FORT JACKSON, S.C. (Sept. 25, 2014) -- Fort Jackson youth are invited to take free hunting lessons with the South Carolina Department of Natural Resources, Take One, Make One youth hunting program, which also honors the memory of a Lexington County Reserve Soldier who died in Operation Iraqi Freedom.
"With the 'Take One, Make One' program, the South Carolina DNR provides all of the food, ammo, camouflage and even an expert guide for youth who are between the ages of 10 and 18," said Mark Smyers, director of Outdoor and Recreation.
"All of our hunts are geared toward children who have little experience in hunting. We have about two to three hunts per year," said Kim Leverich, supervisor of the Hunter Outreach Program with DNR. "We want to include military children on these hunting opportunities because it gives military children of single parents, deployed parents and all military children the opportunity to gain hunting skills and learn conservation of natural wildlife."
Leverich said the next scheduled hunt is Oct. 10.
"This hunt will also honor the memory of Spc. Thomas D. Caughman, who died in combat while serving in Operation Iraqi Freedom in June 2004," Leverich said.
Caughman, a native of Lexington, was assigned to the 458th Engineering Battalion in Baghdad. While on patrol, his platoon was ambushed by insurgents and Caughman's Humvee was struck by two rocket-propelled grenades.
"We've had numerous hunts in Thomas' honor," said Hampton Caughman, Thomas' father. "We set up a memorial fund in his honor with the TOMO program because Thomas loved hunting, fishing and being outdoors."
The hunt in Caughman's memory is an annual event.
"Normally, we get up and meet very early in the morning. We talk about safety, wildlife and then provide a lunch," Caughman said. "Then the children go out on to the land with their professional hunting guide and hunt. Afterwards, I talk about Thomas and how he came about loving hunting, fishing and being outdoors."
Caughman said these types of hunts encourage children to get outdoors, look, listen and learn about the outdoors.
Smyers said these types of hunts have a high potential for success because the students are hunting on private lands. Only the instructors have access to those areas, and they know who is in the area.
"These hunting areas are within a controlled environment, and we encourage the parents to come along as well," Smyers said.
The South Carolina hunting season began Sept. 15. The Fort Jackson hunting season began Aug. 15 and ends Jan. 1.
For more information on the "Take One, Make One" program, contact Mark Smyers at 751-8707.
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