A few months ago, I was approached by a young woman (Mindy), whom expressed an interest in learning how to hunt ducks and geese. Knowing full well in me heart that I had spent some 46 years in the passionate pursuit of waterfowl, I felt an obligation to help the lass out with her desire to become a fowler. Certainly, her plight made me want to share that way o' life as a "fowler", that had brought me decades of joy and adventure. Mindy had explained that she had hunted on her family farm out in Illinois for upland birds, but since her relocation to the Northeast she had been having trouble connecting with other hunters. I knew in me own mind that I would be willing to help her get started along the road to becoming a competent and passionate waterfowl hunter.
I explained to Mindy what she would need in terms of a license, permits, and stamps along with the basics of equipment and told her to give me a ring when she had all of those items in order. It was evident from her expedient efforts in aquisition of those items that the young lass was serious in her quest to become a fowler. T'was also clear to meself that Mindy held me gundog TRAD in high regard, that of course tipping the scale in her favor.
Arrangements were made with a couple o' me most trusted gunning Mate's to have Miss Mindy join us for a field hunt for Canada Geese. Now mind ye, good hearted as me lads may be, they are crusty old fowlers and a tad set in their ways so me expectations on their acceptance of a "newbie" into the blind was wrought with trepidation. Add to the fact that very few lassies had traditionally gunned from our blind, in what had largely been a "man cave", and me apprehension level was multiplied. In fact, I could not have been more wrong. All of us had daughters of our own and Mindy met with gracious acceptance from the moment introductions had been made. In fact, her welcome into the fold had met with much less reluctance than I had seen displayed for other lads that had joined us for a first shoot in the past. Perhaps it was the willingness of Mindy to jump right in and help set out the numerous full body decoys in our rig, or it may have been the fact that she never once whined about the freezing rains we were subjected to, or it may have been her readily evident sympatico with me retriever TRAD, she surely had won acceptance. Decoys set and legal shooting time having arrived, we settled into the blind in wait of the morning flights of geese that would soon be starting. Me lad John, a certified shooting instructor, immediately spoke with Mindy about firearm safety and shooting from the blind, a traditional warning issued to all guests ever privileged to join us for some gunning. Mindy was all ears and took the safe gunning lecteure seriously as one should. Additionally, John offered Mindy some off the cuff instruction on shooting geese and an observation that the Remington 870 pump gun that she had brought with her, did not fit her properly. John offered to do a shotgun fitting for her during a near future appointment in an effort to make her shooting more accurate and more of a pleasure. Mindy graciously accepted his offer and said, "I am here to learn and I appreciate all of you helping me". Me other Mate (Henry) is about a warm and friendly a lad as one might find anywhere. Henry shared with Mindy that he had only been hunting
geese for a few years, but that he is now hopelessly addicted to fowling with us. It seemed that Henry's confessed addiction to fowling was a warm message of encouragement for Mindy. I watched the personal dynamic unfold before me eyes with relief that all was going extremely well.
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Hot coffee poured and the anticipation of arriving flights of geese a collective thought among our lot, banter flowed with ease in the blind, a mission of mentorship was clearly bestowed upon Mindy by the more seasoned fowlers.
I told me Mate's that I was not even going to load me shotgun, rather, I would be focusing me attention to calling geese, and watching both TRAD as a first season retriever, and Mindy as a neophyte fowler. i wanted to make certain that TRAD was remaining steady on his raised platform with our above ground blind, and that he was marking off the guns as geese fell to the ground. I wanted to watch Mindy for her proper shouldering of the gun, any birds that she might clearly have shot, and for any tips I might lend her that would lead to her gunning success. As the first flight was worked into and immediately over our decoy rig with proficient caling provided by meself and John, the door to the gunning port was dropped as John said "take 'em. Me eyes bounced back and forth betwixt Mindy and TRAD as the shotguns barked and birds crumpled in flight swiftly falling to the muddy ground below. TRAD had remained steady and had marked birds down with pinpoint accuracy. Mindy had not hit any of the big birds lured before us and into range. Clearly, John's earlier assessment of her 870 pump gun being improperly sized for her small frame was spot on. A problem with fit specific to "length of pull" issues were futher exacerbated by the mutiple layers of warm clothing needed to contend with late season gunning here in temperate New England.. Undaunted, Mindy looked at me while flashing a grin that bespoke of her amazement at first watching birds "talked" into the decoys with experienced callers working in tandem. I quipped, "so Mindy, you did not know that John and I speak fluent Canadaian, eh"? Mindy laughed, more than likely due to me lame attempt at a Canadian French accent, than me spot on call work and having put birds right into the L Z.
