Kids in          

Waterfowling

And             

Conservation

Mission Statement for KWAC:   An organization of the Alabama Waterfowl Association that teaches the children of Alabama about waterfowl and wetland conservation, by showing them the vital importance of wetlands to both man and waterfowl.  We will teach them safe and proper methods to hunt waterfowl and show them why we hunt waterfowl by teaching them the wonderful heritage of the sport.  Hopefully, resulting in a generation of young outdoor enthusiasts that understand that enjoying the outdoors is much more than being an observer, the enjoyment is in the participation.

 

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    I want to take this opportunity to give everyone a brief overview of the KWAC program and hope that everyone realizes the importance of teaching our kids about the sport that we hold so dear to our hearts. The above mission statement will be a guide that each KWAC activity will follow.

   At the time of this writing we have had two KWAC activities.  The first activity was installing Wood Duck nesting boxes on AWA’s Big Spring Creek Waterfowl Management Area.  The other event was a quickly planned Wood Duck and Blue Bird box installation on the Phillips Wildlife Demonstration Area.  This area is a joint venture between TVA and AWA.  We had around 8 to 10 kids come out for both events.  The waterfowl and wildlife will benefit from these endeavors, but seeing the kids spending some quality time helping wildlife and learning about our sport was absolutely priceless.  My wife still hasn’t managed to get the mud stains out of my daughter’s clothes, but it was obvious that she had fun. Both events were planned to get kids involved with AWA’s conservation efforts and let them realize that being a waterfowler involves more than just going hunting. I think that each event moved each kid a step in this direction.  A “real” waterfowler realizes that we are also stewards of the habitat that the waterfowl use on their migration journey.

   The ultimate goal of the program is to develop ethical waterfowlers that realize the need for conservation, and realize that waterfowling is a noble and honorable outdoor pursuit and the right to pursue it should be defended.  I don’t expect every child that becomes a KWAC member to end up a die-hard waterfowler.  I wish they would, but I know that all of them will not.  It is my sincere wish that each and every child that comes out of the program will have a desire to protect our wetlands and realize their importance in the overall picture of America’s diverse wildlife habitat.  I also hope that the children that don’t develop a real desire to become waterfowlers, will at least develop the opinion that waterfowling is an honorable sport and will defend the rights of those that pursue it.   In other words, I hope they become an ally in our continuing struggle against the people that feel hunting is wrong.  If each child comes out of the program with the knowledge of how important our conservation efforts are to the environment and the understanding that our rights to pursue waterfowl or any other game is a right that should be protected, then I will feel that the program is successful.

Enough of this rambling. Let’s look at what we hope to have going on in the near future. 

Our plans will include the following activities that are now in the planning stages.

1. Duck calling classes by Cary Sadler, a former State Duck Calling Champion and founder of Cary Sadler Waterfowl Calls

2. Banding mallards for the Mallard Release Project

3. Hunter Education Day combined with a youth dove hunt

4. Work days at the Phillip’s and Big Spring Creek Project

5. Youth waterfowl hunts

    Information about these projects will be made available through the local media, AWA’s web site and on Donny Mac’s Outdoor Advantage Show.  These are the definite planned activities, and we have other ideas that will hopefully become realities too.

    I can’t end this article without soliciting help and ideas from both the kids and their parents.  If anyone has an idea for a KWAC activity, please let me know and I will try to work it into our schedule.  I can be reached at (256) 882-2100 or you can send me e-mail at [email protected]. I have heard many people say that the future of waterfowling lies with the success of our present conservation efforts.  I can’t argue with that premise. I am here to tell anyone that will listen to me; the future of our sport also lies with our children.  After all, our children will be the ultimate beneficiaries of the work that we do today.  Teaching our children about the wonderful sport of waterfowling and all the aspects that surround it are very important and I promise you that I will never fail to realize this importance. If your child is not a member, go to the application on this web site, fill it out and send it in TODAY!!!

Take a kid hunting, you won’t regret it,

Mike Crawford

KWAC