Wilderness Unlimited (W.U.) is a large multi-ranch access organization that manages 1000’s of acres of private property/habitat for hunting and fishing by it’s members. Each ranch is managed based on that ranch’s needs. All of W.U.’s fifty some big game ranches have a pre season established quota of take that, when reached, the ranch is closed to deer hunting and hunters need to go to other ranches. Other management techniques are employed as well such as archery only hunting or midweek closures to name a couple.

W.U.’s Clarke Ranch located near Laytonville in Mendocino County has traditionally been managed as a 3-point or better ranch for most if not all of the A-zone deer season. This regulation has done well at maintaining a trophy deer ranch for W.U. members. Over the years W.U. wildlife management, knowing that some bucks will never become 3-pointers, observed the growing population of old forks.

Three years ago Wilderness Unlimited and The Wilderness Unlimited Foundation (WUF) looked at the situation with the large forked horns and decided the best way to reduce the population was to offer a junior deer hunt. The first hunt was held during the second weekend of the 2006 general A-zone season. Five lucky youth hunters were selected through a special drawing to participate in the hunt in hopes of harvesting their first deer.

Although, the first year was unsuccessful by measure of deer harvested, it was by all means successful for the lessons learned, the friendships made and the experiences gained. That success has continued year after year.

August 2008:
The Clarke Ranch was crawling with large forks and the hunting mentors were feeling the pressure. For two years, juniors and mentors had been on deer and shots taken to no prevail. 2008 was the year for the junior hunters to calm their shaking knees, aim for the sweet spot, and squeeze the trigger.

W.U members and junior hunters Matt Beardsley, age 12, Matt Johannes, age 14, Vanessa Bautista, age 14, Tanya Havens, age 16 and Mike Cornelius, age 16, arrived at the Clarke Ranch on Friday, August 15th. They met with their W.U. volunteer hunting mentors. W.U. and WUF are extremely grateful for the mentors. Without them, the Junior Hunt would not turned into what it has become. After an introductory and safety meeting, each junior received a pair of binoculars, courtesy of Alpen Optics, and a commemorative t-shirt from WUF. The group then shared past hunting stories including those about the ones that got away.

Morning came soon enough and the entire group woke to the smell of coffee and hot cocoa. Fortunately, the mentors had made their plans and checked their hunter’s gear the night before. Which made getting out to the field easy going.