It was a crisp fall evening. The sky was overcast but the sun managed to occasionally peak through the clouds. We threw our decoys into the back of the truck and hauled the canoe on top. Bruno, our black lab, took an eager jump into the backseat knowing exactly where he was headed. My significant other Derrick decided that it was time for me to experience his ultimate passion in life: a waterfowl hunt.

Growing up in the city, barely anyone I knew hunted. Guns, ammo, and camouflage were words that I knew; however, I was just starting to understand their true outdoor associations. Derrick had verbally educated me in hunting basics, but as we drove to Hullett Marsh, I was not sure what to expect.

Derrick parked the truck and we got our gear out of the back. Then, we lifted the canoe down and gently lowered it into the thickly vegetated waters. Derrick threw the decoy bag into the middle of the canoe and hollered at the dog to jump in. My stomach was knotted in anticipation. Would Derrick get his limit tonight? How many birds would we see? I was entering unfamiliar territory and many questions rushed through my mind.

I was still energetic and enthused as we reached our designated hunting location, a corner of an island in the far left-side of the marsh. It was lush with yellowy green grass and positioned us in what appeared to be a prime location for waterfowl flight.

Derrick and I began to set up our decoy spread. He instructed me to spread the ducks out with a couple feet between each decoy. "I do not want my ducks making out," he said. Derrick explained that what he meant was floating decoys can tangle around each other. In a natural setting, ducks sitting on the water do not often touch each other. A natural-looking decoy spread would increase the odds of a flock landing.

We sat in anticipation, hoping for a successful waterfowl experience. Half an hour past, but no birds were to be seen. We heard a few shots from a distant part of the marsh, but nothing our way. "It’s not always like this," Derrick said.

Ducks or no ducks, it did not matter to me. I was too busy enjoying the peaceful solitude of the marsh. The rustle of grass in the cool air and the honking sounds of geese landing on a distant pond were rare occurrences for this city-girl. Finally removed from the unwelcoming metropolitan wasteland that I was accustomed to, I was in my element, finally in touch with nature. What else could be better?

I sensed frustration in Derrick’s eyes, as he scanned the horizon searching for a flock of mallards. Suddenly, the wind whistled with the sound of wings cutting through the sky behind us. A flock of mallard ducks quickly began to dive into our decoy spread. Before they could reach the glistening water, Derrick raised his shotgun to his shoulder, swung the muzzle in the ducks direction and fired a shot. My eyes widened, as the sound of the shotgun moved through my body, leaving me with an exhilarating rush.

Within a moment, the action was over. Unfortunately, there was no splash or no dog swimming through the marsh to retrieve our harvested bird. He had missed, but that was the last thing on either of our minds.

"Did you see that?" Derrick quickly asked. "Did you see those ducks? They came out of nowhere!" On his face was a wide grin and his eyes sparkled in a way I had never seen before. I smile crept across my face and I responded with, "I sure did!"

We stayed in the marsh for a while longer. No more flocks came to pay us a visit, but the sensation from the previous event still lingered. As Derrick and I packed up the decoys and paddled back to the truck, I barely even noticed the change in the weather. The rain was falling and the wind had turned to a piercing cold gust, but I was numb with excitement.

During my first waterfowl experience, I was not an active hunter. I had never shot a gun, and rarely had picked one up. I am not even able to say that Derrick had a successful waterfowl harvest; however, the hunt was a success in my mind. I had first-handedly witnessed Derrick’s favorite pastime with all of its anticipation, exhilaration, and satisfaction.

At the end of the night, my only request was, "Can we go again?" And since then, we have. This experience strengthened our relationship and grew into a common interest which we share today.