MANTECA— For the Stockton Sportsmen’s Club, it’s all about creating opportunities for the younger generation to get involved in hunting and fishing.
“It’s really set up for new hunters, young hunters, [and] trying to get women involved in the sport,” Ray Marazzi said.
Established in 1952 and located in Manteca, members of the club and public travel all across San Joaquin County to participate in the club’s pheasant hunts. For $50, with a two bird limit, a $10 season long insurance card, and $5 daily field tag, hunters are able to join in on hunts during the fall season. Junior hunters who are licensed can hunt for free with a guardian.
The season is variable on how many birds the club takes in, but this year it was approximately 1700. This year the season ran Nov. 1 through Dec. 7.
A typical hunt day starts around 6 AM. Birds are kept in flying pens, moved to a smaller runway and then gathered to remove their pecking guards to be placed in crates. Members then plant them in fields. The public arrives, waivers are signed and a safety talk is given. People go to their assigned fields and walk in a long line together.
In addition to their women and junior special event, the club hosts a special veterans and active service member hunt.
Jason Velasco brought his daughter McKenzie Velasco hunting for the first time this year.
“I always wanted my kids to, kind of, you know, follow in my footsteps, to at least try it out and see if they enjoy it,” Jason Velasco said.
McKenzie ended up hunting with her dad 12 times. She joined the early morning crew to help load birds into crates and place them in fields.
“And now she wants to kind of go further into the sport,” Jason Velasco said.”She’s like ‘I want to go hunt for a deer now’”.
For Marazzi, and many of the hunters, he values the time and relationship with his hunting dog. His dog Phoebe signals when pheasants are near and collects the birds once they are shot. Phoebe turned 10 on Dec. 13.
“You know, it seems odd,” Marazzi said. “The older I get, you know, the more I’ve hunted, now, to me, it’s all about watching my dog and watching her have a good time.”
John Johnson had a shoulder surgery and couldn’t hunt this year, but attended hunts with his wife and dog.
“[John] was out there every day, even when his wife wasn’t hunting,” Marazzi said. “He was out there every day [to] his watch his dog, you know, so his dog could play. Special bond between hunters and their dog, that’s for sure.”
More information on the club can be found at stocktonsportsmensclub.com.
The group will also be at the Sacramento International Sportsmen’s Exposition taking place Jan. 15 through the 18th.
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