GRHA & MDC Partner to Steward Tomorrow’s Outdoorsmen and Women

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GRHA & MDC Partner to Steward Tomorrow’s Outdoorsmen and Women

08.September.2025

This past Saturday, Great Rivers Habitat Alliance, in partnership with the Missouri Department of Conservation, hosted the third and final mentored dove hunt of the season at the Jay and Carolyn Henges Wetland Education and Conservation Center.

We were proud to welcome five first-time adult hunters and five youth participants for a morning filled with opportunities, plenty of birds, and countless smiles. For many, this was their first introduction to the excitement of hunting and the conservation mission that sustains it.

Following the hunt, participants gathered for a BBQ lunch of hamburgers and hotdogs, hosted by GRHA, where hunters and mentors shared stories, built new friendships, and celebrated the day’s successes.

A special thank-you goes to Dan Crigler, Mike Checkett, and the dedicated MDC staff for their leadership and support in making these events possible. Their guidance ensured each hunter gained not only valuable field experience but also a deeper understanding of safe, ethical, and conservation-minded hunting practices.

Earlier this season, GRHA and MDC also partnered to host dove hunts for six youths and eight first-time adult hunters on the opening day of dove season. Those hunts, combined with this final outing, mark an incredible season of mentorship, learning, and community building at the Henges Center.

Next up: waterfowl season begins with the North Zone Youth Days and continues through duck and goose seasons. Stay tuned for registration details and press releases coming soon.

At GRHA, we are committed to stewarding the next generation of outdoorsmen and women, ensuring they have the knowledge, skills, and opportunities to carry forward our conservation mission.