Written By
“To me, hunting is a way of life; I’ve chosen this lifestyle because…I’m able to provide meals for my family, connect with nature, spend time with friends and family, and I’m always able to challenge myself.” Those are the words of Matt Falteich, administrative support assistant for the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service (Service), when asked what his favorite part of hunting is. It was with that enthusiasm that Matt served as the Service liaison for the “Field to Fork” mentored archery deer hunt held at the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge (NWR) in Stroudsburg, Pennsylvania, the weekend of November 14th.
The Field to Fork program, held in partnership with the National Deer Association (NDA) and the Pennsylvania Game Commission (PGC), offered 12 novice hunters the opportunity to experience the full spectrum of a successful archery deer hunt. Over the course of three days, participants gained valuable recreational skills through hands-on demonstrations during the orientation session, followed by two days of hunting with an experienced mentor. The orientation session on the first day included a discussion on hunting ethics and shot placement, safe handling of crossbows and target practice, tree stand placement and safe usage, field dressing, and the processing and preparation of harvested meat.
The PGC provided a recently-deceased deer, which Service staff then used to demonstrate field dressing techniques, followed by skinning and quartering, and then processing the meat into usable cuts. Backstraps were immediately grilled and distributed to the participants. Throughout the weekend, mentees were afforded the opportunity to observe and participate, learning firsthand the basics of venison processing and preparation. Mentors and mentees enjoyed venison (deer meat) for lunch and dinner each day, in the form of a variety of steaks, backstraps, tacos, and chili that were prepared by NDA and Service staff. At the end of the mentored hunt experience, mentees were able to take some venison home with them to share with others, in addition to the many memories made with new friends. The Service’s refrigerated processing trailer came in handy throughout the weekend.
The goal of the NDA’s Field to Fork Program is to recruit adults from non-hunting backgrounds, inviting those outside of the traditional hunting culture to learn every aspect of hunting and sourcing their own protein. For NDA-Pennsylvania Field to Fork Program Coordinator Autumn McEntee, the opportunity to introduce others to the world of hunting is what makes her proud of her work. “Mentored hunting opportunities serve as an outlet to fulfill a want or need in folks' personal lives,” according to McEntee, “whether it be providing field-to-fork fresh meals for their family or trying something new that they've always wanted to.” Introduced to hunting by her father when she was eight years old, Autumn’s position affords her the chance to bring the hunting experience to those who do not have a family or friend connection to the hunting community.
One such novice hunter was Christy Bennis, who had signed up for the mentored hunt program to increase her comfort level for hunting on her own and to be able to learn the skills necessary to be able to teach her son how to hunt. She immediately felt a sense of acceptance, with two other female mentees and five female mentors also taking part in the weekend’s activities. With mentor and PGC Commissioner Haley Sankey by her side, Christy stated that “everything was wonderful, I couldn’t have asked for a better experience!”
First-time hunter Griffin Caruso mentioned that he didn’t come from a hunting family and so finding a mentor at his age was a daunting task. With tutelage from his mentor, Cherry Valley NWR Manager Mike Horne, Griffin was able to successfully harvest a doe and a buck over the course of the weekend. Having made it through his first hunt with great success, his next step is passing along the knowledge learned during the program to his son. For NDA Coordinator Autumn McEntee, it is that willingness of mentees to step outside of their comfort zone that makes the program a success; “there will always be a reason not to try something new, or a "what if I can't," - but what if you can? It is never too late to learn!”
For more information about participating in a mentored hunt at the Cherry Valley National Wildlife Refuge, please email Matthew_Falteich@fws.gov. For more information about the National Deer Association’s Field to Fork Program, please visit their website located here. For more information from the Pennsylvania Game Commission on getting started hunting, please visit their website located here.
