Jayden Lopez and his father Bryan watch the ducks work at Butte Creek Island Ranch.

The weather for much of California last weekend called for heavy rain and winds but that didn’t deter the next generation of hunters from coming out strong for Youth Hunt Weekend.

Even though the wind didn’t hit as hard as expected there were still plenty of birds stirring around Butte Creek Island Ranch in the Butte Sink. In Blind No. 1, 10-year-old Jayden Lopez scratched a bird off the top of his duck-bucket list by dropping the hammer on not one, but two beautiful drake wood ducks. In the next blind over, 16-year-old Benjamin Broadley – who is also a California Wood Duck Program volunteer and donor – knocked down six birds, including a nice banded hen mallard.

Ben Broadley with his banded hen mallard at Butte Creek Island Ranch.

Down in the Suisun Marsh at Grizzly Ranch the kids brought down a healthy 2.5 bird average.

Overall, California Waterfowl offered 40 youth hunting opportunities that brought out 48 hunters, including 32 lucky enough to hunt on CWA-owned properties.

CWA also partnered with several clubs and wildlife areas, helping an additional 95 youth hunters participate in the season-ending hunt and make memories that will last a lifetime.

Did you take a kid out for the weekend? If you have a good photo from the youth hunt send it to us with names and a brief description and we’ll publish the best photos in our special Youth Hunt Scrapbook in the Summer issue of California Waterfowl Magazine. Email the photos to wtilcock@calwaterfowl.org.

Hunters load up in the rain at the Sanborn Slough boat dock.