Alaska Chapter Full of Passion and Tradition

November 2, 2012

Alaska Harlie The small Alaska towns of Soldotna and Kenai are full of passionate volunteerism and avid sportsman. Tapping into that passion, Delta Waterfowl's Peninsula Pintails Chapter has been able to establish a strong following over the past five years and accomplish a great deal at the local level through the chapter's fundraising efforts and the Waterfowl Heritage Fund. The total population between both these towns sits near 11,000 residents, but the Peninsula Pintails Chapter operates at a level more commonly seen in a city with a population of 30,000.

Peninsula Pintails had a fundraising event on Oct. 13, 2012. It was huge success. I want to thank all of the volunteers, local members, sponsors and donors who helped pull together another nationally recognized event.

I had the pleasure during my travels to hunt with a couple of chapter volunteers, Rick and Jess Richardson, local member, Shane, and his Lab, Gracie. We discussed the tide, wind and equipment to make sure we had all of our bases covered before we entered the sea waters. I was all eyes and ears, since much of the talk was totally new to me. I admire what duck hunters go through to hunt these ducks — it's tradition. We needed to use Shane's boat to cross Kachemak Bay because of the rough waters. To keep things safe we pulled a large duck boat across with us until we reached calmer water, and then, we entered the duck boat with all of our gear. Shortly after, we were off in pursuit of sea ducks.

Having the chance to share a blind with our volunteers was a thrill in itself, and the opportunity to hunt a variety of sea ducks and take in the endless scenery is truly a memorable experience.

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Committee volunteers Rick and Jes getting ready to leave the harbor for the morning's hunt

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Fuel on Water: Safety First… You definitely don't want to leave the harbor short on gas