Anyone who knows Jonah Brinson knows that if they want to find him on the weekend, they need to look in a tree stand.

“He hunts — all the time,” his mom, Anita Prichard said. “All the time.”

Brinson, 15, planned to spend last Saturday’s chilly morning in the woods too, until he learned a European Pheasant Shoot was being held in western Dawson County.

“He had a great time,” Prichard said. “We all did.”

A fundraiser for the Dawson County Senior Center, the shoot was held on about 48 acres on Goldmine Road, and featured 20 stations and about 40 shooters, who paid $250 each to participate.

The event, which raised more than $8,000, will allow the county to install a much needed elevator at the senior center. 

“We just had such a good turnout,” said senior center director Margie Weaver, who thanked both the participants and the event’s organizers.

Dawson County Planning Director David McKee, who helped organize the shoot with county staff Bob Ivey and Tyler Jones, said participants told him “the shoot was as good or better than any they had participated.”

“It was definitely a success,” McKee said. “All the shooters were very safe. We had a range of shooters from teen to seniors, and we had enough birds to keep everybody busy and keep everybody interested.”

Incoming city council member Calvin Byrd, who braved the cold to take part in the shoot, agreed.

“They just did a phenomenal job setting this up. They deserve a lot of praise. Everyone’s having a great time,” said Byrd, who won the rifle raffle at the shoot.

Dawson County Manager Kevin Tanner said organizers are already looking at a date for next year’s shoot.

Brinson is ready to mark the date on his calendar.