Behind the Badge - Making Memories
Making Memories
District Game Warden Jonathan Tofteland
One of the many questions people ask us is if we get a chance to hunt and fish ourselves.
I think each warden’s answer is probably different.
Many will still get out and cast a line or harvest an animal quite often.
Since becoming a warden and starting a family, I have not had as much time to go hunting myself.
I have a few good buddies that keep asking me to come hunt with them.
Normally, I would have something going on and would not be able to go with.
One day, one of those good buddies asked me to come along on an evening duck hunt with another friend of his.
I finally got to take him up on the offer and was able to go.
My six-year-old came up to me when I was getting ready and asked to come along.
I made sure the other guys were good with it and they even offered up an extra blind for him! We both were pretty excited to go.
We showed up to the field and helped them finish setting up.
With a few “why” questions and explanations, we were ready.
We were walking out to the field and the first flock of ducks started working the field toward the decoys.
We rushed to the blinds and got in.
The ducks flew around for a bit but never gave us a chance.
The next flock came in, which were mostly pintails.
I was able to pick out a nice drake and dropped it.
I ran out, grabbed it quickly and put it behind my blind since more birds were coming.
Slowly the birds began to work the decoys better and we started to see some mallards.
The more shooting we did, the more excited my son got.
He jumped out and helped run after a few birds.
He was so excited that his head would slowly get higher and higher when watching the birds come in.
We had to tell him every few minutes to keep his head down.
It was sure great to see the smile on his face and enjoying the same passion I have for hunting.
We were lucky enough to get our three-man limit of mallards, widgeon and pintails.
My son was very excited and helped pile up the decoys and load them in the trailer.
After a few pictures we were on the way home.
I asked how he liked the hunt and he said, “Can we do this every day?” I told him I wished we could.
I am glad his first duck hunt was a memorable one.
The kind of hunt that keeps you going out again and again.
I will be making sure we get more in the future.