Features & Tips
Texas Students Experience Hunting and Fishing through
their High School Class
Houston, Texas students from S.F. Austin High School can't say
enough about the Wildlife and Recreation Management Class that
introduces them to the world of hunting and fishing. They learn
a lot and have fun in the process. You won't find these students
playing hooky from class.
Mr. C. Guerrero (Houston Area Director) takes a break to pose with Gold Medal Olympic winner Kim Rhode.
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The Wildlife and Recreation Management Class has a waiting list
of interested students who want to take the elective class. Although
only 60 students get to attend the actual class, all students
can participate in the Wildlife and Recreation Management Club
held after school.
Teacher Mr. C. Guerrero believes in experiential hands-on learning.
Students don't just learn about it through books; they actually
get to go hunting and fishing. "We take students from the
inner-city, many of whom would never have the opportunity to experience
outdoor activities, and give them a dream. It changes their lives,"
says Guerrero.
Student Joel R. said the class and Mr. Guerrero changed him in
a lot of ways. "He's the best teacher I've ever had. There's
no comparison. He changed me a lot by teaching me responsibility,
loyalty and responsibility," said Joel.
Student Erica F. said she'd fished prior to the class but had
never been hunting. She needed an elective and was put in the
class by accident. This year she is president of the Wildlife
and Recreation Management Club. As a result of the class, she's
had a chance to experience, for the first time, deep sea fishing
and hunting. "I could have graduated early, but I enjoyed
the program so much that I chose to stay and graduate with the
rest of the students. My involvement in the class and club helped
me become a better person. I learned things I can use throughout
my life, particularly leadership skills," says Erica.
Students learn game management, hunting and fishing regulations,
ecology, animal science, and habitat management. They also go
through an extensive hunter safety, boating and angling safety
course. "Our students are given all the tools to become safe,
responsible and ethical hunters and anglers," says Guerrero.
High school students invite students from all over the community to fish. The landowner, Judge Stuart Wells is also pictured next to his son Forest.
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"Most states require a 10 hour course in hunter education,
but we provide between 30 and 40 hours of hunter safety,"
says Guerrero. "We use the shooting simulator in the classroom
and then take students out to the shooting range where they learn
to accurately shoot rifles, shotguns and archery. Students are
exposed to situations where they have to decide whether it is
safe to shoot or not. Students are always accompanied by an adult."
Students at S.F. Austin High have hunted for whitetail deer, feral
hogs, wild turkey, javelinas, varmints, waterfowl, small game
and exotic species. Each hunt consists of 10 students accompanied
by 18 adults. Students leave on a Friday morning for one of seventy
ranches in the state of Texas that donate hunting and fishing
trips on their ranches. They hunt Saturday morning and late afternoon
and Sunday morning. In between hunting activities students learn
even more by talking with landowners and game wardens.
Once an animal has been harvested students are taught how to prepare
the animal in the field and to properly care for the meat. The
meat is taken back to the school where students cut it into steaks
or grind the meat and make sausage. Students who harvest the animal
get to take what they can use; then other students in the class
share in the harvest. Some of the meat is saved for cooking lessons
in the classroom. Many times there is more than enough meat to
go around and so students vacuum seal the steaks and make sausage
for the needy people within the community.
If that doesn't sound exciting enough, eight students are chosen
to go on a hunting trip to Colorado. Selected students normally
have high grades, excel in the Wildlife Management Course, and
volunteer to help on the planning and coordination of the hunting
and fishing projects. In Colorado, students hunt for elk and mule
deer. S.F. Austin High School has developed a partnership program
with the Colorado Division of Wildlife. Colorado coordinates a
hunt for the Texas students and Texas coordinates a hunt for Coloradoans.
S.F. Austin H.S. youth pose with Kim Rhode at an outdoor event.
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Local and national celebrities are invited to participate in some
of their hunts. Olympic Gold and Bronze Medal winner Kim Rhode
has joined the students on the January waterfowl hunt for the
past three years. She demonstrates her shooting abilities at the
shooting range prior to the hunt and plants the seeds of Olympic
possibilities for dedicated students. Kim is the youngest female
shooting gold-medalist in Olympic history competing one week past
her 17th birthday. She was going into her senior year
of high school when she won the Gold in the Atlanta Olympics.
The Wildlife and Recreation Club allows students not involved
in the class to learn about and experience hunting and fishing
as well. Club membership is open to students throughout the community,
not just S.F. Austin High School Students. Student club members
get involved in the planning of the hunting and fishing activities
that include the participation of 1200 students on one of 70 different
hunts. Five hundred students get to camp out and go either saltwater
or freshwater fishing.
Senior Chris F. hunted and fished before he took the class but
he says, "The program teaches leadership and responsibility
which helped me in a number of ways including giving me the tools
to develop a guide business." Chris spends his weekends during
the hunting season as a professional hunting guide and has guided
hunters from all across the U.S. "I've earned enough to help
send myself to college," says Chris.
Chris had this advice for students who may have similar programs
in their schools, "Try to get students who haven't experienced
the outdoors. Help get your friends in the program." Chris
believes its good for the program and good for the students.
The S.F. Austin High School Wildlife and Recreation Management
program is co-sponsored by Texas Wildlife Association and the
Texas Parks and Wildlife Department.
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