4H Outdoor Skills Club held a Rabbit hunt
Front from left: Katie OSterman, Eliza Johnston, Jordan Wilhelm, Sawyer Haymaker, Caleb Kinion.
Backrow Greg Wilhelm, Tee Haymaker, Mike Wolfe and Gordon McCoy.
Botetourt County 4 H clubs are numerous. The Outdoor Skills Club teaches youth how to handle everything from a gun. to canoes, to boat safety to building an outdoor experience lifestyle.
In December, the young folks who had been taught firearm saftey by certified instructors and how to shoot, went on a rabbit hunt with instructors, and dogs. The Club members ate their kill and came away with a valuable experience.
Adam Keith who grew up in Botetourt County, an LBHS grad, brought some of his award winning Beagles to Mike Wolfe’s farm in Fincastle. His late grandfather, Vernon Keith was known all over the east and mid west for his Beagles. Keith said, “We had some great chases, plenty of rabbits, some good shooting and some close misses.”
It was a wet afternoon but the club members found success. Ed and Gordon McCoy were there, Ed to cook the rabbits and Gordon to help the youth along as did Frank Sizemore and Clyde Stanley.
Wolfe said of the Club. “We are building relationships with the club members and they are learning how to do things that were common several generations ago. They were able to learn fire arm safety and how to shoot in a supervised environment. On site they hunted with dogs, made good shots, learned how to field dress game and then ate the rabbit.”
The club provides lessons on habitats for wildlife, how to track, identify scat, start a fire, navigate in the woods, use a compass, make knives, boat safety and so much more. They plan to go coon hunting and hunt quail.
The instructors are certified and follow a curriculm.
The club meets the third Tuesday of every month at Fincastle Firehouse. Any young person from 4th-12th grade can join, but must register with 4H first. Call 540- 473-8260.–
–Story by Cathy Benson, Photo by Adam Keith
