During his sportsmen education classes, Tony Petrosino rewards his hungry hunters-to-be with a hearty chili or stew.
Jason Rearick / The Citizen
Dave Gamba and his son Joseph, 12, listen to Tony Petrosino during Bass Pro Shops' hunter education class at the Fingerlakes Mall.
Dave Gamba and his son Joseph, 12, listen to Tony Petrosino during Bass Pro Shops' hunter education class at the Fingerlakes Mall.
But Petrosino doesn't tell them that what they're eating isn't the standard beef or chopped meat (shhh - it's venison) until after they've chowed down and enjoyed every last lick.
It's one more way that Petrosino, president of The Falcon Sportsmen Club in Sennett, gives his students an appreciation of wildlife and hunting.
And while half of Petrosino's pupils are adults, the others are children ages 12-18, a group that the Falcon Club and national hunting organizations are reaching out to in an attempt to thwart the country's dwindling number of hunters.
”We do everything we can to promote it to kids around here,“ Petrosino said, noting his club will host its third youth pheasant hunt this year.
Over the past 25 years, the total number of hunters nationwide has dropped by 23 percent, according to statistics compiled by the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Only 25 percent of youth from hunting households are active hunters, the foundation says.
”There are a lot more things competing for kids' attention,“ said Steve Wagner, a spokesman for NSSF, which is co-sponsoring ”Families Afield,“ an initiative aimed at recruiting young hunters.
Wagner said that children's interests in video games and after-school sports is one reason for the decline but that states' age and coursework provisions also play a large role.
In New York, children under 12 cannot obtain a hunting license of any kind, and all would-be hunters are required to attend at least 10 hours of sportsmen education classes.
Such measures put New York on the NSSF's list of America's 20 ”very restrictive“ states.
Along with the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and National Wild Turkey Federation, the NSSF is advocating to allow parents to decide when their children are ready to hunt, and to permit a supervised introduction to the sport before going through the coursework and certification processes.
Wagner said that states with less stringent requirements result in more young participants and ensure that today's children will replace retiring hunters.
Petrosino also expressed his concern about the future of hunting.
The number of hunters in Cayuga County is in a steady decline, and children need to pick up the slack, he said.
Though he believes the age for hunting deer should be lowered from 16 to 14 (as does the New York Department of Environmental Conservation), he thinks 12 is a good, safe age for kids to begin hunting, noting how smaller children may have trouble paying attention during education classes.
And these safety classes are essential, Petrosino said.
”I do fail people if they don't pay attention and do the right thing,“ he said.
During his classes, participants receive a workbook that appears to be geared toward children, with colorful illustrations on how to dispose of deer entrails and photos of teenagers correctly pointing their firearms.
There are also chapters on wildlife conservation, first aid and ethics.
”There's an old saying: ‘Kids that fish and hunt don't mug old ladies,'“ Petrosino said, adding that youth hunters learn to respect both wildlife and people.
Young hunters are also among the safest hunters, he said.
But Stephanie Boyles, a wildlife biologist with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that allowing children to hunt may result in violent behavior toward humans in the future.
”It sets a very bad mindset to what it means to make a fellow being suffer,“ Boyles said, adding that children don't learn compassion or empathy when they kill animals for recreation.
Paul Drake, of Palmyra, hunts ducks, pheasants and geese with his two sons, Gregory, 15 and Stephen, 16, almost every weekend.
”They've been tramping through the marshes with me since they were 7 or 8,“ said Drake, who participated in the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Youth Waterfowl Hunt with Gregory this past weekend.
”They would just tag along with us.“
Sometimes the Drakes finish in a half hour; other times they're gone the whole day. The boys prepare full meals with their game and also make jerky.
The experiences teach companionship and give families some quality time together, Drake said, adding that he tries to instill a respect for the history of the sport in his sons.
”You can get some great bonds and friendships from people you hunt with,“ Petrosino added. ”Those can last a lifetime.“
Drake is familiar with the national statistics reporting decreasing numbers of hunters; his own father stopped the sport partly because he couldn't find good places to hunt anymore.
Wagner said that a lot of lands are now being developed and other parcels are posted, which discourages hunters of all ages.
Both the DEC and national pro-hunting organizations tout the importance of hunting for conservation and wildlife management purposes.
”Hunting is the most effective deer-management tool,“ said Maureen Wren, spokeswoman for the DEC.
The department is looking for ways to get younger hunters involved in the sport, she said. This year, she said, it changed the structure of the southern zone's big game opening day so that it falls on a weekend, allowing licensed children to attend.
Boyles doesn't buy the management and conservation claims.
”We have ways to manage wild animals without having to kill them,“ she said.
States can look at alternate ways to control habitats and can also employ new methods, such as immunocontraception, a procedure that ensures that does cannot conceive for several years.
