Sunrise through thick fog welcomes young hunters

ZIMMERMAN, MINN. – A lone wood duck flew out of thick fog and into the decoys. First-time waterfowl hunter Emily Schmidtbauer aimed and fired her 20-gauge once, shattering the morning silence.

The woodie flew off, unscathed.

"Did I miss by much?'' she asked.

"Just by a little,'' said Brian Ross, a veteran waterfowl hunter who on Saturday mentored 12-year-old Emily and her twin brother, Joseph, on Minnesota's 19th annual Youth Waterfowl Day. The pair were among an estimated 5,000 youngsters 15 and under who climbed into duck blinds around the state with nonhunting adult mentors for the one-day special hunt.

For many, including the Schmidtbauer twins, it was their first waterfowl hunt. Organizers, including the state Department of Natural Resources, the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the Minnesota Waterfowl Association and Ducks Unlimited, hope some of the kids will be smitten, helping sustain Minnesota's long waterfowl hunting tradition.

"Maybe they'll catch the bug like me,'' said Ross, 57, of Brainerd, who coordinates Ducks Unlimited's youth mentoring program. About 45 DU members took out 49 youngsters Saturday at six locations, including Sherburne National Wildlife Refuge, where the Schmidtbauer twins and four other youngsters hunted.

Our group saw good numbers of Canada geese, blue-winged teal, wood ducks and mallards — as well as sandhill cranes, hawks, songbirds, a bald eagle and four river otters. And another payoff: an unusual sunrise through thick-as-milk fog.

He later shot at a blue-winged teal, and missed — but noticed the recoil from his 12-gauge. "My shoulder is warm now,'' he said.

In another blind nearby, brothers Brandon and Trevor Honl of Columbia Heights each bagged the first ducks they shot at, a mallard and a teal, respectively. But then their aim went cold, and they missed a lone Canada goose and several wood ducks and teal. "They're a lot faster than clay pigeons,'' said Trevor, 14.

Youth Waterfowl Day was launched nationwide in the face of declining hunter numbers to encourage kids to try waterfowl hunting. In Minnesota, waterfowl hunter numbers have fallen from about 140,000 in the 1960s to around 80,000 in recent years, a figure that has remained fairly stable.

Minnesota allows a one-day special hunt, while some states, including Wisconsin, allow two days. Of the estimated 5,000 Minnesota youths who participate annually, officials don't know how many continue to hunt ducks and geese. But they believe the special hunt has merit regardless.

"What it provides is an annual, schedulable day for parents to recruit their sons or daughter or neighbors,'' said Jay Johnson, DNR hunter recruitment and retention supervisor. "It's an opportunity to take them out on a special day where the focus is on them.''

Ross said that while Youth Waterfowl Day is worthwhile, other work by Ducks Unlimited and state and federal agencies can help recruit hunters.

"I think the real key is more habitat, more [hunting] opportunities and more ducks,'' Ross said.

The event had been somewhat controversial in the past, with some adult hunters questioning the value of the one-day hunt and expressing concern that the early shooting, two weeks before the regular waterfowl season, might push ducks from the state.

Johnson said the issue has faded.

"When folks saw there were 5,000 kids across the entire state of Minnesota, for maybe two to four hours of hunting, it's tough to argue that it drives ducks from the state,'' Johnson said.

"I don't see that it causes any problems, and it's a great opportunity for the youths,'' he said.

Bill and Linda Schmidtbauer sat behind their children in tall grass along the shore of an impoundment Saturday, offering advice and experiencing their first duck hunt, too. Bill grew up in International Falls and hunts deer, turkeys, pheasants and grouse.

"But I've never hunted ducks, I have no decoys and don't know where to go, so this is a learning experience for me, too,'' he said.

The waterfowl hunt is just one of many youth hunts the DNR offers. Special youth deer, turkey and upland bird hunts also are available. The Schmidtbauers are practically poster children for the program.

"We did the mentored youth turkey hunt this spring, and we had a ball,'' Bill said, despite not bagging a bird. And the family is signed up for the mentored upland hunt in October.

"It was really fun,'' Emily said with a grin.

Added Joseph: "I want to do it again next year.''

Doug Smith doug.smith@startribune.com

Twitter: @dougsmithstrib