Interested in learning how to hunt but not sure where to start? Now you can listen to expert advice thanks to Colorado Parks & Wildlife’s new “Learn to Hunt” webinar series.
The six-episode series, launched in May on Zoom, now lives on CPW’s YouTube channel and is free to all viewers.
“Because of COVID-19 we weren’t able to do in-person seminars this year, so we started rethinking how we could reach people,” says Bryan Posthumus, CPW’s hunter outreach coordinator. “So we came up with these as a way to help teach people about various aspects of hunting.”
The webinar series was successful from the start, with more than 700 people signing in for the first episode. The following episodes received similar support. “It has a lot of positive things going for it,” Posthumus adds. “The target audience is beginner hunters or experienced hunters who are new to Colorado. They cover simple topics with a narrow focus so they’re easy to follow and understand.”
Topics covered in the series include:
- Virtual Scouting Tools, covering resources to help people find where to hunt, including the Colorado Hunting Atlas, Google Earth and various phone apps.
- Understanding Hunt Statistics, detailing how to make the most of draw applications and leftover license options.
- Field Scouting, highlighting tips for searching for game.
- Big Game Hunting Tactics, featuringstrategies for success.
- Secondary Draw, Leftover Licenses and OTC Licenses, covering tips for the state’s new Secondary Draw system.
- Mentors and Community, discussing how to find people to hunt with.
The information is hosted by CPW staffers and other experts, and is presented in a learning format with a Q&A session at the end that was produced during the live webinars. Throughout the series, CPW also polled viewers to gain insight their demographic.
“A lot of participants were experienced hunters over the age of 40,” says Posthumus, adding the agency plans to evaluate the series afterward for future webinar programs. “There are still a lot of hunters out there who want to learn. It’s a great way to reach out to people.