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When I got the call from Up2Early to join him on a hunt this morning, I knew I was in for a treat. However, when he told me that his two boys, ages 6 and 10, were coming, I got really excited. There is just something about taking kids to the woods and seeing the look on their face when mallards are working that brings a totally different element to a hunt. As the sun rose behind us, we immediately began hearing the feed chatter of mallards above us. After making quick work of some early greenheads, it was time to get the kids on some birds. Me and Up2Early worked a pair into the spread for Ryan and Aaron to shoot, and they did not let us down. Two came in, none left. Ryan got the greenhead and Aaron got the hen. That was the highlight of my day until I was kidding 6 year old Aaron about shooting a hen. His response to my questions will make me smile for the rest of my life. Straight from lips of a 6 year old when asked why he shot the hen.

“I thought it was a black duck.”

Up2Early is raising two fine young men that are already great duck hunters. I was truly honored to share a tree with them today.

Here are a couple pics from the day

Here is Up2Early and Aaron.


Here is Ryan getting after it on the call. This boy has a future in calling. I wish I were a tenth as good as him when I was his age.


Every time I would pick up a duck, I would hear Aaron yell, "IS IT BANDED?" after I said no the 6th or 7th time, I don't think he believed me and insisted on picking them up with me.


Oh yea, and we managed a few ducks too.

My son is 4 and I cant wait to take him. Nice shots man. What kinda camera are you using and what lens? Im really thinking about trying my hand a photography, but have no idea were to start.

Congrats to the young men!

Very nice. Those young guys will remember that for a time to come.

Those first two pics should be in a magazine. Really good. And I bet they will be in Up2Early's photo album.

I didn't realize Up2Early made gamestraps too! Great hunt -- congrats on a fine morning.

Awesome pictures, Alec. We all enjoyed hunting with you as well. The boys wanted to know if you could go with us again sometime. Aaron said he was lucky he hunted with you. I assured them we would all go again.

Aaron made sure we checked all the ducks for bands "just one more time" while we were cleaning them. I sure hope he gets one soon. For now, he's keeping all these he can get.

I'm glad to see those boys learning to call. They're going to be popular with their friends, because they're going to know how to hunt well when their in high school/college.

Good job.

Alec,Great pics! i enjoyed visiting with y'all at lunch Saturday. It was great to see how fired up those boys were about their hunt! They are definitely the future of our sport. Nice to see these guys learning the right way.
I'd venture to say the youngest has a future in politics.

that's awesome

Sounds like an awesome hunt! Congrats to the young hunters, and a pat on the back to you and their dad for sharing with them!

Great posts and photos!

nothing better than getting to share a hunt with kids that are really interested,

Way to go.. That is what its all about.

when that kid starts gettin on here his name will be..........sillyband

thats great i think it is really important to get this next generation in the woods.. when i was growing up we loved to be in the woods messin around, now with all these video games and stuff kids just dont enjoy the outdoors like we used too. but dont get me wrong we had the playstation and stuff when i was little but we just never got into it like they do nowadays.