Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl I'm a proud father!

On Saturday my 6 year old daughter came into my room at 5am to tell me she couldn't sleep. She said she couldn't stop thinking about bird hunting. So I got up with her 30 minutes early and took her to breakfast before going out after ducks. What a great way to start a day!





Just wanted to share.

That's good stuff right there. Congrats!

Awesome! Thanks for sharing.

Thanks for sharing that with us, Mike!

Keep up the good work -- she is the future of hunting!

John

Thanks gents! The only fighting in my house I don't mind is when she and my 5 year old son fight over whose turn it is to go hunting. Their favorite is duck hunting--more social, more shooting, less "be quiet, sit still" I think. They rib the heck out of me for missing though!

My boy from the day before. You might notice a trend: they are my retrievers!

Way to go. I"d be proud as heck too!

Memories you will never forget!

Great kids and nice scenery to be raising them in. Keep taking pics proud dad!

This is good stuff, thanks for posting.

Thanks again. Since I started sharing on this topic, I'll continue with one more poignant thing that happened yesterday morning. My 5 year old boy and I were in the canoe with our small mound of ducks when one slowly came back to life. Ducks have more heart, more fight for life, than any other animal I've hunted. Well, this little head comes up out of the pile, bleeding from both sides, and sits looking at us in the boat. I noticed it and planned to dispatch it next stop. After a few minutes, my boy says "Dad, that one's not dead." I told him I would wring its neck, a procedure the kids are familiar with. He said no, let's put him back in the water so that he can live. Somehow they had bonded, and he wanted to save this bird. I explained that no doctor could help this bird from what I had done, and that he was table fare now. On running aground I completed the task. Nolan hid his face. We went on quietly until I saw a rodent and I suggested he try for it with his 22, as he had been asking to do. He said no, he didn't want to now. He was angry with me. I went into a long diatribe (something fathers cannot keep from doing apparently) about life and death, sacrifice, giving thanks, God's creation, etc. I told him how proud I was that he appreciated what we had taken, and how important it is to use this animal. He said nothing. After some time, I asked if he still wanted to go down and try for pheasants and he responded reluctantly "Yeah, Mom really wants some of those." We couldn't satisfy Mom's request, but I was proud again in another, more profound way, at my boy's maturity shown and experience gained.

A tough lesson learned ar a pretty young age, Mike.

But NECESSARY for young boys to move on in maturity. It will toughen him alittle later and he will see life has its ups and downs. Weve lost this lesson particularly as weve moved as a Nation away from ruralness.

And hell even be glad hes top of the food chain some day.

Wonderful! I remember when my son was 5 (now 21 and duck hunting as I type this) he asked me " Daddy, do you think there is good hunting in heaven?' I replied "yes buddy I believe there is". then my son said something I wish we all took to heart, he said " I think there is too�.(pause)�.. but I hope you don't get something every time or it wouldn't be any fun".

Reminds me of a day 3 young boys were passing our yard. A covey of Californian quail had taken cover in the sage and each picked up a handful of gravel intending to try a shotgun approach. When the birds flushed each one unleashed, and darn if they didn't bring one down. It was not an immediatly mortal hit though, and they instantly shifted from the killing mode to "we've got to save him." They were near heart broken when the bird finally went limp.

Great to see those kids out there. Don't push too hard, but try to keep them at it. Color me envious,

Thanks again guys. It's hard to put into words what it means to share these experiences with kids. I suppose one day they will have interests that interfere with our hunts, but for now hunting is probably our most anticipated past time.

And keep sharing--I enjoy reading of your experiences!