While some children are home playing video games, a young boy from Colville Lake spends his extra time out on the land trapping, fishing and hunting with his grandfather.
Preston Kochon, is six-years-old and lives in Colville Lake. However, Preston is not your average child. He has learned a diverse skill set of hunting skills, from setting fishing nets to skinning Pine Martin. A love of the land that began when he was only three-years-old.
Sunita Kochon is Preston’s mother.
“They’re always together and he loves spending time with his grandfather Joseph Kochon,” Kochon said. ” I’m a single mother, so my dad has been a role model for him raising Preston as his own.”
Preston’s grandfather is passing the torch of knowledge Kochon says by teaching his grandson valuable life lessons, encouraging exercise and promoting spending time outdoors.
“I don’t want him getting into video games, but he does have an Ipad,” Kochon said. “He likes to play with LEGO’s when he is not out on the land.”
Preston sets his own rabbit snares, hunts cariboo, traps pine martin, hauls fishing nets, uses an axe and is also learning to sew his mother says.
“Preston also goes duck hunting with my dad in Springtime,” Kochon said. “Preston is a very smart boy.”
Although he hasn’t used a firearm yet his mother says Preston has already asked his grandfather for a rifle and is not afraid of the loud bang when her dad shoots an animal.
“He asked Grandpa for a gun when they were visiting Yellowknife,” Kochon said. “When he is old enough my dad will show him how to shoot a gun.”
Preston is also the first one out of bed in the morning his mother says.
“His first question in the morning is where is grandpa?” Kochon said.
arthur.green@cklbradio.com
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