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When All Else Fails, Shoot Your Decoys
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photo: Phil Bourjaily
By Phil Bourjaily

October 4-5 was Iowa's Youth Waterfowl Hunt. The feds allow states to set a two day season before or after the regular duck season for hunters under 15 accompanied by unarmed adults. It's a wonderful way to get kids out. Way too few people take advantage of it; we always have the local public marsh to ourselves. It's been a tradition at my house since my older son turned 12, seven years ago.

It takes some effort to get today's overscheduled kids into the field. The boys in this photo, my son John (in the tie) and his friends Mike and Michael, had to miss Saturday's hunt. They had a football game in the morning, and a homecoming dance in the evening. Here they are trying on my extra waders about midnight after the dance the night before our Sunday morning hunt.
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Comment on This Article

At 7:25 PM, 2008-12-31, camocrazy said:
Correct me if I am wrong, I aint not no "Expert" but I was taught that shooting into the water was dangerous. Any good recipes for Plastic Duck? Mark comment offensive

At 11:57 PM, 2008-12-06, anonymous said:
wow thats funny.. Mark comment offensive

At 11:52 AM, 2008-12-02, anonymous said:
its great to see more youth out hunting, but what does shooting decoys really teach them? sometime hunts go bad can't just blow things up because of it. No die hard ever would (espcially by 15 thats past the little kid stage ethics should be well learned by then)either you wait for the next day Mark comment offensive

At 10:01 PM, 2008-11-14, bob said:
great to see youre getting kids involved!! nice shot on the decoys by the way Mark comment offensive

At 10:01 PM, 2008-11-14, bob said:
great to see youre getting jids involved!! nice shot on th decoys by the way Mark comment offensive

At 11:26 PM, 2008-10-27, Jackpine savage mn said:
try three guys in a canoe and being the back guy and the middle guy blows a hole in the canoe in november, 8 ft deep shotguns,decs,and my wallet in the hollowed log. Mark comment offensive

At 2:01 PM, 2008-10-27, Jason said:
try having 3 people in a boat and end up shoting at the same time!!! u find yourself 4 feet under water (and i mean cold ass water) Mark comment offensive

At 7:52 AM, 2008-10-27, wes hope said:
why would u shoot a decoy Mark comment offensive

At 1:55 PM, 2008-10-24, Jerry said:
it is noce to hear that there are still good guys out there that help the community. i have been an avid hunter since age 10 largely because of the same efforts of my father and his friends. it has helped me throughout my life teaching respect and reverence for all things. i hope you can take heart in the idea that you are passing that knowledge on to another generation. Mark comment offensive

At 8:47 PM, 2008-10-23, Will said:
thanks so much for something i can relate to. as a college student and a duck hunter, it's great to see that some guys in my generation are hunting and learning what it means to love the outdoors. thanks! Mark comment offensive

At 4:33 PM, 2008-10-23, james said:
great to see youth in the field,my best times in the woods or marsh has been with my kids Mark comment offensive

At 3:12 PM, 2008-10-23, Jim W. said:
oh oh the poor decoys, hope they weren't hurt. at least they didn't feel it. Mark comment offensive

At 9:06 PM, 2008-10-22, HuntinFool said:
great pic's! i applaud you for your efforts on getting youth involved in the sport. Mark comment offensive

At 11:40 PM, 2008-10-21, Jeff said:
i would like to say thanks for your effort and time. i know what it is like to have a teen-ager that likes to hunt and go to the homecoming dance thanks for the artical and the pics. Mark comment offensive

At 9:11 PM, 2008-10-21, pete said:
last year my 10yr old fell in, i told him he was a real duck hunter. we also do the youth deer hunt. we camp out that weekend. i would't trade that weekend for anything. Mark comment offensive

At 2:26 PM, 2008-10-21, anonymous said:
if i shot my decoy every bad day and i only lost my entire spread by january it'd be a good year! Mark comment offensive

At 1:24 PM, 2008-10-21, Scrap5000 said:
wow, you did an excellent job, phil! i hope i remember these tips when i hopefully have a son one day... Mark comment offensive


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Shotguns columnist and waterfowl fanatic Phil Bourjaily started taking kids duck hunting on Iowa's annual Youth Waterfowl Hunt seven years ago, and hasn't missed the two-day season since. This year he brought his camera along to document the fun.

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