Tennessee Wildlife Federation
  • Latest News
  • Issues
    • Policy Action Center
    • Invasive Carp in Tennessee’s Waters
    • Chronic Wasting Disease
    • Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
    • Share Our Rivers
    • Solve Litter
  • Programs
    • Conservation Policy
    • Hunters for the Hungry
    • Scholastic Clay Target Program
    • Habitat Conservation
    • Hunting and Fishing Academy
  • About Us
    • Overview
    • History
    • Board & Staff
    • Conservation Achievement Awards
    • Contact
    • Media Resources
  • Ways to Give
    • One-time Donation
    • Monthly Giving
    • Gifts in Loving Memory
    • Legacy Giving
    • Corporate Council
    • Non Cash Gifts
    • Crypto
    • More Ways to Help
  • Donate
  • Menu Menu

Mother And Son Bond With New Found Love Of Hunting

April 18, 2019/in Hunters, Hunting and Fishing Academy, News, Turkey /by Kate Hill

The Hunting and Fishing Academy engages youth and parents for a life of hunting together.

Tennessee Wildlife Federation’s programs work to inspire the next generation of outdoor enthusiasts and conservationists. This is done by not only engaging kids but also their family in immersive outdoorsmen experiences.

For Melissa Hinson and her son Noah Hollingsworth, finding ways to spend quality time together isn’t an easy task. Melissa is a single mother working long, full-time hours. Noah is a 7th grader juggling school, homework, and after-school activities.

Noah and his mom after harvesting turkeyBut after participating in a mentored hunt through the Federation’s Hunting and Fishing Academy, they discovered a whole new way to bond on the weekends through their new shared love of hunting.

Melissa and Noah don’t have a family history of hunting. They loved exploring the outdoors together and Noah recently began shooting trap. But without a close family member or friend to share hunting traditions and experience, there was little chance they’d become hunters on their own.

An opportunity to participate in a Federation outing changed all that.

The Federation’s Hunting and Fishing Academy provides novice hunters and their parents, or another mentor, a weekend of practical lessons in hunting or angling. Led by volunteer lifelong hunters called Hunt Masters, participants are taught the art of hunting—from reading the land to animal anatomy to ethical harvesting practices. This allows them to develop essential skills and knowledge so they can go out again on their own. “The Hunt Masters were great. They were very helpful and answered all of our questions,” said Melissa.

>>LEARN MORE: Train to become a volunteer Hunt Master

Melissa went on to praise the Hunt Masters for their patience with Noah, who was diagnosed with Asperger’s at age six. This makes staying still and quiet for long periods difficult, and setbacks in the blind can sting even more.

“The mentors gave good directions and were very instructive, so we knew what to expect and what to do. When Noah missed a shot, they comforted him,” said Melissa. “It was very sweet. You could tell they were all fathers.”

Forging genuine connections to the outdoors and new friendships are just as critical to new hunters as learning basic skills. Those relationships are what draw them into the great outdoors again on their own.

“Asperger’s can make social connections difficult. However, during those three days I saw Noah grow, interact, and simply have fun like never before,” said Melissa. “He was very excited and was able to just be himself. I barely recognized him!”

It was a bonding experience between mother and son too.

Surrounded by Tennessee’s natural beauty, Melissa and Noah waited patiently in the turkey blind—all day. But as time grew short on the final day, they finally heard the distinct gobble sound and Noah soon harvested his first turkey.

“It’s a dream come true for every mom. We learn together and spend time together. When we both see something, we get excited together. It’s beautiful to be out there with him—not talking about school or Xbox. It’s beautiful to just be together,” said Melissa.

Melissa and Noah reflect on the impact their hunting experiences are having on them. For his first hunt, Noah used gear loaned to him by his trap coaches. Today, Melissa rents storage space for their equipment and even considered hunting when she selected her next vehicle.

“I didn’t realize how much it’s changed us. We are really growing into this lifestyle,” said Melissa.

The Federation’s Hunting and Fishing Academy is tailored to create unforgettable family experiences like theirs and inspire the next generation of conservationists.

Share this entry
  • Share on Facebook
  • Share on Twitter
  • Share on LinkedIn
  • Share by Mail
https://tnwf.org/tennesseewf/wp-content/uploads/2019/04/Noah-Hollingsworth.jpg 474 719 Kate Hill https://tnwf.org/tennesseewf/wp-content/uploads/2018/08/TWF_Logo_horizontal2-e1585681401361.png Kate Hill2019-04-18 12:37:022020-03-18 13:27:13Mother And Son Bond With New Found Love Of Hunting
Filter by Topic
Achievements
Anglers
Asian Carp
Chronic Wasting Disease
Conservation Policy
Deer
Fish
Habitat Conservation
Hunters
Hunters for the Hungry
Hunting and Fishing Academy
Lands
News
Nongame Wildlife
Public Lands Transfer
Recovering America’s Wildlife Act
Share Our Rivers
Tennessee SCTP
Turkey
Waterfowl
Waters
Wildlife Watchers
Tennessee Wildlife Federation logo


300 Orlando Avenue
Nashville, Tennessee 37209
(615) 353-1133

© 2023 Tennessee Wildlife Federation

Donate for Wildlife
Take Action
Volunteer for Wildlife
Create a Wildlife Habitat
Programs
Media Resources
Latest News
Contact
Privacy
Trail To Harvard Blazed By Conservation, Hunger Challenge Hunger Challenge logo monarch butterfly Create and Certify Your Own Backyard Habitat to Help Wildlife
Scroll to top
We use cookies on our website to give you the most relevant experience by remembering your preferences and repeat visits. By clicking “Accept”, you consent to the use of ALL the cookies.
Cookie settingsACCEPT
Manage consent

Privacy Overview

This website uses cookies to improve your experience while you navigate through the website. Out of these, the cookies that are categorized as necessary are stored on your browser as they are essential for the working of basic functionalities of the website. We also use third-party cookies that help us analyze and understand how you use this website. These cookies will be stored in your browser only with your consent. You also have the option to opt-out of these cookies. But opting out of some of these cookies may affect your browsing experience.
Necessary
Always Enabled
Necessary cookies are absolutely essential for the website to function properly. These cookies ensure basic functionalities and security features of the website, anonymously.
CookieDurationDescription
cookielawinfo-checbox-analytics11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Analytics".
cookielawinfo-checbox-functional11 monthsThe cookie is set by GDPR cookie consent to record the user consent for the cookies in the category "Functional".
cookielawinfo-checbox-others11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Other.
cookielawinfo-checkbox-necessary11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookies is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Necessary".
cookielawinfo-checkbox-performance11 monthsThis cookie is set by GDPR Cookie Consent plugin. The cookie is used to store the user consent for the cookies in the category "Performance".
viewed_cookie_policy11 monthsThe cookie is set by the GDPR Cookie Consent plugin and is used to store whether or not user has consented to the use of cookies. It does not store any personal data.
Functional
Functional cookies help to perform certain functionalities like sharing the content of the website on social media platforms, collect feedbacks, and other third-party features.
Performance
Performance cookies are used to understand and analyze the key performance indexes of the website which helps in delivering a better user experience for the visitors.
Analytics
Analytical cookies are used to understand how visitors interact with the website. These cookies help provide information on metrics the number of visitors, bounce rate, traffic source, etc.
Advertisement
Advertisement cookies are used to provide visitors with relevant ads and marketing campaigns. These cookies track visitors across websites and collect information to provide customized ads.
Others
Other uncategorized cookies are those that are being analyzed and have not been classified into a category as yet.
SAVE & ACCEPT