A fresh season - Bringing along a new hunter is part of the fun

Recently Assistant News Editor Pete Nowakowski showed some interest in learning to bird hunt this fall. I thought it was a great thing to get started in, no matter what stage of life a person is in.

Bird hunting is fun, exciting and a good workout. It is vastly different from big-game hunting, in that the terrain is usually a little less extreme (depending on the birds being chased) and a good bird season usually results in more shots taken than in five seasons of deer and elk.

The more we talked about hunting, the more Pete got excited, especially about ducks. He borrowed an old 12-gauge from his father-in-law and called me from a sporting goods store, wondering what he needed for the upcoming season.

It made me think of what I would have wanted a few years ago when I started going after grouse, pheasants and ducks. I figured that to have fun, which is my main goal for Pete's first season, he wouldn't need much.

A hunter needs a gun, of course, and Pete had taken care of that; an upland bird license and duck stamps, which can be bought anywhere from Capital Sports to Wal-Mart; a vest for carrying shells and birds, preferably with some blaze orange to help him stick out in the field (I've also been told that a simple orange hat is one of the best things for bird hunters to wear, since it is the easiest place to hang a "don't shoot me" sign); and the ability to shoot straight, easily the toughest item on the list to fill.

For Pete to shoot accurately, we figured that first we should get him used to his gun. We went out with a box of clay pigeons and some target shells. I know my shooting limits; this was just for practice and to see where Pete stood regarding shooting skills. While he wasn't incredible, he was certainly better than I expected, at one time rattling off five consecutive "kill" shots.

We took a walk between shooting rounds to scout out one area I plan to take him. We noted where the ducks might group up and why, and how we would hunt them in this particular place.

We talked about the role dogs have in bird hunting. I told him that while our canine friends are great companions, they are primarily in the field with us for conservation. If a hunter shoots a bird, he or she sometimes needs a partner to help retrieve the game. It's a good plan for the dinner table, and it reduces the suffering a given bird will experience.

We finally got started on our season last week, buying the requisite permits and shells. Instead of more target shooting, we decided to go looking for ducks on property near Fox Ridge Golf Course.

Pete ran the shotgun while I kept a dog under control, watching from behind. Pete ended up scaring around 10 ducks out of the creek, though one drake decided to stay behind. Pete snuck as close as possible before spooking the greenhead. While he had an easy shot on the duck, Pete decided not to fire due to the golf course in the background.

He second-guessed his decision later, but I told him I thought it was the right choice. There will be ducks to hunt for as long as we are around, as long as conservation efforts around North America don't completely collapse.

We decided not to rest on our laurels, so Sunday afternoon we drove just north of Townsend to see if we could locate some pheasant.

Despite our best efforts and the hard work of the dog, we came home rain-soaked and empty-handed. That's how it goes sometimes. Part of hunting is learning to deal with failure, with a day that ends with an empty game sack.

One of the most important things I've learned about hunting is not to be disappointed after being skunked. It's still better than work and better for you than watching football.

Once the cold weather really hits and the lakes freeze, we'll expand our search to small creeks and ditches, the last bastion for the thousands of Canadian ducks who refuse to believe they have to fly all the way south, again, for the summer. These hearty birds, mostly mallard, have been my favorite game bird since I started hunting.

We are welcoming public comment our new plan. Since Pete is still a "pup" when it comes to the sport, he should be able to soak up a lot of new information. There are a lot of things I wish I had been told when I started hunting.

Learning through failure was a great way to hammer knowledge into a new hunter's brain, but a mentor is certainly the better way to go about things. There are so many things he needs to know, and I can't possibly think of all of them.

Also, Pete is looking for a good duck recipe. An old guy I recently met said there isn't a duck out there worth eating. I've had duck that tasted like a tire, but I've also found that a simple mallard breast can be a very versatile canvas that can be transformed with a variety of easy marinades and cooking processes.

And I'm always open for new ideas.

So we'll set out again soon, maybe searching for more of the elusive ringneck roosters. Pheasants are tough to find around here, so we will try again closer to Great Falls. I'm not promising Pete anything, but I'm keeping my hopes up.

If he learns anything, I hope he learns to have fun afield.

Original URL: http://helenair.com/lifestyles/recreation/a-fresh-season---bringing-along-a-new-hunter/article_676d0051-0e11-58a2-9bc2-65a58db4b728.html