Carrying on the Tradition
By Ron Pharr, Drake Field Expert

Another season has come to an end, and for many of us the time spent in the blind this year made numerous long-lasting memories. This past season is one that created a memory of a lifetime for me as I was able to share it with my four year old son, Gaston.

It all started with a long road trip from Alabama to our camphouse located near Clarendon, Arkansas for a three day weekend of waterfowling. During the course of the six hour trip, we encompassed several bathroom breaks, a fast food drive thru and an unlimited supply of questions. One particular question that is hard for any father to forget is "Are we there yet?" this was infamously repeated on more than one occasion. Upon arrival at the camphouse, we readily unpacked our gear, made our beds and settled down for an anxious nights sleep.

The next morning, we awoke at 5:00 AM to a blistering North wind as a cold front began moving across the state. Such cold fronts usually present a good avenue for new birds in the area, but the father in me was only concerned with making sure Gaston was wearing enough clothing and that we had an adequate supply of snacks for the hunt. We stepped into our waders and made our way from the warmth of the mudroom into the chill of the early morn. After loading our ATV with gear and decoys, I finally realized that there standing before me was my life and heart, my best hunting buddy for many years to come.

Under the cover of darkness, we made our way to the blind situated in a flooded bean field that had been holding a good number of birds. The ride to blind was the first highlight of the morning for Gaston as he simply couldn't believe we were riding in all that mud and water just to go hunting. It is just something special about mud and water that a young boy can help but be intrigued!

We set out the decoys and carefully got hunkered down into the blind with about 10 minutes to spare before legal shooting hours. During the course of that 10 minute span, I began laying down the foundation of the dos and don'ts while in the blind. I was then met with the old time honored "Why Daddy?" questions just like all the other father's before me with their sons. Suddenly, we had our first group of ducks to circle the decoys and the hunt produced the first greenhead of the morning for Gaston to put on the duck strap. Another, then another, he was having so much fun just holding the ducks that it was hard for him to keep quiet from simply talking about the ducks while we were working other ducks. Over the course of the hunt, I began to realize that it was in his blood and he took to it just like" a duck to water". I taught him about the limits set on waterfowl. He then began helping us put the ducks into limits as well as distinguishing between the different species of ducks we had in the limits.

By mid morning, we were a few ducks shy of four limits and out of snacks, so we decided that anything else we did the rest of the morning couldn't even begin to compare with Gaston just being there with us in the blind. We unloaded, packed up our blind bags and began picking up decoys. Not wanting to stay in the blind, Gaston was convinced to help pick-up the decoys but I saw it as means to play in the water. It didn't take long for him to break the #1 rule of falling down in the water and getting his hands wet. I quickly rushed to his side and picked him up out of the brown Delta muck. Thank the good lord for kid's waders and waterproof jackets but I could only imagine that his little hands had started feeling like needles were sticking in them as they began to dry in the frigid air. Knowing that particular feeling from a first hand experience, dear old dad and the rest of the guys made double time picking up the rest of decoys to get him back to the truck.

Upon arrival, I immediately turned on the heater and placed him on the front seat to dry out while we unloaded from the hunt. That heater must have created a sense of serenity because it took him a total of 5 minutes to doze off dreaming of a Waterfowling Wonderland.

Over the course of the weekend, we had shared more memorable hunts. Each morning, Gaston was so excited to go on his next hunt and learn more about "why we do this" and "why we do that" than he did the previous day. Sometimes he would wake me up in the middle of the night to simply ask if it was time to go yet!

It was during that peaceful slumber after the first morning's hunt, that it reminded me of the innocence that our children share with us each day. These early years are very valuable as a means in making a positive imprint in there lives, whether you are in the blind or at home. It is something every parent must make time to do for their children. God and Family are first and foremost in our lives, but each one of my children will be taught the art of waterfowling so that they may carry on the tradition to their children.