Junior hunters: Alex Martinez’s first game animal
By Mike Martinez, Arizona hunter, USFWS biologist

My son Alex harvested his first game animal in February 2007 at the age of 12. He used a Henry lever-action .22-caliber rifle to take a cottontail rabbit in the hills of the Verde Valley in central Arizona, while accompanying me and his grandfather on a javelina hunt.

Alex was the only successful hunter in the group. He was very excited about his harvest and enjoyed helping cook and eat the rabbit.

Alex developed his interest in hunting from me bringing him along on deer hunts. While out in the field, we would spend extra time watching does or coyotes to help pique his interest. He is excited about the opportunity to join us during the antlerless elk season.

I’m a biologist with the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service and have conducted wildlife presentations for Alex’s classes throughout his school years. He has a strong academic interest in conservation biology and says he wants to be a marine biologist or herpetologist. He will certainly be part of Arizona’s hunting future.