Last summer the Pennsylvania Game Commission announced a youth essay contest for all Pennsylvania hunters, ages 12 to 18. The announcement was printed on page 106 of the Hunting & Trapping Digest that comes with your hunting license and was listed on the agency’s website.
Licensed youths were to write an essay no longer than 300 words, addressing the theme, “Why I am the Future of Hunting.” Two age groups were set up: Junior Division (ages 12-15) and Senior (ages 16-18). The deadline was October 31, 2004.
Grand prize winners were given scholarships to either the Safari Club International’s Apprentice Hunter Camp in Texas (junior), or the American Wilderness Leadership School in Wyoming (senior). First prizes in both the junior and senior divisions were .50 caliber muzzleloader rifles from Knight. Prizes for entries finishing in second through fourth place in both divisions included a Magellan SporTrak GPS Unit for second place, a Sightron 3×9 rifle scope, and a Buck Knives limited-edition knife. All entries received a Game Commission “Working Together for Wildlife” embroidered patch.
According to PGC Press Secretary Jerry Feaser, about 150 students entered the junior division, while judges read approximately 70 entries in the senior division. We were lucky to have two local winners. Amanda Mills of Bellwood, took first prize in the junior division and won a Knight muzzleloader and Brian Pearson of Tyrone finished fourth in the senior division, winning a beautiful Buck knife.
The students received their prizes, presented by PGC WCO Steve Hanczar, at the Jaffa Outdoor Sports Show held in Altoona last week. Also honored were the students‚ Hunter Trapper Education instructors: John Rice of Tyrone, who taught Pearson, and Mark Luke and Bill Carter of Bellwood, who taught Mills. All three instructors are long-time veterans of donating their services to beginning hunters.
“I never thought that my entry would be good enough to win a prize, but I thought that I’d at least get the patch,” Pearson said, who credited his father with teaching him gun safety. In his essay, Pearson wrote, “Places that were once heavily hunted fence rows, field and woods are now being planted with modern housing developments.” He recognizes a need to protect the remaining open spaces. Brian, 18, is the son of Charles and Janet of Adams Avenue and is a senior at Tyrone Area High School.
Amanda Mills is the daughter of Laray and Ray Mills, Jr., of Bellwood, and is a student at Bellwood-Antis Middle School. Already an accomplished deer hunter at 14, she wrote, “Hunting has been a part of our family for more than five generations. Every season is a new and exciting experience and I look forward to it every year.” Mills would like to encourage all girls who are hunters to consider entering the contest next fall. With her prize, Mills has something new to look forward to-shooting and hunting with a muzzleloader.
