Winter Haven landowner honored for work with youth hunting program
News Release
Wednesday, September 07, 2011
Media contact: Susan Smith, 850-528-1755
(Back to Commission meeting news)
At its meeting in Naples, the Florida Fish and Wildlife
Conservation Commission presented Gene Paul of Winter Haven with
the 2010 "Landowner of the Year Award" for its Youth Hunting
Program - a program aimed at providing quality hunting experiences
for 12- to 17-year-olds to increase the number of youths involved
in the tradition of hunting.
Paul has allowed the FWC to run youth hunts for deer and wild
hogs on his property for the past two years, providing six hunts to
more than 60 youths, and has future hunts scheduled this season. He
also hosted a hog hunt last year for a dozen women.
Paul and his family enjoy giving opportunities to youths on
their 2,900-acre Tippen Bay Ranch in southeast DeSoto County for
the joy of seeing the kids' smiling faces after their first hunt
and harvest.
"These kids and their parents are able to enjoy the natural
environment, swamp buggy rides and fishing in the stocked pond,"
said huntmaster Dave Klein. "This is one of the best opportunities
for some of these kids to get introduced to hunting and family time
in the outdoors."
"Mr. Paul spends so much of his time and money making sure
everyone has a great time and successful hunt in a family
atmosphere, with safety as his number-one concern," said FWC hunter
safety program coordinator Bill Cline. "He does so much for this
program by giving back to the sport he loves. He does that by
helping create tomorrow's hunters and promoting the hunting
tradition."
To find out how you can become a volunteer landowner or to learn
more about Florida's Youth Hunting Program, go to MyFWC.com/YHPF.
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