5 Tips on Introducing Youth to Waterfowl Hunting
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Time to read 4 min
Fall waterfowl seasons are kicking off in the United States and Canada, and there has never been a better time to get a child introduced to the sport of waterfowl hunting. Adults passing on the tradition of waterfowl hunting to the next generations means sharing the magic of mornings in a marsh or field blind and observing the things that only waterfowlers see and experience. Those incredible moments – foggy sunrises, birds banking into decoy spreads, and the whistle of wings – are the memories that become special bonds over time and start the passion for future hunters. You won’t find those opportunities on the family couch! You have to get out and experience the outdoors in wild places to take in those amazing moments; whether you or your young hunter pull a trigger or not ultimately matters little in the larger picture. Spending time together outdoors are where those core memories are made. Here are 5 tips designed to help you introduce a youth to waterfowl hunting.
Bring ‘em along!
Waterfowl seasons are short and many people focus on the trips they plan to take throughout the course of the season. What is often missed in planning those trips are kids! If the only time you take a youngster out waterfowl hunting is on youth waterfowl day or weekend, you aren’t likely to recruit that young’un to the sport. Exposure and establishing a culture and a bond with waterfowl hunting only comes with enough time shared in blinds. The easiest way to do this is to make your trips, family trips. Bring a young hunters along on destination trips. Bring them along when you were going to hunt alone. The sooner that your waterfowl hunting trips become family trips, the sooner you will raise another waterfowl hunter with the same passion you possess.
Scout together
Waterfowl hunters who find some shooting start by finding some birds. Veteran waterfowl hunters are no stranger to scouting. When you’re glassing fields and checking out the local roost at sunup or sundown, bring along your young hunter. Hand them a set of binoculars or lend them yours. Teach them to find birds. Use the opportunity to describe differences in how those birds look and fly. Very soon, your young hunters will start to learn and retain those waterfowl identification skills that are very important later when they start shooting and must identify their target and what is beyond.
(Call) Practice makes perfect
Practice your calling, and buy or your share your calls with a young hunter. Driving to the grocery store? Practice on that call with that young person. Heading to school drop off? Practice together. You can sound terrible when you start, but a little practice helps. Don’t be afraid to sound like a pro – if you hunt long enough, you’ll hear some real birds that don’t sound all that great! A simple and cheap, double reed duck or goose call is easy to turn over and can produce a decent sound in a short amount of time. Follow the package instructions or check out an online video tutorial and with a little practice, you and your youngster will sound like real birds. Then, when the hunt is on, your young hunter can be a part of the hunt when he or she helps call in the next flock.
Focus on fun
Success for waterfowl hunters can be judged in a myriad of ways. With young hunters, the equation is quite sample. If you got out, stayed safe, and had fun, it was a wildly successful trip. Let go of hunting expectations and bagging birds. Make the focus safety and having fun. Having fun can only happen if your young person is warm and comfortable. That means you should bring along a few things to keep them busy if the birds get stale and you’ll probably need to pack the blind bag with a few snacks to keep their bellies full. When you’re on your hunt and trying to having fun, you can tell stories, point out other birds in the field or marsh, or have your little hunter enjoy some time with your retrieving dog.
Get geared up
Waterfowl hunters require specialized gear. Decoys, camouflage, shotguns, and waders are just a few examples of gear needed for the sport. Take the time to get your little hunter outfitted for cool mornings in blinds and boats. Having the right gear helps a young hunter fit in with the group, stay hidden from birds, and stay warm and comfortable. A set of Tidewe MarshLeaper Chest Waders are a great buy for a youth hunter at under one hundred dollars, and are available in sizes as small as 4/5 all the way up to 14/15. MarshLeaper waders come with lug soles, handwarmer pockets, a wading belt, and reinforced knee. Your young hunter will stay warm and dry with the adults, ensuring they enjoy the hunt with friends and family.
Author
Scott Mackenthun
Husband, Daddy to 2 little girls & a black lab, Angler,Hunter,Fish Squeezer, Writer. Sometimes funny.
