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| MISSOURI
WATERFOWL KIDS |
Youth Waterfowl Weekends 2002
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| Youth Waterfowl Weekend This was my first experience with a youth waterfowl weekend. We got up early and headed out. I thought we had better do a little shot gunning practice before we went to the marsh though because Calvin had only shot a shotgun once. We set up a clay thrower and started shooting. By the second half of the second box of shells calvin was hitting about 50 %. I felt he was ready for the real thing. Calvin is a big 11 year old. I was not sure how well he was going to handle the 12 gauge 870 special field I had for him to shoot. He was not bothered by the recoil at all with the heavy winter clothes we had on that cold morning. The hunt started with a little excitement at the parking lot about a quarter mile from the marsh. We could hear the ducks and geese moving in and out and we couldn't get our waders on fast enough. When we got down to the marsh we could see ducks all over and a good sized bunch got up from the middle. I told Calvin that is the spot we want to set up. We trudged through the foot deep water and set up as fast as we could with ducks and geese moving through the marsh the whole time. |
 Calvin Rodriguez age 11 on his first duck hunt. |
 It was not long before we were calling and shooting. It also was not long before the first widgeon dropped from the sky. I think Calvin was a little surprised when it fell. He handed me the gun and went to retrieve it. He had winged it and it was doing pretty well swimming. But he eventually caught up with it. The morning was bright and clear with very little wind. So we were having a little trouble getting the ducks truly committed to our decoy spread. |
Calvin decided my calling was not helping all that much.
I am a duck hunting rookie myself. I did learn a thing or two about
duck hunting. I also learned that you do need to be the best duck
hunter and duck caller to show a kid the ropes and have a great day.
This jump-start on the regular season for the youth does make it a little
easier to get some good chances at them though. I started doing
a little splashing in the water with my hand to send waves through the
decoys and Calvin eventually connected with one more before he went through
all the shells we had brought. After we counted up the shells left
in the box when we got back and the ones we accidently droped in the marsh
we determined calvin shot 2 for 16 on his first ever chance at wild game.
Pretty good score for the first time out on a bright clear day with ducks
that were hard to get to commit to the spread.
I must say it was the best duck hunt of my life and I think we both learned a lot next time we hunt a calm day like this a jerk cord might be in order. I think I will let Calvin run the jerk cord. Tom Morrow |
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