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Youth Duck Hunting Adventure Brings Kids Outdoors
Although it was more than five minutes into legal shooting time, the skies above Rice Lake remained nearly pitch black. The weatherman's "Thirty percent chance of scattered showers" was becoming four hours of steady rainfall and the predawn temperature was on a downhill slide. A sudden gust of wind grabbed a nearby tree branch and slapped it across my face, providing an instant reminder of how eye glasses can become a real hindrance on rainy autumn days. In spite of the bone chilling weather, enthusiasm among the official 2009 participants of Iowa's Youth Duck Hunting Adventure remained high. Staged during last weekend's kids only, youth duck season, the Youth Adventure is an all expenses paid, everything provided, fully guided hunt aimed at recruiting new blood into the sport of waterfowl hunting. On this year's soggy Saturday opener, my son Matt and I had teamed up to share our blind and serve as mentors to Kaleb Froiland of Clear Lake and Colton Skarpohl-ost of Buffalo Center, a budding pair of 12-year-old, first time duck hunters. We had all gotten acquainted the previous afternoon as youths and volunteer mentors from across northern Iowa assembled at Worth County's Keenan's Quarry Park. Friday night activities included an introduction to the history and traditions of waterfowl hunting, safe gun handling instruction, and a trip to the shooting range for a go at fast moving clay targets. The evening concluded as youths received free Ducks Unlimited duck calls, caps, and their own personal set of brand new, in the box duck decoys. According to DNR Conservation Officer and event organizer, Matt Washburn, Iowa's Youth Duck Hunting Adventure is designed to provide youngsters with the firsthand opportunity to experience the thrill of waterfowl hunting and all its trappings. Held in partnership with Ducks Unlimited, the outing is designed to educate youngsters on waterfowl and wetland conservation and to ultimately recruit new, lifelong hunters into the sport. "The generation that grew up with hunting and fishing as part of their daily lifestyle is rapidly disappearing and, as is the case elsewhere in our nation, Iowa hunter numbers are showing an alarming decline," says Washburn. "Waterfowl hunting is a sport that is very traditional and is something that is usually passed from generation to generation. "But not everyone has that opportunity today," said Washburn. "Kids are extremely busy with lots of competition for free time. An increasing number of young people never even make it to the outdoors. Mentored waterfowl youth hunts are one way to provide them with that experience. Hopefully, they'll like what they see, have some fun, and will come back for more." According to Ducks Unlimited Regional Director and event cosponsor, Mike Heller, mentored duck hunts are right on target when it comes to introducing young people to the art of waterfowl hunting and instilling the importance of wildlife and wetlands conservation. "This event is all about kids. It's about getting young people involved in duck hunting and teaching them respect for the outdoors," says Heller. "Duck hunting is largely about traditions, and one of the things we're trying to do is pass those traditions on to the youths of today. I don't think there's a better way to accomplish that than by actually getting the kids into the field for that firsthand experience." Following a short night's sleep, we put the youth plan to action with a 5 a.m. rendezvous at the parking lot boat ramp. Our party had decided to hunt wood ducks. Launching the flat bottom, we headed for a cluster of oak studded islands. Acorns are the wood duck's favorite breakfast item, and the banks and shorelines were holding plenty. So many, in fact, that stepping onto the islands was like walking into a room full of marbles. After selecting a likely bay, the boys' new decoys were tossed out in what we hoped would be an alluring formation. Once the spread was in place there was little to do but wait and listen. "Oh man, I am so excited." The sound had come from somewhere inside the hood of Colton Skarpoh-ost's camouflaged rain parka. "This is just the coolest thing I've ever done by a long shot. This has already been such an exciting hunt --- this really beats everything," he added. "What in the world," I thought to myself. "If the kid is this pumped now, what's he going to be like when we can actually see something?" My thoughts were cut short by the noisy arrival of the morning's first flock of wood ducks. There was a sharp whistle of wings as the birds hit the brakes, followed by loud swooshing sounds as the ducks splashed in among the decoys. Then, as if to cap things off, two of the ducks simultaneously emitted the high pitched shriek that is the unique, signature call of the female wood duck. After lingering near the decoys for a minute or two, the flock swan off and disappeared into the half light. The reluctant dawn finally arrived, and with the increasing daylight came more flocks of wood ducks. The boys could safely see to shoot now, and the practice on the trap range appeared to pay off. Upon receiving permission to fire, Kaleb Froiland bagged a prime drake wood duck with his very first shot at his very first duck. A minute later, Colton bagged his first woodie. The ducks kept coming and the action was brisk. There were hits, and there were misses. In spite of continued rain, the boys were obviously having fun; eating donuts, laughing and chattering like monkeys between flocks. Before long, Kaleb has collected his limit of three wood ducks --- all prime drakes. "I can't believe it," he exclaimed. "My very first duck hunt and I've got my very own limit of wood ducks. I can't believe this really happened. Everything is so beautiful." Shortly after bagging a second woodie for himself, Colton finished his duck hunt by collecting a turbo charged blue-winged teal that had committed the fatal error of returning for a second look at the boys' new decoys. Time flies when you're hunting ducks. Before we knew it, it was time to pick up the decoys and head back to headquarters for a platter of scrambled eggs and to compare notes with other youth parties and their mentors. "This has been the funest morning of my whole life," said Colton. "Everything was so exciting --- I'm still shaking just thinking about it. I never knew that this is what duck hunting was like. I've got to get my Dad out here for this. I want to see it all again."
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