by Dee Dee Dockins
Stoddard County, Missouri - As an Outdoor Skills Specialist, one of the questions most asked is how to start kids out hunting. Easy, focus on your child. As simple as it may seem, most parents think that if they don’t harvest an animal, their child won’t enjoy the hunt. Hunting with mom or dad in the field and having fun is your ultimate goal.
Keeping focused on the total hunting “experience” will help ensure a successful hunt with your child. The first key to starting kids out hunting is to build interest and anticipation prior to heading to the field. Parents who skip this step are doomed from the start. One of my favorite experiences with my son is scouting for deer or turkey. He finds the signs of animals and then helps decide where to set our blind. We then set up the blind and watch for game before opening day. Sometimes that lasts 10 minutes and sometimes 2 hours, it depends on his attention span. You could also cook a wild game dinner with your child to help them form the connection between the hunter and the harvest.
Any successful hunter will plan their trip prior to the hunt. Well laid plans ensure that each step of the experience will be positive and spark interest in the hunt. Allowing your child to help make plans for the hunt gives him or her ownership in the experience.
Here are few more pointers:
1. Make sure your children are comfortable, dressed in layers. You can purchase rain gear but keep in mind that your child probably doesn’t want to hunt in the rain.
2. Leave your firearm at home. Concentrate on your child during the hunt. The only thing you should shoot during their hunt is a camera. YOU can hunt another day.
3. Take your child hunting as soon as he or she can quietly sit in the blind. They don’t have to have a firearm to hunt.
4. If they are going to shoot, find a firearm that fits them and can be shot comfortably, no exceptions.
5. Teach conservation all the time. Make certain your child understands why you’re planning to hunt in a certain location and the importance of good habitat. Ask them to tell you why this is a good place to hunt and continue the education while waiting in the blind.
6. Practice what you preach. Demonstrate safe, responsible and ethical behavior at all times. Your children will mimic your behavior.
7. Bring a set of binoculars for your child. One of the easiest ways to keep a child occupied is the use of binoculars.
8. Ground blinds are very forgiving. These blinds can hide most all movements of fidgety hunters and even provide an area to sleep during those slow morning hunts.
9. Keep the hunt short. When they are ready to go home, GO HOME. Remember, you are hunting for them. If you hunt for 10 minutes today but 20 minutes tomorrow you are still making an improvement.
If you build the experience step by step you will be rewarded tenfold. Continued congratulations on successes and positive encouragement about missed opportunities lift spirits.
Compliments about his or her shooting abilities, keen eye, ability to identify animals, etc. will be imprinted on their brain forever. Make sure your child knows how much fun it was being with them afield—that’s the trophy.
The countless hours you and your child spend afield creates memories that bond one generation to another. Regardless of how many hunting videos you both watch, how many other hunters he talks to, the child will look to up to you the rest of their life. You will be the one who EXPERIENCED the each step of this grand adventure with them. You will be the one who taught them the joy of hunting.
Reagan is the daughter of Travis and Laura Miller and Steve and Tracy Watkins. She attend Dexter Senior High School and is currently a junior.
She is currently on the DHS Lady Cats Tennis team and has performed on the Track & Field team as well. Reagan is a member of the Fellowship of Christian Athletes, Student Council, Art Club, FCCLA, and the Dexter Tech Association (DTA).
Reagan is a member of REFUGE at the First Baptist Church and the Christian Youth Fellowship at the First Christian Church.
She is also a Top 10% member at Dexter High School.
Though she does not know just where she plans to go to college, she plans to select a college next year.
Her hobbies are playing the Ukulele and watching Netflix!
Dexter, Missouri - The T.S. Hill Middle School Bearcats take on the Charleston Bluejays in their first game of the season at John Harris Marshall Field. Game time 6:00 p.m.
Playing for the 8th grade Bearcats are #1 Travis Waldner, #2 Jack Scruggs, #7 Logan Mitchell, #8 Drew Soule, #10 Garret Henson, #14 Spencer Warren, #15 Hyden Hillis, #16 Corey Ezell, #19 Blaine Berry, #22 Mason Keena, #50 Matthew Agey, #56 Eric Allen, #60 Ryder Foster, #61 Steven Cupp, #65 Blake Racca, #68 Luke Becker, #71 Parker VanSlyke, #81 Austin Guy, #84 Brodie Pollock, and #85 Cutter Cornett.
The 7th grade roster was not available at press time according to Coach Sneed. Team photos will be taken on September 8th just before their first home opener and will be posted on the ShowMe Times at a later date.
DMS Football Schedule
Sept 3 Charleston (A) 6:00 p.m. 8th grade only
Sept 8 NMCC (Home) 5:00 p.m. 7th and 8th grades
Sept 17 Sikeston (A) 4:30 p.m. 7th and 8th grades
Sept 22 East Prairie (Home) 5:30 p.m. 7th grade only
Sept 24 Kennett (A) 5:00 p.m. 7th and 8th grades
Sept 29 Caruthersville (Home) 5:00 p.m. 7th and 8th grades
Oct 1 Malden (A) 7:30 p.m. 8th grade only
Oct 6 Portageville (Home) 5:00 p.m. 8th grade only
Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The Notre Dame Volleyballfest is slated for Friday, September 4th and Saturday, September 5th in Cape Girardeau. The Lady Cats varsity and junior varsity are set to play both days.
