Green Bay Chapter Hosts 12th Annual Learn to Hunt Waterfowl Program

By Bruce Urben, WWA President

This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s November, 2021 Newsletter edition.

In 2020, WWA’s Green Bay Chapter was busy putting together plans for the 12th annual Learn to Hunt (LTH) Waterfowl program. Unfortunately, that summer we received word from DNR that due to the COVID-19 pandemic, all Learn to Hunt programs in Wisconsin were being cancelled and our chapter would not be allowed to hold our planned event!

WWA’s Learn to Hunt waterfowl program began over 12 years ago and have been told it was one of the first to take place in the state. When we received news of the required cancellation we were a little discouraged, but understood that safety is always to be considered first. Needless to say, we were waiting patiently to receive word that the 2021 LTH programs could proceed. Indeed, that approval was given in late spring of 2021 and the chapter wasted no time in organizing this year’s program which we held on Friday, October 15th (classroom and range work), with the mentored hunt taking place the next day, Saturday, October 16th.

This year, due to one of the smaller classes of participants we’ve hosted, we were able to provide the LTH opportunity to a network of participants across Wisconsin, from Big Bend to Stevens Point to Oconto Falls. Participants ranged from a 60-year-old first time hunter to a 20-something participant and a youth aged 12.

The program began Friday afternoon at the Pittsfield Trap Club located near Pulaski, WI, with a classroom presentation from certified Hunter Safety (HS) instructors Jeremy VanSistine and Mike Van Schindle. While a hunter’s safety certification is not required to attend this course, we are committed to safety throughout the program. In addition to the presentations by our HS instructors, Aaron Wright, a Wisconsin Department of Natural Resources (WDNR) Wildlife Tech. from the department’s Northeast Region presented information on Duck ID and ecology. This was followed by a presentation from Brown County WDNR Conservation Warden, Amanda Kretschmer, discussing regulations, requirements and hunter ethics in the field.

Later in the evening, the students were looking forward to honing their shotgun shooting skills on the trap range with their assigned mentor. Some students were new to shotgun handling and shooting, while some were skilled and able to bring their own firearm. Firearms and ammo are provided for the attendees. Needless to say, several hours were spent on the range, having each student break clay targets in the positions that they would be hunting the next morning. Although we were concerned that we might not have had enough trap loads for all participants (have you tried finding shotgun shells lately?), we were fortunate to have plenty to fill the need. Lots of sore shoulders were had, but all students were ready for their first waterfowl hunt in the morning.

Saturday came early for all, students and mentors were up and traveling to their scouted hunting spots by 4:00am. Hunts were held on the bay of Green Bay by layout boat and blind boat, marsh hunting on Bay backwaters and private hunting ponds. Mentors were asked to bring their students back before noon to meet at the trap club to discuss their hunt, their expectations and their experience along with the distribution of certificates and a brat/burger picnic lunch.

Although the program does not base success on harvest, but more on the opportunity in the field, this year was a success exceeding our expectations. All students were able to harvest at least one duck (some more) and their experiences were all positive. One student from UW Stevens Point said, “This experience was well beyond my expectations, sitting in a layout boat in the middle of the Bay of Green Bay was awesome; seeing ducks trying to land on me was beyond my wildest dreams. I plan to start waterfowling this year, just need to acquire some gear.”

We ended the program while demonstrating how to clean the birds and also shared some of our favorite recipes for them to use in preparing their own ducks harvested once they got home.

WWA would like to thank the Pittsfield Trap Club for being able to use their facility, the Wisconsin Conservation and Education Foundation for their support with a grant, our Hunter Safety instructors, WDNR staff and, of course, our many mentors, all of which took time out of their busy schedule (and their waterfowl hunting) to make a difference with these students. Without their support, this program would not be possible. Thank you also to Dr. Ben Sedinger at UW Stevens Point for sending a number of his waterfowl program participants to experience the program.

All of our mentors are looking forward to 2022’s 13th annual program… we all wonder if we should be stocking up on shotshells now?

If you are interested in being a part of the program as a student or mentor, please contact me (Bruce Urben) at burben@netnet.net or by phone at (920) 660-2773.