Anticipation and excitement were high, despite the low temps in the back country near Barrett Lake. It was especially cold (near freezing) in the middle of this February night, but the (18) mentors all arrived early or on time for the pre-arranged arrival time of 2:30 a.m., despite one of them having to overcome a mechanical breakdown en route.
Collectively, these hunt mentors / guides have over 200 years of combined experience hunting ducks at Barrett Lake, quite the seasoned crew. A pre-hunt briefing dinner had been held the week prior, to cover other logistics beyond their primary roles of boat transport of the guardian / hunter groups to the shoreline blinds, decoy spread, hunter placement and concealment, duck calling, etc. Only the youths (ages 12-17) were allowed to shoot. The mentors were also asked to work with the parent guardians to strive for the best possible youth hunter experience, to welcome and encourage them regardless of skill level or shooting results.
The families coming for the inaugural Barrett Lake Youth Duck Hunt were sure to be amped up as well, also arriving early to ensure they could allow for wrong turns or similar delays in the pre-dawn darkness. Six of these families came from towns outside of San Diego County, kudos to the organizing team for their advance efforts of getting the word out via various and effective means; social media and personal networking chief among them.
A full turnout of (22) youths and their guardians were greeted warmly upon arrival near the entrance, then given assurances that they were in good hands to help alleviate any uncertainties and apprehensions they might have about what this youth hunt held in store for them. First timers to the lake were advised about the 4-mile twisting road through the trees, including that there was a standing water wash halfway there that could be safely crossed. Further instructions of “Keep going until you see our next greeter” were given, who then helped them locate parking and transport their gear down to the boathouse. Others there informed them about a group announcement taking place shortly before a well-planned process of random drawing for each shoreline blind assignment, which took place at 4:20 a.m. Each youth hunter was gifted a box of ammo and a swag bag of items which included ear plugs, hand warmers, a lanyard with (2) duck calls, laminated waterfowl identification sheet, California Waterfowl Association (CWA) hat and youth membership, and a Coastal Conservation Association of California (CCA) youth membership with “TIDE” magazine subscription.
Gear was stowed and groups boarded the boats, with the last one leaving the dock around 5 a.m. to navigate in the darkness toward a total of 18 shoreline blinds around the lake. Each of them thus had ample time to access their blinds surrounding the 5-mile-long lake, and get set up prior to the official shoot time of 6:17 a.m. It wasn’t long thereafter before the first shotgun blasts signaled the birds were flying and the hunt underway.
As ancillary volunteers supporting the event, we now had time for breakfast and to enjoy the environment while remaining ready to respond to any needs the groups may have. We welcomed the sunrise and receding shadows, revealing this scenic lake and its hillside surroundings. The hunters would enjoy gorgeous weather in a beautiful outdoor setting at the very least, & as it turned out so much more.
Having hunted and fished the lake ourselves, we could imagine the guides sharing interesting local knowledge about the fowl, flora and fauna that inhabit the lake. Things like the hollowed-out grooves in the tops of boulders, where local Kumeyaay Indians many years before ground acorns into flour with a pestle rock. Herons, bald eagles, owls, and other raptors are a common sight, such as osprey fishing for their morning meal. Fish spawning beds are also visible in the shallows surrounding the lake, with the trained eye being able to differentiate the bass beds from the bluegill beds. A deer was sighted by one group as they returned to the dock. Indeed, enjoying the outdoors involves many benefits beyond the primary purpose of being there.
In addition to the rewards of the setting, we were soon rewarded with the wide smiles of each group as they returned to the dock. It was an unmistakable sign of success, even from the groups who had challenges with elusive or unretrievable ducks. We snapped photos of the groups with their ducks and listened to excited stories as we helped them offload and stage for the raffle.
CCA donated metal artwork by Todd Burton of TB Metal Arts, which was won by Audrey Schafer. The main prize of a free duck mount was donated by taxidermist Paul Eichberger of Eichbergerwerks (619-561-8262). Cole Kilian, shown here with his dad Dennis and primary organizer David Blackston, was the lucky winner. His elation was priceless, as he had bagged a nice ringneck that will soon become a lasting visual memory.
Overall, this grass roots effort and selfless hours from organizers was truly an inspiring effort that led to impressive results. Special thanks to David Blackston, whose efforts drew many others such as long-time Barrett Lake hunter and friend George Sawaya into supporting roles. Thanks also to the California Waterfowl Association, San Diego Chapter of the Safari Club International, California Backcountry Hunters and Anglers, South Bay Rod & Gun Club, San Diego County Wildlife Federation and the Alabama St. Athletic Club who generously stepped up with donations and sponsorships that completely covered all costs. This enabled Blackston and other regulars to host free guest hunts for newcomers to Barrett Lake throughout this past season and help them grasp the vision of sustaining the program. Time will tell, but its efforts and events like these that showcase the hunting community in positive light and bodes well for the future.
For more information about the Barrett Lake duck hunting program and to register visit https://www.sandiego.gov/reservoirs-lakes/fishing-hunting/waterfowl
David Blackston is also available to answer related questions at 619-572-5696
Morning hunts this past season were held on Wednesdays and Saturdays, the fee for each group was $115 including boat & motor
Article & photos by Dave Roti & David Chavez – Coastal Conservation Assoc. of CA (CCA) San Diego