Notre Dame. Ste. Genevieve, Lindbergh, St. Vincent, Lafayette, Helias Catholic and Perryville will compete along with Dexter.
The JV Lady Cats begin their play on Court 2 Friday against Perryville at 5:00 p.m. and then Helias Catholic at 6:30 p.m. On Saturday they play 9th grade Perryville at 11:00 a.m. on court 2.
Junior Varsity Tournament
Pool A: Notre Dame, Ste. Genevieve, Lindbergh, St. Vincent
Pool B: Perryville JV, Dexter, Helias Catholic, Perryville 9th.
Friday Pool Play
Court 1
Notre Dame vs. Ste. Genevieve, 3:30 p.m.
St. Vincent vs. Lindbergh, 5 p.m.
St. Vincent vs. Notre Dame, 6:30 p.m.
Court 2
Perryville 9th vs. Helias Catholic, 3:30 p.m.
Dexter vs. Perryville JV, 5 p.m.
Dexter vs. Helias Catholic, 6:30 p.m.
Saturday Pool Play
Court 1
Ste. Genevieve vs. Lindbergh, 8 a.m.
Notre Dame vs. Lindbergh, 9:30 a.m.
Ste. Genevieve vs. St. Vincent, 11 a.m.
Court 2
Perryville 9th vs. Perryville JV, 8 a.m.
Helias Catholic vs. Perryville JV, 9:30 a.m.
Perryville 9th vs. Dexter, 11 a.m.
Saturday Bracket Play
Quarterfinal 1: No. 1 Pool A vs. No. 4 Pool B, Court 1 at 1 p.m.
Quarterfinal 2: No. 3 Pool A vs. No. 2 Pool B, Court 1 at 2 p.m.
Quarterfinal 3: No. 1 Pool B vs. No. 4 Pool A, Court 2 at 1 p.m.
Quarterfinal 4: No. 3 Pool B vs. No. 2 Pool A, Court 2 at 2 p.m.
Semifinal 1: Quarterfinal 1 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 2 Winner, Court 1 at 5 p.m.
Semifinal 2: Quarterfinal 3 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 Winner, Court 2 at 5 p.m.
Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, Court 2 at 7 p.m.
Shown in the photo are JV Lady Cats #3 Kelby Hill and #16 Maycie Martin.
Cape Girardeau, Missouri - The Notre Dame Volleyballfest is slated for Friday, September 4th and Saturday, September 5th in Cape Girardeau. The Lady Cats varsity and junior varsity are set to play both days.
Notre Dame. Ste. Genevieve, Lindbergh, St. Vincent, Lafayette, Helias Catholic and Perryville will compete along with Dexter.
The varsity team will play at 5:45 p.m. against Perryville on Friday and then at 7:15 p.m. take on Helias Catholic. Both games on court 1.
On Saturday, Dexter will begin play at 11:45 a.m. against Lafayette on court 2.
Junior varsity schedule in a separate article on the ShowMe Times.
The teams will be seeded following pool play and compete in an eight-team single-elimination bracket on Saturday afternoon. Bracket play will be the best two out of three rallying scoring. The varsity championship is scheduled for Saturday at 7:00 p.m.
Varsity Tournament:
Pool A: Notre Dame, Ste. Genevieve, Lindbergh, St. Vincent
Pool B: Lafayette, Dexter, Helias Catholic, Perryville.
Friday Pool Play
Court 1
Notre Dame vs. Ste. Genevieve, 4:15 p.m.
St. Vincent vs. Lindbergh, 5:45 p.m.
St. Vincent vs. Notre Dame, 7:15 p.m.
Court 2
Perryville vs. Helias Catholic, 4:15 p.m.
Dexter vs. Perryville, 5:45 p.m.
Dexter vs. Helias Catholic, 7:15 p.m.
Saturday Pool Play
Court 1
Ste. Genevieve vs. Lindbergh, 8:45 a.m.
Notre Dame vs. Lindbergh, 10:15 a.m.
Ste. Genevieve vs. St. Vincent, 11:45 a.m.
Court 2
Lafayette vs. Perryville, 8:45 a.m.
Helias Catholic vs. Lafayette, 10:15 a.m.
Lafayette vs. Dexter, 11:45 a.m.
Saturday Bracket Play
Quarterfinal 1: No. 1 Pool A vs. No. 4 Pool B, Court 1 at 3 p.m.
Quarterfinal 2: No. 3 Pool A vs. No. 2 Pool B, Court 1 at 4 p.m.
Quarterfinal 3: No. 1 Pool B vs. No. 4 Pool A, Court 2 at 3 p.m.
Quarterfinal 4: No. 3 Pool B vs. No. 2 Pool A, Court 2 at 4 p.m.
Semifinal 1: Quarterfinal 1 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 2 Winner, Court 1 at 6 p.m.
Semifinal 2: Quarterfinal 3 Winner vs. Quarterfinal 4 Winner, Court 2 at 6 p.m.
Championship: Semifinal 1 Winner vs. Semifinal 2 Winner, Court 1 at 7 p.m.
Shown in the photo is #9 Julia Hahn of Dexter setting a ball against Jackson Lady Indians.
