What a sport!!

[CJSDuck]

Hey guys,

I went to the mailbox today and was happy to see that I would get to spend the gloomy, rainy afternoon reading my new Ducks Unlimited magazine instead of watching horrible infomercials that seem to plague Saturday television. There is an article titled "Why we hunt" that was especially great and it was describing different people's views of why they hunt and how they remember getting into Waterfowling. Most remembered their first hunts as youngsters, tagging along with their father, knowing very little about hunting and waterfowl. I thought it was pretty cool that the DU president, James Hulbert, started duck hunting when he got to college. He had hunted deer and pheasants as a youngster and his roomate in college got him into it.
I am also a late bloomer to waterfowling and spent my youth chasing ringnecks and whitetails across Iowa. Once I graduated High School, I went into the Army and was only able to hunt during X-Mas leave, but last year when I came back from Iraq, I was fortunate enough to get stationed in Missouri where going home to Iowa on the weekends was well worth the trip. During the five years I was away, my little brother developed a love for the ducks and geese and last year turned me on to the joys of the sport. My most memorable time this last year was spent with him and me on a local public marsh in weather that was borderline, dangerous, wading in waist high water with a wind chill of negative double digits. The snow was falling so heavy that we could barely see ten feet in front of us. We walked out with a pair of Mallards but it was the best time ever. We packed up and headed back this time having to break the inch thick ice with the butt stocks of our shotguns. Sorry this got a little lengthy but I thought it would be great if some of you would share your first memory of waterfowling or any other good stories........this year's hunting season wont come fast enough!!!

[Nick McArthur]

I and my brother both started hunting at the age of 7, and haven't missed many weekends since, I seriously could probably count them on my two hands. We have been hooked since the first time we were pass woodies in slough. But the thing that sticks out in my mind while hunting at such an early age is hunting divers in late Oct/Nov. At that time, there was always snow on the ground and we would hunt divers with our dad, grandpa, and my dad's friend and his son.

One thing about hunting divers that I have always loved is being able to light a fire right there in the blind and still have ducks decoying.....my grandpa was always the first to ask if we were cold, and always built us a fire to warm us up and keep us comfortable.

There were countless memories over the years sitting by a fire shooting divers.....and now today, we don't get em like we used to, and it ain't so cold, but every once in a while we start up that fire, and for me, its like my grandpa is still there in the blind killin em with us........

I guess thats what I remember the most about huntin waterfowl when I was young.........and also gave me an excuse growing up to stay out of trouble so I wouldn't have to miss that weekends hunt......waterfowling has always been a large part of my life, a lot of memories, friendships, and values that are important to me today...........this is a GREAT sport.

[hoosierhunter]

I didn't get started till 5 seasons ago. My buddy Duck Hunter Paul had been several times with another buddy of his the season before and he kept telling me that I ought to go with him sometime. I kept thinking duck hunting why in the world would I want to go duck hunting. I loved to deer hunt, and I enjoyed pheasant hunting which I have only done a few times. I really like shooting skeet, so I thought alright I'll try it. I went with him, and we only had 2 ducks fly in, but I shot 1, and then I was hooked. I love it now, the longer I hunt, and the more I learn, the more I love it. It is definitely great fun, and great fellowship with your friends. I love getting to meet new guys and hunting with new guys.

[SMOKE]

Just finished up my secon season and im already addicted. Anytime i go by the river or any of the dnr lakes i hunt at or even refuges im always watchin the ducks and geese landing in there. all this week i have been in grafton illinois just watchin snows, canadas, and ducks headin north and its makin me anxious for next season already. ive about worn out every one of the duck hunting dvds i have. :D

[CJSDuck]

Lets hear more stories guys.......I think its pretty cool to hear how everyone started out and their first memories in a blind. Keep em coming

[Killer Miller]

I started going with my dad duck and goose hunting when I was about 9 years old. I finally got to take a gun (20 gauge Remington 870) when I was 11 years old. I shot my first duck during Illinois teal season when I was 11, a bluewing. I think I shot about 10 ducks that year. Pretty much every year since, my numbers of ducks and geese killed have been up from the previous year. I'm 19 now and I killed about 35 geese and 70 ducks this fall, including 5 honkers with leg bands. But my dad is a hardcore fowler and that is how I got into it. I don't know if this is good but should be laughable, but I think one big reason my parents got divorced is because my dad was always hunting and my mom was stuck with me and my sister all the time. They got divorced when i was like 8, so I wasnt able to go with him yet. Oh yeah, my weaopon of choice is now a Benelli SBE, mostly because I saw how my dad's performed and still does day in and day out. Thats my story. I also got several buddies into waterfowling. They love it as much as I do. Two of my buddies got their first bands this year, as I did too.

[mlgorecki]

I just finished my 1st season; have a fulltime job and still managed to get out 35 times. Lots of domestic drama as I'm sure you all can imagine. The picture is Scout and I with our first "real" duck (mallard drake) and I didn't take him until about my 5th or 6th time out. I shot a few coots just to give the dog some work.

