Open School Archers experience Bow Hunting for Deer for the first time! 11/1/2009 9:34 PM Eight students applied and were accepted into a special Deer hunt at the U of M's Research facility at Cedar Creek in East Bethel. They are Xeng Thao, Kao Yang, Chue Khang, Jeremiah Rodriguez, Kou Yang, Kue Khang, Jim Thao and Long Her.  They are part of a group of 21 students who were chosen for this 3 weekend hunting experience. They have already hunted two weekends and have a third weekend coming up on Dec. 4-6. The 8 boys have learned  a lot throughout this summer and fall. They all took gun safety training and passed, in order to even be considered for the hunt. In Minnesota all students under the age of 18 have to take this training in order to be able to hunt anything with a gun or bow. They have all started advanced Bow Hunter Education. Upon completion of this course they will be eligible for all the special bow hunts around Minnesota that allow hunters to go into places such as Crosby Lake and participate in hunts that are lottery draws. They have had a class in deer trailing, training of what to look for of where they eat, bed and travel. They also learned how to trail dress a deer, skin and butcher a deer properly. Not to mention learning how difficult it is to put up several different types of tree stands, walking long distances into the pich black morning when most normal people are still hours from getting up and finding their way to their tree stands. The boys have met a good many adults who have given their time and effort as scouts, mentors, trainers and volunteered many an hour to make sure this has been a positive experience for each one. I would like to recognize some organizations who deserve a bunch of credit for all this to happen. The Ladies Minnesota  Pheasants and Quail Forever who provided funding for the boys to be able to stay overnight at Cedar Creek, The Minnesota Department of Natural Resources Youth Hunter Program, The University Of Minnesota Research Center at Cedar Creek in East Bethel, The Isanti/Cambridge Chapter of the Minnesota Deer Hunters Association.  A special thanks goes out to National Archery in the Schools Program Region 3 Coordinator Jack Wacholwaricz, who gave hours and hours of his time  to provide transportation to our students to practices, classes etc., and for making sure they have the equipment to be successful.