David R. Thompson lives in a cabin in rural Pennsylvania on land that abounds with wildlife. He has been writing about hunting and the outdoors for newspapers and magazines for 45 years. He has published over 2,000 articles and taken many photographs of hunters, wildlife and nature. Having mentored two sons, he is ready to assist his grandchildren as they become junior hunters.
The twenty-five fictional stories (chapters) in "Young Hunter" tell about one year in the hunting adventures of junior hunter Ryan Tyler. His year begins by hunting doves and Canada geese in September and continues through fall and winter until spring turkey season opens in May. He believes he was "born to hunt."
Ryan lives in Pennsylvania where he and his dad and their friends hunt upland game birds such as ring-necked pheasants and ruffed grouse; small game such as cottontail rabbits and gray and fox squirrels; and migratory game birds such as Canada geese, wild ducks and woodcock. The big game that Ryan hunts are black bears, white-tailed deer and wild turkeys. He also participates in a predator hunt, the quarry being an eastern coyote.
You will meet Sarah, a junior hunter who hunts waterfowl with her grandfather and the Tylers. Another character is Mountain Man Sam, who tans hides and lives with his dog Pee Wee in the woods. Sam cooks "rats" to make his favorite stew.
Ryan's classmate Spike is an athlete at school who knows little about hunting. Spike took the hunter education course so that he could hunt with Ryan. Spike likes to keep score, but Ryan understands that hunting is not a sport where hunters compete.
Perry Tyler is Ryan's father and hunting mentor who stresses safe hunting. Fortunately for Ryan, his dad is an avid hunter and they hunt every chance they get. Sometimes they are accompanied by Jessie McCloud who is Spike's mentor. On Spike's first deer hunt, Jessie stayed alert while Spike dozed in the woods as a buck appeared.
Other mentors are Jake Williams, an experienced waterfowl hunter; Linda Lou Bear, who raises rabbit hounds; and Mountain Man Sam, who hunts predators and wishes that mountain lions and wolves still lived in the woods where he lives. They all have opinions about hunting, and Ryan listens to what they say.
The mentors all impress upon Ryan, Sarah and Spike the importance of handling firearms safely and hunting safely. They all abide by hunting regulations and are ethical hunters who respect the game they hunt. In the end, the person they appreciate most is Ryan's mom who cooks a wild game dinner and invites them.