Right now all I have is a canoe so I'm stuck doing it the Spartan way but waterfowling has quickly become my favorite type of hunting. A very distant 2nd is turkey hunting. Here's testimony to my passion: During my 3rd time out, with no birds in the bag, I was paddling my canoe back to shore with Scout sitting right in front of me. I decided to send him in the water for a few practice retrieves. He made two without incident and I had no problem assisting him, the old school way, back into the canoe. I think you guys know where this is going. Air temp, 35 degrees; water temp, about 33 degrees. When I directed him into the water for the 3rd time, he launched with such force that I was thrown from the canoe into the deep water. All my gear luckily remained in the canoe. My chest waders instantly filled with water and thereby began to pull me under. Scout, meanwhile swam up to me and started licking my face, thinking I decided to join him for a swim. In a millisecond I decided if I couldn't get to the canoe I would go under and ditch the waders. As luck woud have it the wind blew the canoe right into my hands. With about 50 extra pounds of body weight (water) I climbed in and thought to myself, "If I don't keep moving vigorously I'll become hypothermic". I paddled another 150 yards to shore; started up the truck; cranked the heat; loaded up all the gear and luckily got out of there without ever getting really cold. Most guys, 3rd time out in the wet cold and with no birds in the freezer, coupled with an experience like this would have thought, "F&$# this sh#%!!", and gone back to pheasant hunting. I continued to go out another 32 times. I don't have a lot of birds to show for the number of times I've been out but I'm gradually starting to learn the sport. The bottom line here is that I am "hooked" on this.

If I had a chance to hunt a milo field stocked with 50 pheasants or go waterfowling, knowing I might not get off a single shot, I'd rather go waterfowling.

[Duck Hunter Paul]

I definately have a serious addiction myself. I am a QUACK ADDICT. Is there any help for me?

[Max4Gooser]

I started hunting at the age of 5 with my dad and grandfather, for upland game, when I was ten and a total hunting nut, my fathers good buddy invited us to go Goose hunting, I had to borrow a gun from another buddy as I only had a 20 gauge and we couldn't find steel shot for it. I killed my first goose on the first morning of our trip, and lucky enough it was banded. Now I am 33, a flat out goose and duck addict, and am getting ready to start my two boys 5 and 7 goose hunting in 2006. I will probably take my two daughters in the years to come, they are younger :wink:

I have been fortunate to get a chance to hunt just about every legal game in Illinois, and hunted some great whitetail properties, even have my name in Boone and Crocket 172 5/8 typical, but waterfowling is my true passion.

[MN. Marshman]

I started tagging along with my dad when I was about 5. When I was seven I got to use a bolt action 20 gauge that was my dad's gun when he was a kid. I shot my first that year and i've been hooked since then. I'm 35 yrs old now and can't remember ever missing a opener, and get out every chance I get during the season.

I guess you know that your addicted ( or crazy as my wife would put it ), when you spend everyday of the off season thinking about or preparing for next season.

[Max4Gooser]

I guess you know that your addicted ( or crazy as my wife would put it ), when you spend everyday of the off season thinking about or preparing for next season.

My wife and I can relate, she thinks I am nuts, but I know what youir talking about.

[dux_99]

I caught the bug at an early age. I started tagging along with my dad when I was 6 and shot my first bird on October 31st 1990 at 3:30 in the afternoon. My dad picked my brother and I up from school to hunt some woodies on this backwater slough that we had a blind on. We had a hen woodie come in and land in the decoys. I didn't see it so my dad practically had to aim the gun right at it. I was shooting a Winchester Model 50 12 gauge. The recoil almost knocked me on my a$$. My dad just smiled and said congrats and shook my hand.

I never had a chance after that; I was hooked. Now I spend more time and money each fall seeing that I do my part to take as many memories out of the field as I possibly can.

That's what it's all about for me. I have had some great hunts; but that doesn't always factor out to mean a lot of birds.

[hoosierhunter]

Some one on here was mentioning getting their boys started next season. I've got a 5 yearold boy and a 7 yr. old daughter. I took my daughter 2 seasons ago once, and she still talks about it, there's nothing better than having your kids be as enthused in something as you are! :D . I took my son this year for his first time, and he loved it. I was proud he did real well, and it was cold out. All they do around the house is pretend hunting either ducks or deer. I have a 2 yr. old boy that loves to pretend to hunt too. I'm starting to try to teach my boy how to duck call, he's not doing to bad for 5. Anybody have any advice on teaching kids to call?

[Max4Gooser]

I took my two boys Bowhunting qwith me, bought a ground blind so they could set with me, they had a blast, This year they will be in the goose blind with me, my 7 y.o. is doing pretty good at learning to call, my 5 yearold, lets just say he needs a lot of work :D , I just let them blow one of my old calls when I am practicing, and they try to copy, both of them have allready picked out the color choices thy wan't their SMH's to be. I lookforward to spending the timen blind with them.

[hoosierhunter]

Definitely! I'm so happy to be able to pass on the hunting heritage to my boys, and possibly their friends in the future! I never had a father to take me hunting or fishing or anything outdoors, so I envy the early start that my boys will have. How much more experienced and knowledgeable they will be at a early age. I'm definitely looking forward to it. I can't wait till they are old enough and strong enough to set all the treestands, and carry all the gear in! :D .

[SMOKE]

you cant beat takin kids with you to see their faces is just about as thrillin as the hunt. my lil cousin has been dubbed "the tracker" that kid for bein 5 can track a deer. I had a deer this year that would bleed then stop bleed then stop and i think had it not been for the tracker i wouldnt have found it. He does have an advantage though seein as hes not so far off the ground compared to me :lol: his dad and grandpa take him and his little brother to the box blinds we have on the farm. Now if we could just get them over their fear of the dark lol :D the tracker already wants a duck call so i think im gonna grab a legend for him in another year or so.

[Goose Getter]

I have been going out hunting with my dad since i was in diapers. i was 10 when i shot my first goose, a snow at 70 yards with a 20 gauge, i got three that day. Then i missed a season and got out again when i wa 12 and my first hunt, 4 of us shot 26 honkers and 2 specs.