Sometimes we know where we need to go, but it’s not entirely clear how to get there.

For 15-year-old Warren Johnson, he was on his way to a life of deer hunting mentored by this father, Brandon. That suddenly changed when bought a new business that demanded 50 to 70 hours per week of his time. Brandon was showing his son the way of the hunter by getting him to pursue deer – with the occasional pheasant hunt thrown in, until their hunting adventures were forced to take a detour because of Brandon’s business schedule. But Warren wouldn’t be deterred. So committed was Warren to hunting that he got his hunter safety certification at age 11.

“I got into hunting about four or five years ago through my father,” said Warren, who lives in Wichita, Kansas. He was about 10 when at the time. “I followed my father around for a while and watching him getting a deer and I was naturally attracted to it.”

Warren and Brandon in November 2023 on a deer hunt with Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors’ Michael Pierce.

Warren started on whitetail deer hunting with a rifle. He explained that taking his first deer “was a roller coaster of emotions. You’re nervous that you’re going to miss the deer and excited when you hit the deer.”

But pheasant hunting started to become more and more attractive.

Warren’s first pheasant hunt took place in October 2023, shooting a 20 gauge in Greenburg, Kansas, which is about two hours west of Wichita. That’s when he realized the big differences between hunting big game and birds. “Pheasant hunting is different, because it requires a lot more skill of leading the bird. It’s harder to do, but way more fun.”

Although Warren wanted to spend more time learning how to hunt game birds, his father’s new business began to occupy an increasing amount of time. Warren’s breakthrough happened when the Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors group was filming a TV episode with American Birdhunter TV.

Also based in Wichita, Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors will tell you that their mission is to “empower young people through outdoor experiences and mentorship. By using outdoor experiences as a platform to mentor young people of diverse backgrounds we are making a generational impact through the outdoors and passing on our outdoor heritage.” The group works in conjunction with private landowners to provide hunting opportunities for kids. In addition to hunting, the organization has created a Scholastic Clay Target Program (SCTP) Team for greater Wichita area youth.

American Birdhunter TV, meanwhile, is entering its twentieth season. Their programs are available on TV via the Outdoor Channel, and the Internet through the streaming channel My Outdoor TV.

The two kids chosen for the American Birdhunter program were Warren and a girl who shot trap. The producers portrayed Warren as a city kid learning the ropes of pheasant hunting. Brandon was also cast in the show as “the dad walking along,” he said.

Just minutes after locating his very first deer, Warren was recounting the hunt to Michael Pierce of Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors.

The Johnsons had previously been introduced to the benefits of working with Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors through Warren’s sister, Lillian.

Fast forward a few years and “I was trying to get a deer for my daughter and had been hunting and I got one deer hunting on a friend’s property,” Brandon recalled. “And just about every other day we’re hunting, I could not get another deer for her. I posted on the Internet and said that I’m trying to get my daughter on a deer and Michael Pierce of Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors said he could help. So Warren’s older sister, Lillian and her brother took up the invitation on New Years day 2106 to find that elusive deer.

Michael arranged a private-land deer hunt that day on a friend’s property. “The first deer that came out she was able to get a good shot on,” said Brandon.

When it came to pheasant hunting, though, it was with Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors that introduced Warren to wingshooting.

“Outdoor Mentors got me into pheasant shooting,” Warren said. “He hasn’t shot a pheasant since. I would love to do it again.”

Until then, Warren goes deer hunting whenever he can with this father.

But Warren is making the best of the situation. Following his introduction to pheasant hunting, Warren is going to turn for help to Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors for a spring turkey hunt.

“The only thing I can say is a whole lot of praise to the whole crew at Outdoor Mentors,” Brandon said.

Irwin Greenstein is the Publisher of Young Awesome Hunter. You can reach him on the Young Awesome Hunter Facebook page at https://tinyurl.com/3wrtm25t.

Helpful resources:

The web site for Pass it On! Outdoor Mentors