Kids That Love The Outdoors Excel
Maddie Marsh is the 10-year-old daughter of Kevin and Corie Marsh. The family owns the Maddie Moos meat processing business in Mechanicsburg. Kevin has some good ideas on how to get kids interested in hunting.
“I began taking Maddie to the woods when she was three. I let her take her dolls and other things to play with. We sat in a ground blind and when wildlife approached, we just watched,” said Kevin.
Kevin did not hunt when his daughter was in the blind. “I just wanted her to see the wild animals. The decision to hunt was her’s to make when she got older, he said.
At age five, Maddie decided she wanted to hunt and harvested a doe. Five years later Maddie is in the record books for becoming the youngest hunter ever to score a single-season grand slam in turkey hunting. She took an Eastern, Osceola, Mariam, and Rio species using a crossbow.
“The Osceola was the most difficult to call within range. These Florida birds have a lot of predators and that makes them super wary,” according to Kevin.
Add to this several more deer with one being an exceptional buck taken on the family farm in Jefferson County.
This young hunter is a stand-out in sports, as well. Maddie wrestles for Pendleton and is a state champion and two-time national bronze medalist. Way to go Maddie! Keep it up.
Squirrel Is The Perfect Game Animal To Get Kids Started Hunting
Squirrel season is in and hunting them is fun and exciting for beginners of any age. On hot August days, the squirrels can be found early and late in the day. However, a cool day like today is a sure bet for them to be active longer.
Hickories are the hot spots early. Squirrels will eat them before moving on to other masts. You can drive by a wooded area for the next few weeks and inhale the sweet molasses fragrance of cut hickory nuts.
I have a couple of indicator trees that give me a perspective on the hickory nut crop. Both are shellbark hickories; one was barren and the other had just a few nuts. I did not check any pig or shagbark hickories.
Squirrels also savor the sweet taste of field corn. Hunting along cornfield/woods lines will often put a limit of five squirrels on your belt.
I like fried squirrel, but it can be tough if not properly prepared. I coat my pieces of meat with flour or Frying Magic, then brown on both sides in a skillet. From there, the pieces go into an aluminum pan with three tablespoons of water. Seal the pan with foil and put it in a 300-degree oven for two hours and twenty minutes. Make gravy with the drippings.
I will be on 1240 AM-WHBU this morning at 8:30 with morning man Mitch.
