For students in the New Hill Hunter Education and Mentoring Program, learning to hunt isn’t just about time in the woods—it’s about becoming confident, responsible stewards of wildlife. And for many, one of the most daunting steps isn’t pulling the trigger—it’s knowing what to do after.

That’s exactly what brought John, a 2025 student in the program, to say, “I hope to attend the skinning/quartering session on Saturday, as it addresses my primary remaining concern.” Like many adult-onset hunters in this program, John had been building core skills—from safety and ethics to scouting and shooting—but had yet to experience the crucial step of processing a harvested deer.

This past Saturday, students got their chance thanks to a unique learning opportunity: ten white-tailed deer obtained through a depredation permit. Under the guidance of experienced New Hill mentors, students rolled up their sleeves for a hands-on session in skinning and quartering deer—an essential skill for any self-sufficient hunter.

The experience didn’t stop there. Participants also collected retropharyngeal lymph nodes for chronic wasting disease (CWD) testing and practiced aging deer by examining tooth wear and replacement—an insightful window into deer biology and herd health.

This event was more than a workshop. It was a bridge—from curiosity to confidence, from theory to practice, from conservation classroom to real-world application.

The New Hill program extends its deepest thanks to the NC Wildlife Resources Commission for supporting this extraordinary experience—one that empowered tomorrow’s hunters with the knowledge to ethically harvest and responsibly process wild game.