house—and to describe it as rustic may be generous,” Bishop said. “I was afraid that it wouldn’t be fancy, modern or big enough.”
His anxiety was unfounded because the program is set up to accommodate groups large and small. The focus is on safety, outdoors and relationships, not lodging.
“Nobody seemed to mind,” Bishop said. “Everyone was so excited to be on the ranch, I really think they would’ve slept on the bare ground.”
After their initial conversation, Mitchell toured the ranch and stayed in contact with Bishop until the ranch’s inaugural hunt was assigned to Huntmaster Kyle Anderson and his experienced team.
“TYHP took care of the logistics,” Bishop said. “On my side, it was easy to host a hunt. Everything has been considered—and taken care of.”
It was determined that the ranch could safely accommodate five hunters.
“I really expected to have more kids on the place,” Bishop said.
Despite the open communication, Bishop was unaware of the number of people necessary to complete a youth hunt.
“I was surprised by the size of the ‘entourage,’” Bishop said. “When I saw firsthand how a TYHP weekend is run, I realized that everyone on the team is essential to a safe, successful hunt.”
Seeing youth hunters take their first deer was its own reward.
“There was a young man who was a natural introvert and didn’t really engage with the group until he harvested his first doe,” Bishop said. “He literally jumped out of the truck and ran over to the group to tell his story. His excitement was pure joy to me.”
The first-time experience was so good, Bishop immediately signed up to host a second hunt in 2017.
“If, as a landowner, you’ve never hosted a TYHP hunt, you should at least call Chris Mitchell and explore the opportunity,” Bishop said. “Once you talk to him you’ll be inspired to host a hunt. Once you host a hunt, you’ll sign up to do it again.”
Rebecca Ross Hale’s first-hand experience
Ross and Hale Family Ranches | Caldwell County | Ryan and Rebecca Hale, Owners
Rebecca Ross Hale’s ancestors settled in what became Caldwell County in the 1830s. Today, she and her husband manage her family land that can be traced back to those early land grants. Their children have the benefits of being the 7th generation raised as ranch kids on the land that is managed for cattle and wildlife.
“At 35-years-old, I’ve never taken for granted the blessing of growing up on the land—hunting, fishing and ranching,” Hale said. “I treasure that opportunity for my children, especially since a connection to the land is so rare in today’s world.”
When Hale and her aunt, Lynnette Ross, heard Chris Mitchell speak at their Clear Fork Creek Wildlife Management Association’s meeting in 2013, they knew they wanted to share their treasure with young people.
“She and I were texting back and forth about hosting a hunt before Chris ever finished his presentation,” Hale said.
While the women were onboard immediately, the men in the family were a bit more cautious, especially in regards to safety and liability. If they agreed to host a TYHP hunt, it would be the first time the family had opened up their property beyond their circle of family and friends.
“As we explored the opportunity, it became clear that TYHP had done its due diligence,” Hale said. “The organization provided liability coverage which was possible because of its well-thought-out safety protocols.”
It didn’t take long for the family to agree that hosting a hunt would help them reach their wildlife management goals while achieving their personal goals. Participating family members included: Charlie and Coni Ross, Clay and Lynnette Ross, and Milton Ross and Butch Ross, who manage the land of their late brother Pete Ross, a founding member of the local WMA. Clay and Lynnette Ross also provided their barn and facilities as hunt headquarters.
“It’s an honor to introduce the next generation of hunters to the tradition,” Hale said. “Enabling youngsters to harvest their first deer is an emotional experience. We’re in a unique position to give them that chance and share in their excitement and newfound passion.”
In fact, the family prefers that all hunters who come to their ranch be first-timers.
“It’s humbling to know that for many of these kids this may be the only hunt they ever experience in their lives,” Hale said.
In 2013, they hosted five youth. The next year, they doubled it to 10. The following year, they hosted seven, which is their natural “carrying capacity” and the number they’ve hosted since. Fellow WMA member, Don Chesser, also began participating in 2015. Their long-term goal is to involve more WMA members and host a second hunt.
