Outdoors with Larry DiDonato - Pro-Hunting Sports Groups Get Kids Off-Screens and Outdoors

Opening day of the 2025 Greene County Youth Turkey Hunt went off without a hitch this past Saturday despite inclement weather. Neither rain nor dark of night could stop 12-year-old Rowan McCarthy of Athens from joining over a dozen kids participating in the annual event. Rowan braved the rain at zero-dark hundred as he ventured out with event organizer/mentor, ECO Lucas Palmateer, despite the fact Rowan was wearing an immobilizing boot over his broken foot! Rowan and Officer Palmateer had one big tom come in as close as 50 yards; just out of range for a humane harvest. The duo hunted without a blind so they got the full force of the elements and the boss’s thunderous gobble and drumming. If you’ve hunted turkeys, you know what I’m talking about. If you haven’t, it’s hard to describe the mixture of terror and excitement when a big tom gobbles and drums so loudly and at point blank range, that the sound reverberates right through your heart-pounding chest. I think that’s the single biggest factor that draws people to hunt turkeys in the spring. There’s simply nothing like it in the world of hunting that compares to that close-up intense vocal interaction. One where you must resist even the slightest sound or movement so you can squeeze the trigger and close the deal and harvest a nice gobbler. 

 I believe we now have a few more kids, who after this hunt, just might be permanently hooked on turkey hunting. It makes little difference whether or not they harvested a bird. The dynamics of the hunt when you connect with a gobbler, even you don’t get to shoot, can be truly memorable. 

 Thirteen kids went out on mentored turkey hunts on opening day of this year’s Youth Turkey Season in Greene County. The youths, aged 12-15 got to hunt nearly a week before the regular season which opens each year on May 1st. The event would not have been possible without the hard work of members of the New York Conservation Officers Association (NYCOA), the Northern Catskills Longbeards Chapter of the National Wild Turkey Federation (NWTF), and the Norton Hill Wildlife Club.

 A total of four turkeys were harvested, which is a pretty good considering the many small things that can derail a perfectly planned hunt. One hunt where all the pieces came together nicely resulted in 14-year-old Grace Alterson, of Prattsville, shooting a beautiful boss tom weighing in at 23 pounds, sporting an eight-inch beard and 3/4-inch spurs. Her first bird! All captured on video by her older brother James under the close supervision of veteran hunter and NWTF Chapter Vice President, James Novak. The huge tom was harvested on a farm on the mountain top. Grace and brother James, joined a number of other youth hunters and mentors who made their way down from the mountain to Norton Hill to commiserate with their valley youth hunter counterparts. Christopher Hoch, 15, in his last turkey hunt as a youth, of Greenville, bagged a double bearded bird while hunting with ECO Kyle Beavis, and Cooper Hulbert, 15, also in his last youth hunt, harvested a nice bird while hunting with one of the Bloom brothers. 

 After the morning hunt, kids, the ECOs, parents, siblings, and volunteers got together for a BBQ put on by Chad and Amber Bloom and the Norton Hill Wildlife Club. Club President, Richard Powell was on hand to show his support for area youth. NYCOA representative and local ECO Lucas Palmateer, was joined by fellow officer/mentors, Albany County ECO Kyle Beavis and Ulster County ECO Adam Johnson, as he announced that Walmart in Catskill had donated two turkey hunting vests to the hunt. Two names were picked out of a “hat” with 13-year-old Jacob Fromer of Tannersville, and 15-year-old Cameron Schelling, of Climax, winning the draw and taking home a pretty handy piece of equipment. None of the kids went home empty handed as Bob Monteleone, President of NWTF’s Northern Catskill’s Longbeards Chapter gave out a box call and two mouth calls to each of the youth hunters. Additionally, all youths got a free, one-year NWTF “JAKES” membership which includes their signature, “JAKES” magazine. All youth hunters and their mentors got a nice O-D green t-shirt commemorating the event.  

 To say a good time was had by all would be an understatement. I did notice that the kids, as well as the adults at the event were too busy sharing stories and admiring harvested toms and jakes on display to be on their phones, even for a minute. 

 Kudos to the organized sportsmen’s groups, sponsors, parents, volunteers, and mentors who made this great event possible. They all went above and beyond actually getting kids “off screens and outdoors!” 

Happy Hunting, Fishing, and Trapping until next time!

News and Notes 

Save the Dates for Upcoming Kid’s Fishing Derbies

On May 10, 2025, the Earlton Fish & Game Club and the Mauer family are hosting their Annual Joe Mauer Memorial Fishing Derby for kids at Mauer’s Pond on Webber Road in Earlton. Those 16 and under can register at 10:00 am and fish from 11:00 am to 1:00 pm. There will be prizes, lunch and refreshments.

On June 21st 2025, the Greene County Federation of Sportsmen’s Clubs will host a kid’s fishing derby at Catskill Point. Further details and information to follow. 

Remember to report poaching and polluting violations by calling the 24-hour ECO Dispatch at 1-844-DEC-ECOS.