Boyles believes that state agencies are continuing to promote hunting and boosting the number of animals so that they will see more revenue from the sale of hunting licenses.
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
It's one more way that Petrosino, president of The Falcon Sportsmen Club in Sennett, gives his students an appreciation of wildlife and hunting.
And while half of Petrosino's pupils are adults, the others are children ages 12-18, a group that the Falcon Club and national hunting organizations are reaching out to in an attempt to thwart the country's dwindling number of hunters.
”We do everything we can to promote it to kids around here,“ Petrosino said, noting his club will host its third youth pheasant hunt this year.
Over the past 25 years, the total number of hunters nationwide has dropped by 23 percent, according to statistics compiled by the National Shooting Sports Foundation.
Only 25 percent of youth from hunting households are active hunters, the foundation says.
”There are a lot more things competing for kids' attention,“ said Steve Wagner, a spokesman for NSSF, which is co-sponsoring ”Families Afield,“ an initiative aimed at recruiting young hunters.
Wagner said that children's interests in video games and after-school sports is one reason for the decline but that states' age and coursework provisions also play a large role.
In New York, children under 12 cannot obtain a hunting license of any kind, and all would-be hunters are required to attend at least 10 hours of sportsmen education classes.
Such measures put New York on the NSSF's list of America's 20 ”very restrictive“ states.
Along with the U.S. Sportsmen's Alliance and National Wild Turkey Federation, the NSSF is advocating to allow parents to decide when their children are ready to hunt, and to permit a supervised introduction to the sport before going through the coursework and certification processes.
Wagner said that states with less stringent requirements result in more young participants and ensure that today's children will replace retiring hunters.
Petrosino also expressed his concern about the future of hunting.
The number of hunters in Cayuga County is in a steady decline, and children need to pick up the slack, he said.
Though he believes the age for hunting deer should be lowered from 16 to 14 (as does the New York Department of Environmental Conservation), he thinks 12 is a good, safe age for kids to begin hunting, noting how smaller children may have trouble paying attention during education classes.
And these safety classes are essential, Petrosino said.
”I do fail people if they don't pay attention and do the right thing,“ he said.
During his classes, participants receive a workbook that appears to be geared toward children, with colorful illustrations on how to dispose of deer entrails and photos of teenagers correctly pointing their firearms.
There are also chapters on wildlife conservation, first aid and ethics.
”There's an old saying: ‘Kids that fish and hunt don't mug old ladies,'“ Petrosino said, adding that youth hunters learn to respect both wildlife and people.
Young hunters are also among the safest hunters, he said.
But Stephanie Boyles, a wildlife biologist with People for the Ethical Treatment of Animals, said that allowing children to hunt may result in violent behavior toward humans in the future.
”It sets a very bad mindset to what it means to make a fellow being suffer,“ Boyles said, adding that children don't learn compassion or empathy when they kill animals for recreation.
Paul Drake, of Palmyra, hunts ducks, pheasants and geese with his two sons, Gregory, 15 and Stephen, 16, almost every weekend.
”They've been tramping through the marshes with me since they were 7 or 8,“ said Drake, who participated in the Montezuma National Wildlife Refuge Youth Waterfowl Hunt with Gregory this past weekend.
”They would just tag along with us.“
Sometimes the Drakes finish in a half hour; other times they're gone the whole day. The boys prepare full meals with their game and also make jerky.
The experiences teach companionship and give families some quality time together, Drake said, adding that he tries to instill a respect for the history of the sport in his sons.
”You can get some great bonds and friendships from people you hunt with,“ Petrosino added. ”Those can last a lifetime.“
Drake is familiar with the national statistics reporting decreasing numbers of hunters; his own father stopped the sport partly because he couldn't find good places to hunt anymore.
Wagner said that a lot of lands are now being developed and other parcels are posted, which discourages hunters of all ages.
Both the DEC and national pro-hunting organizations tout the importance of hunting for conservation and wildlife management purposes.
”Hunting is the most effective deer-management tool,“ said Maureen Wren, spokeswoman for the DEC.
The department is looking for ways to get younger hunters involved in the sport, she said. This year, she said, it changed the structure of the southern zone's big game opening day so that it falls on a weekend, allowing licensed children to attend.
Boyles doesn't buy the management and conservation claims.
”We have ways to manage wild animals without having to kill them,“ she said.
States can look at alternate ways to control habitats and can also employ new methods, such as immunocontraception, a procedure that ensures that does cannot conceive for several years.
Boyles believes that state agencies are continuing to promote hunting and boosting the number of animals so that they will see more revenue from the sale of hunting licenses.
Staff writer Linda Ober can be reached at 253-5311 ext. 237 or linda.ober@lee.net