From a landowner’s perspective, it’s easy. You can be as involved—or uninvolved—as you want to be. The Huntmaster oversees the entire program, and they’ll leave it cleaner than they found it. Just pull the trigger and do it. If you host one, I guarantee you’ll be hooked. – Rebecca Ross Hale
What about liability?
For the landowner, TYHP provides up to $6 million of commercial liability insurance protection as well as other forms of coverage. TYHP’s policy is based on the safety incorporated into every step of the program.
Minimum Requirements
As a minimum, the youth must:
- Be between 9–17 years of age
- Have completed Hunter Education
- Have a valid hunting license with appropriate tags as necessary
- Be accompanied by his or her “own” adult at all times. During the actual hunt, the hunter must be accompanied by an experience hunter (generally the youth’s “own” adult, normally a parent, who has satisfied TYHP requirements including a Hunt Guide orientation for your hunt)
- Complete a required TYHP liability release which will include the Landowner
What landowners can expect
To get started, call TYHP at 1-800-460-5494 or (210) 930-2177. After the initial discussion, a TYHP representative will conduct an orientation site visit on your property. At that point, if you’re interested in hosting a youth hunt, we will execute an agreement between you and TYHP, which will initiate the $6 million liability insurance coverage for your hunt.
Since this is your hunt, you make the rules that will be an appendix to the agreement. Feel free to include any rule that does not affect the hunt’s safety, legality or ethics. After the agreement is signed, we are ready to plan and conduct the hunt.
You may find the following of interest as you consider a youth hunt:
- You determine the length of the hunt; we prefer to gather late Friday evening and depart around noon Sunday after a thorough cleaning of your facilities.
- A typical hunt starts with a safety and hunt orientation, review of game laws, wildlife management and identification, firearms/ammunition inspection, your rules, the history of your property and a Hunt Guide orientation. Hunts include firing ranges to ensure the youths know how to properly handle and effectively use their firearms or archery equipment and some “hands on” hunter education/wildlife activity. Depending on the game, we usually hunt in the mornings and evenings. One evening, we like to have a hunting/wildlife related program around a campfire or fireplace if possible.
- The number of participants (youths, adults, and volunteers) is determined in part by the amount of lodging and food preparation facilities (these are not required, but are desired), and the number of safe hunting areas. If necessary, we will camp.
- With your agreement, we try to involve local game wardens and biologists.
- We can furnish just about everything for the hunt.
- Our hunter education and safety requirements are stringent.
- Youths will only handle firearms in the presence of a supervising adult.
- Before shooting, both the hunter and guide must agree that it is a proper animal, there is a good possibility of a kill, there is no likelihood of shooting other animals in the vicinity, it is legal, and it is ethical. In the unlikely event the wrong animal is harvested the program will assist in recovering restitution costs.
- Firearms will only be loaded at the range or when the youth is in a hunting position (actions will remain open the rest of the time).
- Youths are required to fully process their game (quartered and in an ice chest).
- Youths are required to perform camp chores and clean-up.
- We will clean up before departure.
- With your permission, if you have the facilities and time permits, the youths may fish (normally using catch and release).
- Vehicle traffic will be kept to a minimum.
- Youths will normally hunt from a stationary position (blinds or in the field).
- We stress the “two person rule” with all activities.
- Alcohol is prohibited and tobacco products are not to be used around the youths (proper disposal is required; we will adhere to your smoking policy).
- We reserve the right to remove any hunting party due to unsafe, unethical, or flagrant behavior.
- We reserve the right to cancel or terminate the hunt due to unsafe conditions (generally dangerous weather).
- We will make every effort to ensure your rules are obeyed.
- You assume the role in the hunt you desire (from simply donating the hunt with no further involvement to total involvement—we will even train you to be your own Huntmaster).
- If you desire, we will provide you tax documentation reflecting the donation of the hunt.
- We need adequate time (generally a minimum of six weeks) to plan, schedule, and coordinate your youth hunt.
- In compliance with our insurance policy, a trained and certified Huntmaster will be present to supervise your youth hunt.