Chris Bags his Bird

Today was the first time Chris went out with Bruce as a hunter and he successfully got his first bird! It was a pretty little Widgeon that Bruce is cleaning now. Dude!!

Chris took the initiative to get his hunter safety certificate this summer and got his hunting license. We had agreed that we would not push this upon any of the kids but allow them the opportunity should they be willing to take the steps necessary to follow this path.

Chris is a bit adverse to having his picture taken, but was willing to ham it up, well sort of. He is a bit of an understated lad. This is Chris trying not to laugh at Sharon while still humoring her with a wild west hunter pose. "Seriously Sharon, another picture." He is actually very proud of that duck and I'm sure that it will be the topic of many conversations at school this next week. Yes, that is the 12 gauge that he was shooting.

Today was a right of passage for our young man. I am very proud of him. It is hard to put words to all that I feel for him. It was not about killing a few ducks. It was so much more than that, it was about growing up. Today Chris took a step out of childhood and took part in something that demands maturity and accountability. Hunting is not a game, it is not for childish behaviors or irresponsibility. Today he stood with other men; men who have hunted ducks longer then I have been alive and was treated as a peer. He stood by and listened to the predawn story telling. He learned the excitement of birds turning to call and setting wings to come in. He discovered that anytime you have food in your hands or start to day dream, birds are flying in. And he did shoot his first duck, taking it out of the air only makes it better. Well done my son, well done.