10/30/2025
Moose Maine Kids Youth Pheasant Hunt
By Linda Ewen and Lauren Keiser
On a beautiful sunny September day Sebasticook Chapter of NAVHDA hosted Moose Maine Kids Youth Pheasant Hunt, generously supported and funded by the NAVHDA Youth Events Program. The event kicked off early in the morning with a safety briefing, where each participant was fitted with blaze orange vests and received a review of safe firearm handling practices, guided by safety coordinator Paul Randall. The youth were then paired with experienced mentors, Peter Wade, Ron Gilboe, John Pelletier, Steve Gilboe and Dan Albert and NAVHDA trained bird dog/handler teams, ensuring everyone had the support and guidance needed for a safe and fun hunt.
Our young hunters were amazing, showing great patience and skills as they learned gun safety and hunted alongside well-trained NAVHDA dogs. It was so cool to see the dogs work, pointing at and retrieving pheasants with such precision and watching the smiles on our hunters’ faces when the dogs delivered birds to them.
The first youth to successfully harvest a pheasant was eager to preserve the memory and expressed interest in mounting the bird's tail. Peter Wade guided the young hunter through the process, demonstrating step-by-step how to properly prepare the tail for mounting. In addition to this hands-on lesson, Wade and Rick Thompson provided all participants with instructions on how to dress their harvested birds. Once prepared, the pheasants were either grilled on site by MMK’s John Ross (South Carolina Pheasant Bird Dogs) for everyone to enjoy or carefully packed so families could bring them home and share their experience together.
This event would not have been possible without the dedication and hard work of our volunteers and handler/dog teams. Special thanks go to Linda Ewen and Lauren Keiser for Co-Chairing this event, Lauren Keiser and Jillian Gumb for managing registration, and to Jillian Gumb for serving as vault and ammo warden as well as field marshal throughout the event. We are also grateful for the outstanding handler and dog teams from MMK and NAVHDA, whose expertise and support helped create a safe and memorable experience for all participants. Darcy St. John played a significant role in preserving the spirit of this remarkable day. Through the lens of her camera, she expertly documented the event, ensuring that the experiences and emotions of our youth were captured in vivid detail. Her photographs serve as lasting memories, allowing everyone to revisit and cherish these special moments for years to come.
We extend our sincere gratitude to the Sebasticook Chapter of NAVHDA for hosting this year’s event at The Versatile Place. The outstanding quality of the grounds provided an ideal setting for our youth participants, allowing everyone to encourage and support their new friends as they experienced their first pheasant hunt alongside the skilled dog and handler teams. The environment fostered camaraderie and excitement, making the event truly memorable for both participants and spectators.
NAVHDA Youth Events Program generously supported and funded the Youth Pheasant Hunt. Passing on outdoor traditions to younger generations is vital for keeping the spirit of hunting and respect for nature alive. By teaching kids about the outdoors, we provide them with valuable lessons in responsibility, safety, and appreciation for wildlife. These experiences not only foster important skills but also create lasting memories and a deep connection to the natural world. Engaging youth in such activities ensures that these cherished traditions continue and thrive for years to come.
Moose Maine Kids is a 501c3 nonprofit organization dedicated to promoting and providing opportunities to youth to learn about and enjoy traditional outdoor activities like camping, fishing, hunting, canoeing and hiking. For more information please visit https://moosemainekids.com/ or https://www.facebook.com/moosemainekids for upcoming events.
