The Future of Our Sport

It does not get much better than sitting in a duck blind with a youth hunter. Watching their eyes widen and their hands shake as that first flock of birds circle into the decoys is as fun as it gets. It doesn't matter who they are, kids are just fun to take hunting.

In a society where video games and television seem to be the distraction of choice, the number of hunters continues to drop. I encourage you to take every opportunity to get a youth hunter into the field. Successful, enjoyable trips to the marsh will build the hunting desire in our youth. Most states have a special youth hunt and most conservation organizations promote mentored hunts. These opportunities provide a fantastic chance for each of us to show the youth of today how to get out and enjoy the great outdoors. Each year our group of friends takes numerous youth hunters out - in almost every instance, they go home happy and aching to get out again. Youth hunts are some of my favorite hunts of the year.

Any time we take a youth into the field, I encourage the group to do a few things to help the youth hunter have a more enjoyable day.

- Teach the youth hunter safe gun handling and shooting in the given hunting situation. Most youth hunters we take out have never shot out of a blind of any kind. Taking the time to educate them as to where they can and cannot shoot, where their guns can be stored, and what distances they can shoot will alleviate stress and possible scary situations through the hunt.

- The youth hunter always gets first shot on singles. If there are multiple youth hunters, trade off between all the youth, giving each of them first shot at the singles.

- Have them help set out the decoys whenever possible. Take time to explain why you set the spread the way you did and what you are hoping to achieve with the setup.

- Help the youth hunter improve their calling or introduce them to a duck and goose call. Kids love to make noise and getting a call in their hands is a great way to pass the slow times. This past youth hunt my hunting partner and I were able to help one of our hunters progress his calling significantly. He knew the basics of duck calling but was having a hard time putting it all together. Having us there to listen and explain what he was doing right and wrong made all the difference for him. By the end of the hunt, he was helping us call the birds, and doing a good job at it.

- Make sure the youth hunter laughs and has a good time. Give them a hard time for missing easy shots and compliment them on the shots that connect. Help them understand the excitement of harvesting rare birds or bands.

- After the hunt, show the youth hunter how to properly dress their game and prepare it for cooking. Again, most youth we take have no idea how to care for the harvested animals. It is just as important to show them how to care for and eat the birds, as it is to show them how to harvest them.

The youth of today have a myriad of diversions taking their focus off hunting and the anti-hunting sentiment is growing stronger every day. The plain and simple truth is the ducks do not have a bright future without concerned sportsmen. Today's youth are the leaders of tomorrow. Helping them see the wonders nature provides for us and any assistance we can lend will help secure strong leaders for the future of hunting. This world is full of amazing sights, sounds and experiences. Let's get them out in the field to experience the thrill of whistling wings, mud on their boots, and the fine smell of gunpowder in the morning. I guarantee it will be a great day in the field.