By Jay Bicknell
It all started at 5 a.m. early Friday morning when I woke Jake up to go wood duck hunting! It took very little to wake the 5 year old duck hunter up! He jumped up got dressed and was ready to shoot some ducks!
We met Brad Hall at McDonalds and jumped into his truck. We were off to hunt a spot on Millers Creek. We got to the spot and got set up waiting on shooting time. It was very evident that Jake was very excited, because he never quit talking. Shooting time was not going to get there quick enough for Jake.
It was finally shooting time and here comes a drake wood duck swimming up the creek right to us! I told Brad to shoot! Brad pulled his gun up, but had to wait for Jake to get his hearing protection on. I think the duck was aware something bad was about to happen. Jake got his hearing protection on and Brad shot. The duck ducked the shot! The duck dove just before the shot. When it popped up I shot and here is where the confusion comes in to play. Immediately after the shot Jake starts saying excitedly he wants to shoot. So he gets in my lap and I put the gun to my shoulder he aims and shoots. The duck is dead and he says that both I and Brad missed and he killed it!! That’s the story I will go with!
This story gets a lot better! My lab is not ready to retrieve ducks and I forgot to bring a fishing pole to retrieve Jake’s duck. The duck was in the water stuck on a tree root on the opposite bank from where we were setting. Jake kept asking the question how we are going to get my duck.
Well we come up with a plan! The plan I will not reveal! I repeat the plan will not ever be revealed! It did not work and the duck ended up in a bean field on the other side of the creek! Yep it was further away than before we enacted the plan! Jake was still asking how are we going to get my duck! There was only one thing to do and lucky for Brad I had a pair shorts on under my camo pants! You guessed it I went swimming! I swam across Millers COLD creek, climbed the bank and got the duck! Did I mention that the water was cold!! I jumped back into the cold water and retrieved the duck!!! I was in a little shock from the cold water and Brad was in a little shock from disbelief that I just swam across Millers creek to get a duck!! Hey I was not going to lose Jake’s first duck!!!
In the mean time I got a text from my wife that Josh my 3 year old was waiting on me! He was waiting at the door in his camo and a toy shotgun in his hand. He was ready to go squirrel hunting with dad!
I got home and Josh and me where off on a squirrel hunt! We went behind the house. We were out about 2 minutes when we saw 2 squirrels. Josh started shooting his toy gun I backed him up in case he missed! Well Josh got his first squirrel! Josh was fired up!
We did not kill any limits, but wow what a hunt! The boys are hooked on hunting! We got to spend quality time together! Some awesome memories where made! I realized I am blessed way more than I deserve!!! I give God the Glory for an awesome day of hunting!! If you don’t take your kids hunting you are really missing out!!
Until next week get out and enjoy Gods creation!