Alabama Youth Hunt: February 5th, 2011

http://www.duckjunkies.com/index.php/Next-Generation-Youth/al-youth-hunt-feb-5th-2010.html

Next Generation (Youth)

Duck Junkies has partnered with Delta Waterfowl to put on a mentored youth hunt on February 5th, 2011 in Brantley, Alabama.

The objective: Get kids excited about duck hunting and conservation and get their parents up to speed to support them.

There will be 25 youth attending this event at Conecuh River Ranch. We are going to hunt six at a time out of two blinds (three per blind). There will only be one shooter in each blind at a time. While each youth is shooting, a mentor will be right beside them guiding them step by step. While they are not, mentors will be teaching them about what is going on (the way the ducks are coming in, how to lead them, when to shoot, etc.) After the hunt, mentors will help them clean their ducks and answer any questions that they have.

When back at the lodge, mentors and aids will answer questions of the parents and youth and help teach about the heritage of Duck Hunting. There will be small group lessons about duck calling, decoy placement, scouting, cooking waterfowl and more! Parents who are not familiar with waterfowling will learn the basics of the sport and how to get involved with and support their child in their future of waterfowling.

Over thirty mentors and aids for this event include staff from Duck Junkies* and Delta Waterfowl as well as Chad Poole from Echo Calls, Clay London from Ol' Dogg Guide Service, William Dennis from Drake Waterfowl, Hassey Brooks from the Alabama Department of Ag and a few others in the waterfowl industry.

Duck, Duck Goose has volunteered to donate a lanyard for each youth. Each youth will also receive fleece Duck Junkies hats and a First Hunt package from Delta Waterfowl including a duck call. Every participant will receive a certificate of attendance.

You do not have to be an industry professional to volunteer for this event BUT if you would like to be a volunteer at this event please contact us ASAP as space is filling fast! ALL YOUTH SLOTS FOR THIS EVENT ARE FULL. Any youth that are wishing to be involved in a future hunt should contact us.

Jim Brooks is the Duck Junkies on-site coordinator for this event. This hunt is scheduled to have multiple people filming.

To learn about getting involved in Duck Junkies events, please contact us.

*Duck Junkies staff scheduled as mentors and aids:

Ryan Duck Junkie Marrinan: Founder

Jim Brooks: Alabama Pro Staff, Event Coordinator

Will Fastabend: Louisiana Youth Staff, 3rd Junior World Championship Specklebelly Goose

Shawn Foskey, Georgia Pro Staff, Taxidermist (He will be accompanied by his son Colton, a competitive duck caller.)

John Wilson, Georgia Pro Staff, Life-long committed waterfowler

Michael Scarborough, Pro Staff, Experienced traveling waterfowler

Isaac Brinkley, Field Staff, Student Majoring in Wildlife and Fisheries

Letter from a Member:

At Duck Junkies, we believe our direction and content should be driven by our members. If you have something to add, a suggestion or just a question, we would love to hear from you! And if you don't mind, we just might publish it! Go to the Suggestion form now.

Here is what Jini had to say when she recently contacted us:

On your home page you acknowledge that you really serve more than just the needs of hunters. I think that's important. I haven't hunted in years, but I know how important hunters are to the management of all sorts of game. I'm an ecologist and wildlife and fisheries biologist. I know there's a ground swell afoot that wants to eliminate hunting. I think all hunting organizations owe it to themselves and the people they represent to include some room for 1. educating the public on why people hunt. 2. what the ancillary benefits are to the hunter and the population of wildlife being sought. And the incredible experience it is to watch the sky darkened with waterfowl or other game whether a hunter or not.

I've worked diligently in the last ten years to help preclude the loss of Suisun Marsh to the efforts of the water development agencies and water users, to use Suisun as "mitigation" for the impacts of "tweaking" water development projects by converting it to saltwater tidal marsh. This is basically a 100K + acres of brackish) wetlands. To address endangered species issues through the ESA Habitat Conservation Planning process. Unfortunately, taking care of only endangered, threatened and proposed species can be extremely damaging to other species. In this case, the long history of managing waterfowl populations and efforts to replace lost habitat stands against waterfowl enthusiasts. Waterfowl, with a few exceptions, have stayed off the ESA list because of money from hunters and other sport enthusiasts which have succeeded.

Also, since the sixties the number of women biologists and other outdoor related professions have burgeoned. Some hunt, some do not; but I think their presence, needs need to be acknowledged and met.
That's my soapbox for the day.

Jini Scammel_Tinling