October 2021 • Nebraskaland 51
you get to hunt is however long you
get to hunt," Jesse said. "We're just
happy to be out doing it."
"That's just kind of part of it," Casey
added. "First and foremost is just
making sure he's enjoying himself.
Jesse and I can go out and shoot ducks
another day if he's not. We make the
experience as good as we can for him.
He's priority one when we're afi eld."
THINGS WILL be way diff erent
this year with a walking and talking
toddler. Trips to their duck blind in
the Rainwater Basin, which stands
in water with no fl oor, are likely out
unless they can fi nd a Pack 'n' Play
that fl oats, they joke. With Harris' love
for water, however, Jesse thinks it will
be hard for him to understand why
Mom and Dad are standing in it and he
can't play in it.
Making sure Harris keeps his
earmuff s on also will be a challenge.
He's done well on that front so far. "If
he forgets he has them on, it's fi ne,"
Jesse said. "So getting them on and
then distracting him as soon as you
put them on so he doesn't rip them off
is the key."
Harris loves to point out birds, and
Jesse says they are excited about
having another spotter in the blind.
The identifi cation skills will need to
be developed, however, as every bird
he sees, no matter whether it is a
duck, cardinal or sparrow, is a "duck."
And while he might not practice it,
he is already learning that you must
be quiet when hunting. While on
vacation in Florida this summer, he
was trying to catch baby geckos. "He
was whispering to me, 'Shhhhh,' and
pointing to where they were," Jesse
said. "It was super adorable."
The Campbells did more upland
hunting than ever last year, and even
though Harris would rather be on his
own than in the carrier, there likely will
be more of that this year, Casey said. It
won't be long, however, until Harris is
too big to carry and too young to walk
along. They hope by that point he will
be content sitting in a waterfowl or
turkey blind. They are taking it one
season at a time.
"I defi nitely wouldn't trade it for the
world, and it's going to be interesting
to see how this goes," Jesse said.
No matter what happens, they are
laying the groundwork for creating
another hunter. "But at the same time,
if he isn't as passionate about it as we
are, that's kind of how it's going to be,"
Casey said. "We'll fi gure out what he's
passionate about and pursue that."
So do people tell them they are nuts?
"All the time," Casey said.
N
Camping, age 6 months.
First grouse hunt, age 10 months.
First fish (below) age 17 months.
A spring hike, age 6 months.