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Contemplative as I scan the skyline for birds from our blind, me view on the future of fowling and the retriever games is one of concern, knowingly a key factor to their survival is our mentoring of those coming up behind us.
As I sat in the blind with me mind wandering throughout the intervals betwixt flights, I contemplated the joys of the fowling tradition and the obligation we that are so passionate for the birds, the guns, the dogs, the decoys, and all of the aspects associated with this facet of American culture, to mentor those that might join our ranks. Surely the general membership of RETRIEVER TRAINING FORUM has an incredible pool of knowledge that can be shared with "would be fowlers" and / or potential retriever games enthusiasts through our efforts to lend much needed mentorship in that regard. Clearly, we that have spent so many years passionately involved in these activities, so much so that they are really a way o' life for our lot, must recognize the importance of maintaining these traditions. Mentorship of new blood is vitally important for the continuity of waterfowl hunting and for the dog games as well. Our failure to provide mentoring will be our failure to continue our own rich legacy.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I am so very thankful to those that mentored meself in me own quest to become a competent fowler and trainer of retievers in years gone by. Many of those folks have now passed, or are now in their elder years, and are held in esteem for the highly positive contributions they have made to me life and ferver for fowling and retrievers. They passed the torch that has burned like a fire in me very soul for decades. I urge ye to pass the torch too!
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TEAM TRAD taking a moment from break down of the decoy spread for a post-hunt photo with Mindy. How did Mindy enjoy her first hunt fow waterfowl??? Me thinks the smile on her face tells the whole story. Another "fowler" and a confirmed lover of the Labrador has joined our ranks.
Me lad John followed up with a proper fitting of a smoothbore for Miss Mindy that will certainly add much to her next trip afield. If all goes as planned, John and meself will be taking his daughter Cathrine and our new gunning Mate Mindy, on a Thanksgiving morning hunt for Honkers, a most appropriate expression of me own "thanks" for me own mentors from yesteryear!
HAPPY THANKGIVING ALL RTF MEMBERS,
Irishwhistler & TRAD
I explained to Mindy what she would need in terms of a license, permits, and stamps along with the basics of equipment and told her to give me a ring when she had all of those items in order. It was evident from her expedient efforts in aquisition of those items that the young lass was serious in her quest to become a fowler. T'was also clear to meself that Mindy held me gundog TRAD in high regard, that of course tipping the scale in her favor.
Arrangements were made with a couple o' me most trusted gunning Mate's to have Miss Mindy join us for a field hunt for Canada Geese. Now mind ye, good hearted as me lads may be, they are crusty old fowlers and a tad set in their ways so me expectations on their acceptance of a "newbie" into the blind was wrought with trepidation. Add to the fact that very few lassies had traditionally gunned from our blind, in what had largely been a "man cave", and me apprehension level was multiplied. In fact, I could not have been more wrong. All of us had daughters of our own and Mindy met with gracious acceptance from the moment introductions had been made. In fact, her welcome into the fold had met with much less reluctance than I had seen displayed for other lads that had joined us for a first shoot in the past. Perhaps it was the willingness of Mindy to jump right in and help set out the numerous full body decoys in our rig, or it may have been the fact that she never once whined about the freezing rains we were subjected to, or it may have been her readily evident sympatico with me retriever TRAD, she surely had won acceptance. Decoys set and legal shooting time having arrived, we settled into the blind in wait of the morning flights of geese that would soon be starting. Me lad John, a certified shooting instructor, immediately spoke with Mindy about firearm safety and shooting from the blind, a traditional warning issued to all guests ever privileged to join us for some gunning. Mindy was all ears and took the safe gunning lecteure seriously as one should. Additionally, John offered Mindy some off the cuff instruction on shooting geese and an observation that the Remington 870 pump gun that she had brought with her, did not fit her properly. John offered to do a shotgun fitting for her during a near future appointment in an effort to make her shooting more accurate and more of a pleasure. Mindy graciously accepted his offer and said, "I am here to learn and I appreciate all of you helping me". Me other Mate (Henry) is about a warm and friendly a lad as one might find anywhere. Henry shared with Mindy that he had only been hunting
geese for a few years, but that he is now hopelessly addicted to fowling with us. It seemed that Henry's confessed addiction to fowling was a warm message of encouragement for Mindy. I watched the personal dynamic unfold before me eyes with relief that all was going extremely well.
