Making Memories, Daughter's First

[bandchaser]

Late this summer, our 2nd oldest daughter, 15 yrs old, came to me wanting to shoot during duck season. She has been tagging along for several years, enduring the extreme weather like any experienced fowler, plus she likes dad's duck blind cooking skills!
So, we started during the early teal season, got past the recoil concerns and some basic shooting skills.
We attended her hunter education classes, and she has been waiting for opening weekend. Thursday was a bust for us, wrong spot due to a inaccurate weather forecast and wind shift. Ducks just could not hook up with the cross wind and finish. She shopped with her momma friday and Saturday was a real bone chilling rain that I even questioned why I was out in it.
But come 3am this morning, she bounced out of bed ready to tackle the world. We got down to our launch point, misting rain, mud and kinda raw. We were both excited and ready for the days hunt.
She is tough just her momma. She was setting decoys like she always does, doing her part with the boat blind set up and not missing a beat. We worked several groups and she made several attempts but could not connect.
We finally got some mallards to get right, I lit several lead ducks and the rest of the group in tow. I flipped the blind door, quietly barking kill that greenhead!
She couldn't see it due to all the flocked headed decoys until the drake made some fatal mistakes. He started turning his head, swimming, and she had target position locked. She swung her shotgun and the drake came busting up off the water. All in fluid motion, she took her lead, the drake got about 3-4 feet of the water, and the report of her 20 ga and the sights of a pair of orange feet sticking up in the air!
Anna starts hollering, I did it, I shot my first duck!!!! High fives, fist bumps and watching my lab Cody complete the retrieve of Anna's first Mallard Drake. He even got tangled in 2 decoy lines on the way back.

I can't be a more proud dad. She has been so proud of herself all day. To endure the weather today, with a great attitude, and spend time with her ole dad. She could have slept in, visited with her boyfriend or hung out with her girlfriends. But she spent it in the outdoors!

Sorry for the ramblings, just an ole dad bragging on one of his own!

Brian

[CrappiePappy]

As well you should (brag) !!

Congrats to the little lady (and to a no doubt proud Dad)

... cp

[Redge]

Cool write up. Nice job Dad. Congrats Anna!

[Joey Clark]

Congratulations bet you sure are a proud dad.

[brucec]

Congratulations to Anna and you to pop. It looks to me like ol Cody is pretty proud of Anna too!!!

["D"]

Outstanding!!! What a thrill it must have been. Thanks.

[buffalo13]

That's awesome! !

[rnvinc]

Now that's a great story ... !!



Rickie

[M R Dux]

Congrats! You're a lucky man.

Neither of my kids followed me into the outdoor pursuits. They were free to pursue their own roads but neither liked the hardships that I put them thru in their early days. Sitting in the rain most of the day in a deerstand with my son ended his hunting career and our daughter just found things she enjoyed more than hunting or fishing. Neither of my grandkids seem interested.

All one can do is provide the opportunity and let them make their own mind up.

[Tony the Tiger]

Boy Howdy it don't get no better than that