Late summer we started taking Skadi for walks down the bay to get her used to the sounds and smells. We also did some grass and water retrieves to get the dog used to the environment she will eventually be hunting in this fall.

So now we are into October and I'm getting ready for the first goose hunt of the season. I was getting my goose decoys, blind bag and shotgun oiled up for a hunt in a freshly cut corn field. Ryan saw me outside prepping the truck with the decoys and begging to go with me. I explained to him that I was invited on this hunt, I can't just bring you with me. I sent a text to Shotgun John, the host of the hunt, to see if it would be ok if Ryan could tag along to see what it was all about. I promised to make sure he was camo'ed up from head to toe and keep him still and he said sure. Thanks again John!

He got to see and witness what a good day with lots of birds was like hunkered down in ditch of a corn field with 4 shooters.





He then saw me leave the yard with the duck boat, duck decoys, and the dog on multiple trips headed for the water. He was asking me to go but there wasn't enough room for me, him , the dog to hunt out of the boat so I had to try and find somewhere for us to hunker down along the shore somewhere to hunt. Finally there was a day where it was mild out, the water was calm, the migration had started and we headed out for an afternoon hunt. He was a little nervous of the bark of the shotgun but never complained about it. He got to experience what it was like to hunt ducks on a good day.




I had the chat with his mom before this went any further, she lost a brother to drowning when she was 10 years old and is super paranoid of him drowning. I explained that anytime we are on the water we are both wearing life jackets. ( he also swims well for a 10 year old, he had swimming lessons and we have a pool in the back yard.) I also religiously check the tides and the local marine forecast for the day. There are multiple bail out sites if it really got bad and its within cell range the entire bay that we hunt in.

I also mentioned that neoprene waders are buoyant and an insulation against the cold. The waders below also come with a hip belt that I hadn't put on him for the picture but he will be wearing anytime we are on the water. It looks like he's got no legs in the picture that's because there is about 4-6 inches of leg room he needs to grow into lol. I got him to walk , crawl, touch the ground and it doesn't seem to impede his movement in any way so we will hope he stretches out a bit in the next year or so.

Ryan was excited the last time he went out but he was bound to the shore line as he was only wearing knee-high boots at the time. Anytime the dog went out to make a retrieve or I got out to adjust the decoys you could tell he wanted to be able to do more. Now he will be abler to help with the boat, setting and pulling in decoys as well as collecting ducks from the dog when she gets to the shoreline. Ryan has also shown an interest in fishing so if hunting doesn't pan out he can use them for that.

The plan is for him to do his CORE course in the spring or when ever they start being available again. Until then its a spectators sport for him.