Westar Energy and its volunteer Green Team will offer first-time youth deer hunters a guided opportunity at Jeffrey Energy Center near St. Mary's during this year's firearms deer seasons, Dec. 3-14 and Jan. 1-4. Using enclosed blinds on small, bottomland fields, guides will teach young hunters and their adult mentors all aspects of the hunt, including field dressing the harvested animal. A safety and orientation session will be held prior to the season's start and will include an opportunity to sight in rifles with expert help.

This hunt is designed for both novice mentors and youth, and antlerless deer are the primary quarry. Deer densities in the area are good; shots are typically 100 yards or less; and success rates have been consistently high when hunters can return if they don't harvest on their first attempt. Hunters must have a statewide Any Season Whitetail or Whitetail Antlerless Only permit. Rifles will be provided by the guides.

After the season, a banquet will be prepared by the guides for the young hunters and their families. Deer will be cooked a variety of ways to demonstrate the delicacy of venison.

Qualified applicants will be accepted on a first-come, first-served basis until Nov. 5. Spots will fill quickly, so apply as soon as possible. For more information or to apply, contact Brad Loveless at 785-575-8115.

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Big Oregon Roosevelt Elk
It was 4:45 am on the Oregon coast this last November, and we are all getting ready to head out and position ourselves in spots that we think may put us in the best position to track down the herd of elk that came out of our fields the night before. We'd seen a group of about 30 head breaking into smaller groups and heading out of the fields and into the woods no less then 5 minutes before we were ready to leave.