Hunting With the Next Generation in Illinois
by PJ DelHomme
For the third consecutive year, the Union Sportsmen’s Alliance (USA), in partnership with the Illinois Conservation Foundation (ICF), brought the spirit of the traditional deer camp to the next generation during the annual Illinois Youth Deer Hunt, October 11-13. Held at the Torstenson Youth Conservation Education Center (TYCEC) in Pecatonica, Illinois, this year’s youth deer camp once again proved that the future of hunting and conservation is bright.
The event hosted six eager young hunters, ages 8 to 12, and with great weather, the conditions were perfect for making memories. For two of the participants—including Stephen Peters’ daughter, Alivia, and Tom LeCuyer’s grandson, Liam—the weekend culminated in harvesting their first-ever deer.
The Revival of Deer Camp
The TYCEC is specifically designed to foster a love of the outdoors, but, as the USA’s Director of Conservation Programs Sam Phipps notes, the camp offers more than that. “It’s hard to put that youth center into words. It’s so geared to getting youth into the outdoors,” he said. “Aside from the deer, the kids had a blast just being together. Sometimes it feels like the deer camp from my youth is fading away, and it gives these kids a chance to experience deer camp together with kids their same age.”
Undersheriff Bobby Richardson of Kendall, Illinois, who attended with his 12-year-old son, Blake, enjoyed watching the kids be kids. “Only a couple of kids knew each other prior to this hunt. They didn’t miss a beat. All the kids introduced themselves,” he said. “After that, it was game on. They loved hanging out and playing in the lodge as much as hunting.”
One highlight of the weekend was undoubtedly the hunters’ success in the field. Phipps’ son Nolan was beyond excited after killing his first buck. For Stephen Peters, the center proved lucky a second time. After his oldest daughter killed her first deer here previously, his youngest, Alivia, came home with her first harvest this year. “The experience itself keeps us coming back,” Peters said.
(L-R) Nolan Phipps with his first buck, Decan Ward, and Alivia Peters with her first deer.
Though initially unsure of her shot, Alivia was ecstatic when they found the deer. The experience didn’t end in the field; she helped hold the legs during the field dressing and immediately called her mom, cousin, and paw paw with the news.
The harvest quickly became the main course for a family celebration. “We get the meat processed, and we get a summer sausage out of it around the holidays,” Peters explained. “Alivia wanted to eat the loins at a neighborhood party and cooked the steaks on the grill. I can’t tell you how much we appreciate the USA letting us come back two times now.”
For Bobby Richardson’s son, Blake, it was a valuable lesson in patience and decision-making. Though he didn’t shoot a deer, Blake was being selective—it was either an eight-pointer or bigger or a doe without a fawn. “I always tell my boys if it’s a trophy for you, it’s a trophy for me.”
Richardson was also impressed by the organization running the event. “As an outsider to the USA and being part of a lot of philanthropic activities with the sheriff’s department, I can say what the USA does here is top-notch,” he said. “I was so impressed at the amount of effort that was put into this. You don’t see that from every organization. This group, especially with Sam, was there wholeheartedly. I was so proud to be invited and make some great friends.”
Union Labor at the Center
The commitment to the TYCEC goes well beyond the annual hunt. The facility itself benefits from the hands-on support of union members, ensuring it remains a world-class outdoor education center. Prior to this year’s hunt, Roofers Local 11 removed the old tin roof on the lodge and replaced it with asphalt shingles, while painting contractors updated the exterior lighting and painted the exterior.
Along with memories, every young hunter left with a gift bag containing USA stickers, a deer call, a Milwaukee Tool headlamp, and a USA Buck knife. And it wasn’t just the kids who were affected.
The center’s ongoing maintenance is supported by events like the USA’s annual Illinois State BBQ Bash, which is not just about the competition but also about raising essential funds. “All the funds that are raised go back to keeping the center moving forward with preserving our outdoor heritage and creating memories for the next generation of sportsmen and women,” Phipps noted.
Phipps, too, was moved by the connections he witnessed. “Tom LeCuyer brought his grandson to camp, who was able to harvest his first deer,” Phipps said. “Being able to witness Tom and his grandson share that experience, I was immediately flooded with the memories of harvesting my first deer alongside my grandpa.”
That feeling of connection was evident in the tearful goodbyes. “Those kids did not want to leave. Nolan wanted to know when he was going to see all his friends again,” Phipps said.
