Hunting is a big part of the lives of some students and teachers at Amherst High School. We even have a fur, fin, and feather board showing their hunting skills. Recently, I spoke with two people — a teacher, Mr. VanderLaan, and a junior, Korbin Williams — about their hunting experiences.
Mr. VanderLaan
Q: How did you get started with hunting?
KVL: I started hunting when I was probably in 8th grade, hunting small game like squirrels and rabbits in our back 20. As I progressed into college, I took hunter’s safety and began my obsession with deer hunting. I much prefer bow hunting over rifle hunting as I find it much more challenging. I also learned how to goose hunt with the late Mr. Toelle. He taught me how to scout, set up for birds, equipment needed, etc.
Q: What do you enjoy most about hunting?
KVL: It depends on the type of hunting I am doing. When I’m bow hunting for deer, I enjoy the peace and calm of the woods and being one with nature. I also enjoy the challenge of trying to fool a deer’s nose. When I am goose hunting, I enjoy the camaraderie with my kids and friends. The conversations we have while waiting for flocks to come in is the best part for me.
Q: How do you balance hunting with respect for nature and animals?
KVL: I believe that population management for wild animals is important for a balanced ecosystem. With that being said, I also believe in the ethical harvesting of animals and am a firm believer in eating what you harvest.
Korbin Williams
Q: How did you get started with hunting?
KW: The way that I started hunting was by going up north every rifle season since I was 5 and watching my Dad and older brother hunt so when my first season arrived I went back up north and shot my first deer when I was 8.
Q: What do you enjoy most about hunting?
KW: What I enjoy most about hunting is setting up the cameras and going out and checking them every week to see if the “big one” came around. Also I love the adrenaline rush when the deer walks out when you’re in the tree stand.
Q: How do you balance hunting with respect for nature and animals?
KW: How I balance hunting while still respecting nature and animals is by not making a lot of big trails and destroying any habitats — I will just use a deer trail. I also only shoot a deer that I am comfortable shooting at. I could have shot a nice doe many times but I would always see the two or three little ones coming behind it, so I respect the deer and let them be. Another way is that I love to see nice big bucks so I have a minimum on the size it can be.
