Back in 2003, I took my oldest boy out for the first time on a duck hunt -- he was 4.
Over the years we went out many times and he loved it.
This past Thursday, he turned 12 and could legally go hunting with his own gun for the first time. It was like Christmas for both of us.
We went out after school to set up and even before we had the dekes out, a goose came in. Aidan loaded up his 20 guage Canadian made Winchester Cooey and got ready. He lined up on the goose and took his time -- so much time that the goose was gliding to a halt in the water before he shot. The result one dead goose and one happy kid.
The ducks were flying but the boy couldn't quite get on them. He'd shot some clays but the speed of the ducks and the angles they came from was confounding him and he wasn't shooting. He was afraid to waste shells apparently. I told him that I didn't care if he missed but that I wanted him to shoot. He started shooting after that but didn't hit anything. I didn't fire a shot myself until the last 10 minutes of light. I took down 8 ducks (2 pintail, 2 BWT, 4 Gaddies) and a snipe (only 7 ducks pictured -- one Gaddie came too close on a follow up shot and was rendered unfit for consumption or photography). The boy was still rightfully proud of his goose.
We left the dekes out for the night and came back at first light. The beginning was a repeat of the night before and an hour into the morning, we had no birds in the boat. Then a young Redhead came into the dekes and Aidan managed to swat it as it settled into the water. Yay! First duck.
A little while later he smacked a Gadwall doing the same thing. So far a goose and two ducksand all were essentially water swats -- but you could see his confidence building. A little later a flock of Gadwall decoyed and Aidan popped up and shot and knocked down the bird he was aiming for. First bird shot on the wing and one that will go on his wall.
About 10 minutes later a large flock of geese decoyed within 20 yds. Aidan killed the lead goose stone dead in the air with #4's. That was the last bird of the day. We picked up 6 ducks, 2 geese and what seems to be the obligatory snipe. We had the redhead and goose for dinner last night.
I'm pretty proud of the boy and am looking forward to the rest of the season as we go for birds, deer, bear, elk and moose.
Over the years we went out many times and he loved it.
This past Thursday, he turned 12 and could legally go hunting with his own gun for the first time. It was like Christmas for both of us.
We went out after school to set up and even before we had the dekes out, a goose came in. Aidan loaded up his 20 guage Canadian made Winchester Cooey and got ready. He lined up on the goose and took his time -- so much time that the goose was gliding to a halt in the water before he shot. The result one dead goose and one happy kid.
The ducks were flying but the boy couldn't quite get on them. He'd shot some clays but the speed of the ducks and the angles they came from was confounding him and he wasn't shooting. He was afraid to waste shells apparently. I told him that I didn't care if he missed but that I wanted him to shoot. He started shooting after that but didn't hit anything. I didn't fire a shot myself until the last 10 minutes of light. I took down 8 ducks (2 pintail, 2 BWT, 4 Gaddies) and a snipe (only 7 ducks pictured -- one Gaddie came too close on a follow up shot and was rendered unfit for consumption or photography). The boy was still rightfully proud of his goose.
We left the dekes out for the night and came back at first light. The beginning was a repeat of the night before and an hour into the morning, we had no birds in the boat. Then a young Redhead came into the dekes and Aidan managed to swat it as it settled into the water. Yay! First duck.
A little while later he smacked a Gadwall doing the same thing. So far a goose and two ducksand all were essentially water swats -- but you could see his confidence building. A little later a flock of Gadwall decoyed and Aidan popped up and shot and knocked down the bird he was aiming for. First bird shot on the wing and one that will go on his wall.
About 10 minutes later a large flock of geese decoyed within 20 yds. Aidan killed the lead goose stone dead in the air with #4's. That was the last bird of the day. We picked up 6 ducks, 2 geese and what seems to be the obligatory snipe. We had the redhead and goose for dinner last night.
I'm pretty proud of the boy and am looking forward to the rest of the season as we go for birds, deer, bear, elk and moose.
