What I Learned from Learn To Hunt

My husband Jeremiah and I signed up for our first Learn to Hunt workshop in November 2017 and attended a weekend workshop designed to help adults with no hunting background learn the basics of hunting in Illinois. This was a workshop that I wanted to take, and I dragged my husband along. In the end it turned into an activity we both really enjoyed.

I have been a vegetarian for about 14 years but have always been very interested in sustainable and ethical meat sourcing. Kristen Black, Dan Stephens and Jared Duquette were fantastic teachers and helped me understand the hows of hunting—how hunting helps our local environment (managing the wildlife carrying capacity) and how our federal and state governments use hunter-supported funds to support national and state projects. Our instructors made sure we understood local hunting laws, which, before entering the workshop, had been the most intimidating aspect of hunting for us.

During our Learn To Hunt workshop we were able to participate in a one-day, hands-on session that had a strong focus on hunting equipment, including bows, shotguns, turkey decoys, calls, clothing options and more. We were able to try our hand at both archery and shotgun practice, which was especially helpful because I think it helped me narrow down the type of hunting I wanted to participate in. The instructors were hands on and thorough when it came to teaching shotgun safety. Many of the people attending had never shot a gun, and without this workshop may never have considered trying to hunt.

After we covered safety aspects, we were able to participate in a ring-necked pheasant hunt with members of a local Pheasants Forever chapter who brought along hunting dogs. Watching the dogs work was phenomenal and realizing the hard work their owners/trainers put in to the training and relationship astonished me. This was an amazing experience and what truly sold me on the idea of hunting. We had a great learning day and were able to take home three pheasants between the two of us. Dan Stephens, one of our instructors, shared some really amazing ideas about wild game recipes. One of our pheasants became part of our Thanksgiving meal the following week when I stewed the carcass overnight with onions, celery, peppercorns to make a bone broth from which I made a pheasant and noodles dish.

Since the workshop, I have gone on deer, duck and pheasant hunts. Hunting has provided me with a great way to get to know others and is something I plan on sharing with my daughter as she gets older. I love being able to enjoy the outdoors while also providing food for my family. I feel very lucky to have been able to attend and learn from Learn to Hunt workshops and will continue to take the specialty workshops as they’re offered.

A note from the author: a special shout out to Kristin Black, Dan Stephens, Jared Duquette and Marty Whalin who have been there constantly through the past year as I bombarded them with hunting and outdoors questions. They have been the best teachers I could have asked for and have positively impacted my life and changed the way I view hunting.

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Alex Blaylock-Buchanan resides in Monticello with her family. Alex is graduate of Eastern Illinois University, with a degree in Political Science, and Jeremiah is a City of Monticello employee. Both are adult volunteers with the local 4-H Shooting Sports Club and enjoy trap shooting. Although Alex has been a vegetatrian for many years, and the family enjoys meatless meals, they have started enjoying meals using more ethically sourced meats and foraging for wild mushrooms and other goodies used for dinners.