Here it is opening weekend of fishing and I am going to talk ducks. Not ducks but duck paintings.

I guess I never get enough of bragging about my grandsons, but I have to say they never cease to amaze me. Trevor, the 9-year-old, entered an art contest through his art class at Sibley. It was the Minnesota Jr. Duck Stamp contest. He was notified that he placed third in his bracket. There were four age groups ranging from K-12 and 650 total entrants. We attended the awards ceremony at the Minnesota Valley National Wildlife Refuge in Bloomington April 17.

Another Sibley student, Trevor Kiehm, was also there and received honorable mention for his painting, which was also very good.

The Junior Duck Stamp program was started in 1989 to introduce our youth to the importance of wetlands and waterfowl and thus encourage them to become interested in one of our greatest natural resources.

By getting students interested in Minnesota Wildlife it will ensure waterfowl and the habitat that supports them and other wildlife will be there for future generations.

Painting pictures of their favorite waterfowl is a way to encourage our youth to learn more about their favorite bird and its habitat.

When we were at the nature center Trevor’s great uncle Ron asked me what kind of duck was in a certain painting. I really had no idea what it was and I told him to ask Trevor, and without hesitation, Trevor rattled off the name of the bird. I was amazed.

Trevor said that what he liked most about the nature center was seeing all the paintings the other entrants had done. There is a lot to see at the nature center and there are trails you can walk to observe the wildlife by the Minnesota River. This in itself is a very impressive place to visit. It is open to the public and it really isn’t all that far from here.

Trevor likes to paint and draw all animals but he says his favorites are birds. He did his painting or picture in chalk and colored pencil. The duck he did was a Lesser Scalp, and I asked him why he did that particular one. He said he chose that one because he had seen a picture of it and he just liked the color and something about the bird.

He uses paints too but says his favorite medium is chalk because you can make the picture &uot;soft.&uot;

I guess painting kind of runs in the family. I do a little wildlife/outdoors painting from time to time and Trevor’s great grandpa painted a lot (mostly horses) and my uncle Lloyd painted all his life.

Trevor said the favorite part of drawing or painting is you are able to make anything you want. It looks like he already has this creative thing figured out because that’s really what it’s all about. He also carves ducks out of wood and paints them.

Wildlife and painting are a very good mix and there are no limits to what you can create and like Trevor said there aren’t any rules because you can paint whatever you want.

With the fishing opener officially here it will be interesting to see where the hot spot is on opening weekend.

I will be trying my luck in Fountain Lake at some point this year. Hopefully before the boat traffic gets too heavy. I also feel that Lake Tetonka in Waterville, Reeds Lake south

of Elysian, and Sakatah Lake may also be good early-season lakes.

Have a safe opener and until next time &uot;Good luck and Good Fishin.’&uot;

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Please keep supporting our troops in the Middle East and keep them in your thoughts and prayers.