Paul "Pablo" Britton
Active member
Lizzie and I practiced with her shotgun (Carles Daley youth 20ga.) a couple of times this summer/fall. She was a little intimidated by the recoil. This week, she decided she wanted to get her license and try for her first duck.
Today started with a cup of coffee for me and hot coco for her. At 0540, we jumped in the truck with Angel-dog and headed out to our blind-on-the-slough.
An hour later, we were making our nest in the blind and waiting for shooting time. The air was full of sounds: the wind though the trees, widgeon whistles, wood duck squeals and the buzzing quack of gadwall.
For 20 minutes, the birds dumped into our slough, blazing in front of the blind and landing 60 yards beyond. We were waiting for an easy shot for her first attempt on a live target.
The flights died down and then, 20 minutes after sunrise, an unannounced trio of gadwall swooped down and splashed 30 yards in front of the blind.
After several minutes of Liz adjusting position to see beyond the brush, get her grip right, my coaching and coaxing, etc, Liz finally decided to take her first duck. The ducks sat together through all our discussion and her fidgeting and fussing about. Really she was just working up the courage to face the recoil. Angel and I waited.
The dog could see the ducks, and I was ready for a backup shot. Liz was trying to line up a drake..... BOOM! I stood up to shoot a flushing drake, but there was none.
Three gadwall lay on the water, 35 yards from the blind. One raised his head and started to swim away, and I fired my only shot of the day.
Angel happily retrieved two drake and one hen gadwall. We high-fived and hugged and then sat and talked for a bit before we picked up and came back home. She doesn't really remember if the gun kicked much or not.
FIRST!
The Team
Picking up
Today started with a cup of coffee for me and hot coco for her. At 0540, we jumped in the truck with Angel-dog and headed out to our blind-on-the-slough.
An hour later, we were making our nest in the blind and waiting for shooting time. The air was full of sounds: the wind though the trees, widgeon whistles, wood duck squeals and the buzzing quack of gadwall.
For 20 minutes, the birds dumped into our slough, blazing in front of the blind and landing 60 yards beyond. We were waiting for an easy shot for her first attempt on a live target.
The flights died down and then, 20 minutes after sunrise, an unannounced trio of gadwall swooped down and splashed 30 yards in front of the blind.
After several minutes of Liz adjusting position to see beyond the brush, get her grip right, my coaching and coaxing, etc, Liz finally decided to take her first duck. The ducks sat together through all our discussion and her fidgeting and fussing about. Really she was just working up the courage to face the recoil. Angel and I waited.
The dog could see the ducks, and I was ready for a backup shot. Liz was trying to line up a drake..... BOOM! I stood up to shoot a flushing drake, but there was none.
Three gadwall lay on the water, 35 yards from the blind. One raised his head and started to swim away, and I fired my only shot of the day.
Angel happily retrieved two drake and one hen gadwall. We high-fived and hugged and then sat and talked for a bit before we picked up and came back home. She doesn't really remember if the gun kicked much or not.
FIRST!
The Team
Picking up
