By Kyle Schwabenbauer
Knox, PA

Samantha Schwabenbauer, Kyle Schwabenbauer, and Brittany Hildebrand with wood ducks and a blue-winged teal harvested from Geneva Swamp.

Like most hunters, I am usually counting the days to the next season opener.  So when the Game Commission instituted the youth hunting seasons a few years back, I was thrilled because it meant that I had even less time to wait before I could be in the field.  And luckily, I know several friends and relatives with young hunters who meet the age requirements. My first experience accompanying youth hunters was for waterfowl at Geneva Swamp in Crawford County.  Since I was familiar with the swamp from past hunts, my uncle had requested that I tag along to help find a good spot for my cousin Samantha and her friend Brittany.  The girls were very excited and had been practicing shooting clay targets to prepare for their first hunt.  We set out some decoys in a small puddle and hid the canoes in a thick layer of reeds and buttonbush.  At dawn, the sky was teeming with mallards, teal, and wood ducks.  Most of the morning was filled with the sounds of shotguns, calling, and laughter.  The girls’ practice paid off, as they each harvested their first duck.