My Grandpa and Uncle introduced me to hunting when I was 10 years old.  Although I didn’t get to carry a gun for a couple more years, and was basically the “bird dog”, hunting had found its way into my blood.  Pheasants, quail and rabbits were the main focus on those early hunts, but on occasion we would slip into the back waters and marshes found along the Mississippi, Iowa and Cedar Rivers in pursuit of ducks, and that’s where the real fun started.

That was many years ago, but that early exposure to ducks and everything that is duck hunting developed a solid base in me. Over the years my hunting/outdoor interests have expanded into many different areas, but sunrise over a marsh with mallards sailing on a northwest wind is still my favorite, and what I wait for each year.