Teal season seems like it just ended. We have closed the initial chapter of this fall’s The Collegiate Rookie Series - Waterfowl Edition, Sponsored by Benelli, at least until big duck and woodcock seasons come around!
But, rather than you all listening to Kevin and I wax philosophic about the program that The Hunting Wire, Benelli USA, and us here at Louisiana State University are trying to build, I asked a few of the students to outline their thoughts on being first-time hunters and having this experience as part of the program. So, without any further ado, allow me to introduce everyone to Taylor Kinchen and Cathryn Coulter, two wildlife ecology majors here at Louisiana State University, and their unedited thoughts on their first experience hunting as part of the Benelli/Hunting Wire Rookie Series.
Experience of a First-Time Hunter: By Taylor Kinchen
I’ve been a lifelong Louisiana resident and grew up around hunting, but I never had the opportunity to get out there and experience it. All the men in my life have been avid hunters, including my dad, grandfathers, and uncles, but women in my family never really participated. I was so excited about the prospect when I first discovered the opportunity and readily stayed late at school to take the hunter’s education courses. I was nervous when I first held the gun on our second-class day. I had only ever held a gun once when I was much younger, so I didn’t know how to handle it; it was much heavier than I thought it would be! When we went to the shooting range to pound some clay pigeons, Bret was very patient with us first-time hunters and very instructional. I was practically shaking when getting ready to shoot, both from excitement and nerves, but it turns out I’m kind of a natural. I happily sent videos and updates to my parents, which helped me get a little closer to my parents.
Onto the hunt at Oak Grove, my peers and I all had a sense of excitement on the drive there. Walking up before the sun and riding deep into the marsh felt natural. I felt so connected to nature and the wildlife in the marsh; seeing alligators, gallinules, egrets, and night herons just out in their element gave me a sense of pride. Participating in something that I have been taught has been so integral in the conservation movement made me incredibly thankful for the opportunities I have been presented in this program. It has also helped me connect with my parents on something I never thought we would have in common. My dad and I are even planning a hunt together over the Thanksgiving holiday. I haven’t lived with my parents for two years now, so I’m happy to have the opportunity to share experiences with my parents that I wouldn’t have been able to previously.
--Taylor Kinchen
Essay on My First Time Hunting: By Cathryn Coulter
I could not have asked for a better first-time duck hunt. Before Hunter’s Ed with Dr. Bret Collier and Dr. Kevin Ringelman, I would have never imagined that I would have been so excited to wake up at 4:00 A.M. and sit in a marsh and be swarmed by mosquitoes. There was never a moment that I felt unsafe or unprepared, even though my first time handling a shotgun was a mere week before the hunt. My overall experience was amazing and a memory that I will cherish forever.
Before Hunter’s Ed and, in general, being in the Renewable Natural Resources (RNR) Department at LSU, I had an overall negative feeling towards hunting. I certainly never thought I would want to participate. I come from a big hunting family, even with a grandmother who ran a huge sub-Saharan Africa trophy hunting business. I saw hunting as destructive to wildlife and the environment and even looked back with guilt on my single time deer hunting as a child. Now, I see how important the hunting industry is to conservation. I proudly supported the protection of Louisiana’s beautiful wildlife by purchasing my first duck stamp before the trip to Pine Island.
After a quick drive from LSU, we reached the beautiful Pine Island Lodge. The Pine Island staff greeted us with warm smiles that remained for the entirety of our stay. We practiced shooting skeets on our first evening. The beginners were starting to feel confident and comfortable with gun handling and aiming at a moving target before the hunt the following morning. Professor Kevin Ringelman and the guides were impressed with our marksmanship by the end of the practice. It also greatly helped that we had top-of-the-line, best-of-the-best brand-new firearms through our sponsorship with Benelli. We ended our night with an amazing home-cooked meal jam-packed with every possible question and concern that all the students had, which Dr. Ringelman gladly answered for us. We went to bed eager and excited for the next morning.
We woke up well before sunrise, dressed in camouflage, and headed downstairs for another hearty meal. We walked to the boats and met with the guides and dogs to load up the boats in the darkness. The boat ride was beautiful: the sun was just starting to come up over the horizon and tall marsh grasses, the cool morning air was hitting us, and we got to see and hear the first birds stirring. We even spotted a few pairs of American Alligators with glowing red eyes gazing at us.
We arrived at our duck stand hidden in the marsh. The sky flashed red and orange around us as we prepared our firearms and waited for the first Blue-Winged Teal to fly by. The guide and Dr. Ringelman helped my partner and me to identify the right birds and when they were in range. By around 9:00 A.M., the influx of birds slowed down, and we were all satisfied with the opportunities to shoot. I use “opportunities to shoot” instead of “kills” because although I pulled the trigger multiple times, I did no damage to the Teal population numbers that day. Nonetheless, I was satisfied with the hunt.
All the groups met back at the lodge at a perfect time for an unforgettable homemade lunch. We all discussed how much fun we had out in the marsh and how grateful we were for all the people who made this possible. The staff was incredibly kind and helpful to us as beginners. Mr. Childs was extremely generous to sponsor our trip and give us this chance to duck hunt, which we may have never gotten if we were not in the RNR program. Dr. Kevin Ringelman and Dr. Bret Collier went out of their way to volunteer their time to teach Hunter’s Ed and give students multiple occasions to get comfortable shooting.
Even though I did not end up shooting any Teal, I still had an incredible first-time duck hunting at Pine Island Lodge. I am extremely appreciative of this opportunity.
--Cathryn Coulter
Unedited thoughts from two new hunters, recognizing that joining our hunting community represents a huge shift in their personal growth, each with a different thought, and outcome, from their hunts, now planning more trips with family and friends. Every fall, Kevin and I get to engage with this new cohort of students as we train them in the science, management, and ethics of hunting, and then have the chance to provide them with a high-quality hunting experience to integrate them into our outdoor fraternity is a highlight of our years.
I hope you will continue to follow regular updates on the Collegiate Rookie Series on the Hunting Wire and catch up with us on social media. Big duck season is coming up fast, and we are just getting ready to start deer hunting. Of course, anyone interested in the long-standing Collegiate New Hunter Program at LSU, please feel free to contact us at the contact info below.
Looking forward to a great fall season creating new hunters,
Bret Collier
Professor of Wildlife Ecology
School of Renewable Natural Resources
Louisiana State University
bret@lsu.edu
@drshortspur (Twitter and Instagram)
Kevin Ringelman
Associate Professor
H. Dale Hall Ducks Unlimited Professor of Wetlands and Waterfowl Conservation
School of Renewable Natural Resources
Louisiana State University
kringe2@lsu.edu
@kevinringelman (Twitter)