Hot coffee poured and the anticipation of arriving flights of geese a collective thought among our lot, banter flowed with ease in the blind, a mission of mentorship was clearly bestowed upon Mindy by the more seasoned fowlers.
I told me Mate's that I was not even going to load me shotgun, rather, I would be focusing me attention to calling geese, and watching both TRAD as a first season retriever, and Mindy as a neophyte fowler. i wanted to make certain that TRAD was remaining steady on his raised platform with our above ground blind, and that he was marking off the guns as geese fell to the ground. I wanted to watch Mindy for her proper shouldering of the gun, any birds that she might clearly have shot, and for any tips I might lend her that would lead to her gunning success. As the first flight was worked into and immediately over our decoy rig with proficient caling provided by meself and John, the door to the gunning port was dropped as John said "take 'em. Me eyes bounced back and forth betwixt Mindy and TRAD as the shotguns barked and birds crumpled in flight swiftly falling to the muddy ground below. TRAD had remained steady and had marked birds down with pinpoint accuracy. Mindy had not hit any of the big birds lured before us and into range. Clearly, John's earlier assessment of her 870 pump gun being improperly sized for her small frame was spot on. A problem with fit specific to "length of pull" issues were futher exacerbated by the mutiple layers of warm clothing needed to contend with late season gunning here in temperate New England.. Undaunted, Mindy looked at me while flashing a grin that bespoke of her amazement at first watching birds "talked" into the decoys with experienced callers working in tandem. I quipped, "so Mindy, you did not know that John and I speak fluent Canadaian, eh"? Mindy laughed, more than likely due to me lame attempt at a Canadian French accent, than me spot on call work and having put birds right into the L Z.
Contemplative as I scan the skyline for birds from our blind, me view on the future of fowling and the retriever games is one of concern, knowingly a key factor to their survival is our mentoring of those coming up behind us.
As I sat in the blind with me mind wandering throughout the intervals betwixt flights, I contemplated the joys of the fowling tradition and the obligation we that are so passionate for the birds, the guns, the dogs, the decoys, and all of the aspects associated with this facet of American culture, to mentor those that might join our ranks. Surely the general membership of RETRIEVER TRAINING FORUM has an incredible pool of knowledge that can be shared with "would be fowlers" and / or potential retriever games enthusiasts through our efforts to lend much needed mentorship in that regard. Clearly, we that have spent so many years passionately involved in these activities, so much so that they are really a way o' life for our lot, must recognize the importance of maintaining these traditions. Mentorship of new blood is vitally important for the continuity of waterfowl hunting and for the dog games as well. Our failure to provide mentoring will be our failure to continue our own rich legacy.
As we approach Thanksgiving, I am so very thankful to those that mentored meself in me own quest to become a competent fowler and trainer of retievers in years gone by. Many of those folks have now passed, or are now in their elder years, and are held in esteem for the highly positive contributions they have made to me life and ferver for fowling and retrievers. They passed the torch that has burned like a fire in me very soul for decades. I urge ye to pass the torch too!
TEAM TRAD taking a moment from break down of the decoy spread for a post-hunt photo with Mindy. How did Mindy enjoy her first hunt fow waterfowl??? Me thinks the smile on her face tells the whole story. Another "fowler" and a confirmed lover of the Labrador has joined our ranks.
Me lad John followed up with a proper fitting of a smoothbore for Miss Mindy that will certainly add much to her next trip afield. If all goes as planned, John and meself will be taking his daughter Cathrine and our new gunning Mate Mindy, on a Thanksgiving morning hunt for Honkers, a most appropriate expression of me own "thanks" for me own mentors from yesteryear!
HAPPY THANKGIVING ALL RTF MEMBERS,
Irishwhistler & TRAD
