Kids event stresses conservation

Nine dogs, drenched in water, jumped out of the pond on their trainer’s command and wiggled frantically, spraying the onlookers with water. The well-trained hunting dogs had been in and out of the pond all day, demonstrating their ability to fetch and retrieve fake ducks. A crowd of children and their parents watched in awe as the trainers stood ashore, using hand signals and whistles to direct the dogs to the ducks. Almost instinctively, the dogs gripped them and swam to shore.

“It’s pretty cool how you can train your dogs that way,” 13 year-old Tyler Phillippe of Columbia said.

Greg Bell, president of Midway Hunting Retrievers Club, was there to offer advice on how to work with hunting dogs. He stressed how starting early is imperative.

The demonstration was one of several the Mid-Missouri Ducks Unlimited chapter, a foundation committed to the conservation and restoration of wetlands, provided Sunday afternoon at the Cedar Creek Rod & Gun Club in Millersburg.

The event, aimed at getting young people involved in conservation, included archery, building homes for ducks and rifle and shot gun shooting.

“Anyone you can reach to educate is so important,” Jim Talbert, state chairman of Ducks Unlimited, said.

Volunteers from groups such as the Missouri Department of Conservation, the Missouri Waterfowl Association and the Missouri Archery Association came to provide hands-on education at the demonstrations.

“Without the volunteers we’d really struggle,” Talbert said.

Different stations were set up throughout the grounds of the club, allowing the families the freedom to wander and experiment.

But there was clearly a favorite station.

“My favorite part was the shot gun,” smiled 13 year-old Justin Grell, who enjoyed the day with his 9 year-old brother Jacob and their grandfather Tom Blanchard of Jefferson City. The two brothers spent most of the afternoon shooting and learning about duck hunting.

Members of the Missouri Department of Conservation assisted the children in shooting the guns and answered any questions the children had.

“All of us really have one goal when it comes to youth ... to educate,” Tony Reahr from Ducks Unlimited said. “This affords them the opportunity to learn about the outdoors.”

Nailing and drilling was another popular activity. Parents and children enjoyed building duck homes out of wood.

“Sometimes I think the adults have just as much fun as the kids,” Talbert laughed.

This was the third year Ducks Unlimited hosted the event in central Missouri and they hope to make it an annual experience, according to Talbert.

“I think anything is a success when you get new kids to come ... I’ve seen a lot of new kids come,” Renee Martin, state ladies chair of the Ducks Unlimited chapter, said. “Hopefully they go home with some sense of conservation.”