Duck Hunting With Youngsters

"I get as much of a kick out of watching a young hunter shoot a few ducks as I do out of hunting them myself," said Jim Hansen, Montana Fish, Wildlife & Parks Central Flyway coordinator in Billings.

Hansen said the purpose of Montana’s youth waterfowl season is to focus on youngsters and their hunting. It is a way to spend quality time with a young hunter and to give them a solid foundation in waterfowl hunting. Here are some tips from Hansen for parents or hunting mentors interested in helping a youngster to prepare for and enjoy waterfowl hunting:

·   Be sure to involve the young hunter in researching and scouting the hunting location, including opportunities on state WMAs, federal bird refuges, small stock ponds and reservoirs.

·   Use a good map to identify ponds and other locations to scout for hunting opportunities, in the process demonstrating map reading skills that the young hunter can use later.

·   If the site is on private land, ask for permission to hunt in advance of the hunt and take the young hunter with you to gain experience in this important aspect of the hunt.

·   Practice setting decoys in a field or back yard to help a young hunter gain experience handling decoys and setting up effective formations.

·   Practice calls with a young hunter in advance of the hunt. One of the big thrills of the hunt is producing a duck call that turns a duck.

·   Try to give a young hunter a taste of what it is to hunt with a dog. The youth hunt is also an opportunity for the hunting dog to warm up for the season.