If you have found yourself reading this article, I am willing to bet that at some point in time a friend or relative has introduced you to duck hunting.  I am also willing to bet, that not too long into your first duck hunt you were addicted.  My point is that someone had to turn you on to duck hunting.  Someone had to Spark the Obsession.  One does not learn how to duck hunt alone, it is a tradition that must be taught.

Who cares more about the well being of ducks and waterfowl habitat than avid duck hunters? The answer is no one.  Without well maintained habitat there will be no ducks,  and without ducks there will be no duck hunting.  Unfortunately, the number of duck hunters has drastically declined since its peak during the 1970’s.  It is my belief that this is due in large to the declining number of new and/or youth hunters being introduced to the sport.  This, in the long run, means the number of duck hunters/conservationists will diminish even further.   Hopefully one can understand the seriousness of this trend, for it is a very slippery slope.  A decline in new hunters is bad for ducks, duck hunters, the environment and the symbiotic relationship between species.  Not to mention, for those who are in the industry, it’s bad for business.  Therefore, I have made it one of We Are Duck Hunters main goals to put an end to the decline in new and youth duck hunters.

The only reason that I am a duck hunter today is because someone introduced me to the sport, other than my father. I consider myself lucky. Today’s youth has a first hand education with a Play Station Three, and not the outdoors. This is sad, but the truth is that it’s not their fault. It is ours. We Are Duck Hunters, but we are also recruiters. It is our responsibility to pass on the traditions of duck hunting to the next generation. We do this in hopes that they will carry it on to the generation that follows them, strengthening our efforts of waterfowl restoration.

Duck hunting is more than a sport it is a society.  It is about sharing an experience with friends and family, teaching respect for wildlife, and most importantly, leaving behind a legacy.   By working together we express needs and achieve goals that cannot be fulfilled alone.  Ducks and duck hunters can all benefit as one.  In other words, we need the ducks just as badly as the ducks need us.  We are the political voice of waterfowl, and with numbers we have power.  The more new hunters that we can recruit, the stronger our society will be.

At WeAreDuckHunters.com, we have started a program called “Operation Spark the Obsession.”  It is our goal to create a passion in duck hunting for new people, who normally would not have the opportunity to experience using a duck call and seeing the mallards suddenly turn towards the decoys.

Sure, it’s easy to pass the legacy of duck hunting on to a younger relative.  We are challenging duck hunters to go the extra mile and start the love of duck hunting in today’s youth.  Don’t just bring your son or daughter along, bring their friends as well.  Encourage them to come.  It takes a hands-on experience for someone to understand the thrills of duck hunting, and nothing is more exciting than the first duck hunt.

Six years ago, a friend of mine took me on my first duck hunt to Grand Pass, Missouri.  I will never forget it for the rest of my life.  Just before the sun came up I could hear a hen’s repetitive quack, followed by a drakes whistle just above us.  It was still dark so I could only make out their outlines.  Finally, the legal shooting hour came at 7:01 AM, and not long after that a group of eight to ten mallards committed to our decoy spread.  We all came out of the corn blasting!  We only dropped two, and I have my doubts that I even hit one  but I did not care!  My adrenaline was through the roof.  We ended up getting our limit of green heads that day.  I had so much fun, and from that moment on I was addicted for life.

That was a short version of my first duck hunt.   With Operation Spark the Obsession, we will recruit lifelong hunters and conservationists into our sport.  Ultimately, this will strengthen waterfowl habitat and populations, and increase the enjoyment of the overall duck hunting experience.

Robert Orf

President,
WeAreDuckHunters.com

We encourage you to check out http://www.weareduckhunters.com, please keep in mind that it is still under construction and not scheduled for official release until August.