By Bruce Ross, Executive Director bruceross@wi.rr.com
This article originally appeared in Wisconsin Waterfowl Association’s November, 2020 Newsletter edition.
I hope you are getting out this season as much as you are able. While it has been a tough season for me, my batteries get recharged each time I’m in the marsh.
The social aspect of duck hunting is frequently mentioned as one of its appeals. Scanning the skies, whispering “single at ten o’clock”, and the occasional feed chuckle or lonesome hen is a fine background to the banter with my blind mates that can be both light and provocative.
But I also cherish the solo hunts where my only conversation is with the ducks. I might not see all the ducks that swing by as soon (or maybe, at all) as when I’m with a partner, but that’s OK. I seem to breathe deeper. And am better able to experience what’s happening in the marsh: the play of light on the underside of gathering storm clouds, the wing whistle of ducks overhead, the smells of a freshening breeze. I’m not a good enough writer to capture the essence, but each experience has a profound affect on me. Harvest numbers become a secondary matter.
I’m not alone in observing that there is an arc to the outdoor experience, whether fishing or hunting – or in our case, duck hunting. New waterfowlers want to pull the trigger, to fill their limits; to become technically proficient with the tools of the hunt. They learn how to be more successful by understanding where ducks want to be and why; what factors will bring them success. They enjoy the camaraderie of fellow waterfowlers and evolve to cherish the experience of duck hunting as much as the harvest. And as they put more seasons in the rear-view mirror, they focus on how to pay it forward – what role can they play in making sure the next generation has the opportunity to be shaped by these outdoor experiences.
Erich Pitz, long-term WWA volunteer, proud supporter of WWAs nesting box program, died October 14, 2020
This arc was epitomized by long-time WWA volunteer, Erich Pitz. Erich called me on my third day with WWA. He was looking for guidance on the next batch of wood that had to be acquired for the wood duck box program. I probably wasn’t much help as I was still trying to understand the organization I had just joined. But it was clear from his earnest voice that he was doing something important for WWA. After we concluded our conversation, I vowed to quickly get smarter on Erich and this program that he almost singlehandedly managed for WWA. And in the course of the succeeding two years, I came to value his energy and perspective. Like I fondly said about my own Dad, Erich was a larger-than-life character with character. Erich passed away last month after a battle with cancer, but even as late as September, he was reminding me to advise him when we needed to pick up more wood duck boxes from his storage.
WWA’s mission is built around this “duck hunter’s arc” – indeed we are organized to help WIWaterowlers at every step along this spectrum: creating learning opportunities for novice hunters, sharing information important to harvest success, strengthening the community of waterfowlers and preserving the opportunity to hunt through wetland restorations or advocacy in the capitol. We are a small organization that has an outsized impact that would not be possible without the support of people like Erich – and you. Thank you, and have a great fall season.