Hub City Times

Top Menu

  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

Main Menu

  • Home
  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
    • Police / Sheriff Calls
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
  • Military Photos
  • Contact Us
  • E-Editions
  • Subscribe

logo

Hub City Times

  • Home
  • News
    • Around the County
    • Arts & Ent
    • Education
    • Government
    • Local
    • Police / Sheriff Calls
  • Covid 19
  • Opinion
  • Sports
    • Sports News
    • High School Sports Scores
    • Wisconsin Rapids Rafters
  • Coming Events
  • Business
  • Obits
  • Classifieds
  • Military Photos
Outdoors
Home›Outdoors›An early morning on the marsh

An early morning on the marsh

By Hub City Times
September 28, 2017
597
0
Share:
Breanna and Mark Walters discuss tactics while Fire the golden retriever waits for another duck.
Breanna and Mark Walters discuss tactics while Fire the golden retriever waits for another duck. (Ben Gruber photo)

Training new hunters on KAMO’s Youth Waterfowl Hunt


By Ben Gruber

Columnist

As I write, it is opening weekend of the northern zone duck season. With highs nearing 90 and lows in the upper 60s, I have opted to stay away from the insanity that is opening weekend on the marsh. I did get out last weekend though with two local Kids and Mentors Outdoors (KAMO) participants for the Youth Waterfowl Hunt.

Wednesday afternoon found me and my little buddy Addy at a local quarry that we use for wing shooting training. We set up patterning boards and a clay target thrower, and once Auburndale High School let out for the day, Dylan and Breanna arrived for their lesson in shooting at flying birds with a shotgun.

Always a challenge to learn, these two 15-year-old freshmen did a fantastic job of picking it up. I was impressed at both of them. They showed a willingness to learn and did not get frustrated.

With my 3-year-old daughter and Breanna’s younger brother taking turns “throwing” the clay birds — pressing a button on the electronic thrower — we shot up a few boxes of shells, and I felt confident enough in their abilities to make plans to head for the local marsh. They were not fazed a bit when I told them I would be picking them up at 4 a.m. I am not sure if their mothers were as excited about it.

Saturday morning came, and by 4:45 a.m. I had Dylan; Breanna; and another KAMO mentor, Marlon Marks from Junction City, in my truck. We met my good friend and founder of KAMO, Mark Walters, at a marsh in the Meadow Valley Wildlife Area south of Babcock. We loaded canoes with guns, stools, and decoys and then had a short paddle of 200 yards to some cattails, where we hid our canoes.

We quickly made a game plan with our two shooters, placed our decoys, and got ourselves hidden as best as we could. Daylight came soon after, and the wood ducks did not disappoint.

As always happens with new duck hunters, the first few groups of ducks came and went without a shot being fired as they found out just how fast the action happens in the marsh. They got it figured out though, and Dylan made a perfect shot on a passing wood duck, killing his first duck with his very first shot. It was a drake woodie, arguably the prettiest duck there is. Mark’s golden retriever pup made her very first retrieve on Dylan’s very first duck, and Mark was as proud as Dylan was.

In the end Dylan and Breanna had many opportunities, and we finished the day with the one drake wood duck in hand. Plus, we were blessed to see a pair of whooping cranes as well as mallards, wood ducks, geese, and sandhill cranes throughout the morning.

We cleaned up our gear, headed back for the landing, and later stopped at a café in Babcock for breakfast and to relive the hunt. Breanna and Dylan both eagerly agreed that they would get out of bed at 3:30 a.m. to do it again.

At Dylan’s house I showed them how to clean their harvest, and I believe that Dylan was cooking duck before we left his driveway.

All in all it was a very successful excursion with both children having a safe hunt and wanting to do it again. KAMO’s motto is “Tradition Forward,” and I feel like we lived it this weekend.

We are always looking for KAMO mentors. If you think you might be interested in learning more, contact us at kamomarshpoint@gmail.com.

Ben Gruber can be reached at bwgruber@gmail.com.

TagsBen GruberduckducksFeaturedhuntingKids And Mentors Outdoorsoutdoor activitiesoutdoors
Previous Article

Marshfield’s Shah earns sectional spot after placing ...

Next Article

Marshfield woman charged with selling narcotics

0
Shares
  • 0
  • +
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0
  • 0

Related articles More from author

  • maple avenue reconstruction fourth fifth street rogers cinema sewer pipe
    Local

    Maple Avenue project update: Sept. 10, 2015

    September 10, 2015
    By Hub City Times
  • Marshfield Area United Way Executive Director Paula Jero
    Opinion

    How the United Way distributes funds

    March 3, 2016
    By Hub City Times
  • jim hoese marshfield principal middle school assistant retire
    EducationLocal

    A time of transition

    October 2, 2015
    By Hub City Times
  • spencer rockets baseball jonny tomke
    Sports

    Neumann tosses one-hit shutout as Spencer baseball blanks Granton

    May 9, 2015
    By Hub City Times
  • marshfield school district superintendent dee wells
    EducationLocal

    Marshfield School District administrators visit China

    May 5, 2015
    By Hub City Times
  • Safety After High School Instructors from Ki Nagare Dojo taught students aspects of self-defense as part of an educational program about sexual assault.
    EducationLocal

    Program teaches MHS seniors about sexual assault

    April 19, 2016
    By Hub City Times

Leave a reply Cancel reply

You must be logged in to post a comment.

About Us


Hub City Times is published by Multi Media Channels LLC, N2919 County Road QQ Waupaca, WI 54981.

Timeline

  • January 16, 2021

    From the Wood County Health Department: COVID-19 Vaccine Phase Update

  • January 15, 2021

    Main Street hosts virtual Downtown Awards Bash

  • January 14, 2021

    New Marshfield utility facility gets green light

  • January 13, 2021

    Marshfield honors district AP Scholars

  • January 13, 2021

    Judge asks for more evidence in Gramza case

Find us on Facebook

Copyright © 2020 Multi Media Channels, All Rights Reserved. Designed by MMC Team Awesome
×