Leaving Northeast Nebraska at 5:30pm to drive all the way across the state might not have been the best plan but it the only option we had.
We arrived around 1:30 AM Central Standard Time or as we found out 12:30 AM Mountain Standard Time. We unloaded and everyone tried to get some shut eye before the big day. All of us were up and ready to go check out the store.
I was impressed with how well everything looked, even the ducks and geese on the pond.
The geese would be our classic definition of Parkies (park geese that are not very afraid of humans).
These two had other plans when they saw me approach and decided they better head to friendlier waters. It couldn't have been the way I was eyeing those bands now could it?
The entrance of the Cabelas Store has a wonderful statue of two bull elk fighting and just puts you right into the outdoors mood.
We had a little bit to check out the store and the hunting area that we would be giving the seminars in and also had a chance to go outside and see where the calling contest was going to be held. At that point Jade decided she was going to enter the contest. At that point no one else had signed up in her division so I think that had a little something to do with it. She got signed up and then her and my wife decided they better get something to eat. I went into the store and got ready to give my first seminar for buck Gardner Calls.
I met two individuals from Avery Outdoors that were very helpful and knowledgeable about the products they were supporting. Inside the were making an announcement for the seminar and a few kids showed up to learn how to make a duck call.
I tried to go about the class very relaxed and to show the kids it didn't matter how they sounded on the call only that they were going to have fun doing it. It was amazing how fast some of the kids picked it up.
Even the girls were getting into it and doing a great job.
This little gal was 4 years old and I think her mom was pretty darned proud of how well she was doing.
I did my best to go around to each kid that was there and listen to them on their quack and their cluck. The first one under my belt I was feeling very good about how well the kids took to calling.
I headed outside to hook up with Jade and see if she was ready for the contest. She had a few nerves as anyone would and I told he it's just a bunch of ducks so no big deal. Hail em hard, greet sweet and feed em down. She laughed at me and said yeah like it's that easy. We did some mimic calling to put her at ease and get her warmed up. At nine she never fails to amaze me. We were sitting there and recalled it was almost a year to the day that she blew in her first contest. It was at the Ponca Expo where Jade met Buck and took his seminar. Buck was nice enough to sign two Delta Waterfowl prints for her and those are still hanging in her room today. The announcer called for the youth callers and it was go time.
There was one 12 year old boy that was entered in the contest with her. She was nervous and so was he. It was his first contest and he did a great job on the stage. Jade got up and I think I was more nervous then her but after that first hail call things settled down. She only blew about half her routine (nerves got the best of her) and was worried it wouldn't be good enough. I told her I think she sounded better but it would be up to the judges if it was long enough.
Trea ended up taking second and Jade taking first. It was her first contest win and she was very happy to have won it. It is really neat to me that she competed for the first time after meeting Buck then wins her first contest while I am out doing Seminars for Buck. My hats off to Cabelas and the judges of the contest. My trip was made with Jade winning the contest but I had to get back to doing what I was there for.
Back inside the store one four year old boy and his dad came up between seminars and ask if he was to young to take the class. I told him if he could hold the call he could sure give it a go. The 4 year old boy commenced to telling me we should only kill daddy ducks and not mommy ducks or we won't have any daddy ducks left. I have spent a lot of time with kids but this little guy just made my whole day. I was on cloud nine already with Jade winning and this little guy just put me up there a few more notches. In no time he was blowing a voot through the call and sound A OK. Off to the three blind mice we went. He said the nursery rime a few times and then he tried to do it through the call. I think all the people around the counter were surprised when he did it and it sounded darn good. We worked on that for a bit then moved one to a cluck. Tic wasn't working real well so he tried saying da and after a little work with him blowing harder it sounded great.
His father thanked me and I told him no thanks necessary. Little guys like him were the reason I become part of Buck Gardners outfit and Buck's commitment to kids. I stayed around the store for a while then headed outside. I had missed this little guy sitting down in the decoys and calling ducks. Everyone I talked to said he was doing a great job and they couldn't believe he was only 4.
Day two arrives and all of us were a little better rested and ready. I didn't think it would be possible to surpass day one but we were going to give it a shot.
I had my helper for the whole day and we were ready to have some fun. The first class we had about 6 kids and Jade did a great job helping out. I did the same thing as the day before and did my best to help each kid out with a few seconds of one on one and listened to them all. In my mind they all were great and that is all that mattered. Jade
Chris Jones and Jerrod Watson from Avery Outdoors were a great help to me and help us pass the time between seminars. Both are very knowledgeable outdoors men and I look forward to our paths crossing again.