Ok gonna have 3 youngsters in the blind this weekend, 1 who has never hunted ducks the other two have hunted them a few times...

Question is would you let the birds land and then let the kids take the shot or let them try on the wing?

I plan on letting them get the first few on the water and then from there we will see.

Dont want this to turn into an ethics debate, I want the kids to get it in their blood and keep hunting for the next 50 years. If it is too hard they may not have the drive to keep at it.

no issues with skillet shots especially for kids. If they land in your spread, your job is done just gotta pull the trigger.

I'd find a way for them to get the taste of shooting birds legally...

They can become purest like some of the upland guys when they get older...

Shoot'em off the water! Then later they can start taking birds on the wing later.

I can agree with that, whatever makes the kiddos happy. As long as they are safe and legal I would let them do whatever it takes to get the most out of the hunt. Your a good man taking the three youths hunting. They will remember this day the rest of their lives and hopefully will look forward to the next hunt.

Well i guess thats really up to you. I have gotten my nephew into hunting and i am getting him into ethicically. Took him hog hunting and he wanted to shoot one across a fence we did not have permission to go over so i explained to him why he couldnt. I take him dove and duck hunting and ingrave it in his head that shoot perched dove and sitting ducks in not sportsman like and he now understands why and he doesnt want to be " that guy ". What i did do his first time out was let them decoy in and he would stand up and as they would get up off the water he would let the lead fly. Still fun but a little harder so you might want to give that a try or like i said its up to you. You are already doing more than some people by takin them out so i feel like it is up to you.

nothing unethical or unsporting about shooting a duck on the water if it flys into your decoys.

I don't think its unethical at all, I would let them each shoot one on the water and then try to shoot the rest flying, shooting them right before they land is pretty darn close to shooting them on the water anyways. I would want them to have fun but duck hunting is more than shooting still targets.

TXHC: you aren't teaching your nephew how to hunt ethically if you are telling him to "let the lead fly" on ducks, that's worse than skillet shooting it's illegal...

Let the kids skillet shoot it will put a smile on their face and they'll have a story to tell their friends!

You have to get the kids hooked, skillet shoot them then work on wing skills.

Shoot em if you got em!!! If they go out and miss every shot it's gonna be hard to get them hooked IMO.

I started taking my stepson hunting when he was 7 or 8, i'd let him shoot em as they landed or swam in, he is 12 now and shoots them while coming in the air. He made that decision on his own. He started with a single shot 20 ga so yeah, skillet shoot em.

I have hunted ducks around 30 years and with that I have hunted with a lot of different hunters of all ages and experiences. Just an observation of mine. When the situation presented itself even though it was not the intent to let the ducks land in the decoys. I have seen more seasoned, veteran, or mentor waterfowl hunters shoot an occasional duck on the water (or be so quick to the shot as it is leaving the water that it would count as the same thing anyway) than I have seen inexperienced waterfowl hunters do.

To answer the question. I would let each his/her own decide based on their own prior hunting experiences, shooting ability, and as different situations present and not make any issue of it in any way.

JUST DO IT

Nothing the matter with shooting a duck on the water. Nothing at all.

Be in my opinion sometimes they are a little tougher to kill.

Ok ok ok thats just an expression we like to use to say take your shots i didnt think yall were going to take me serious bout using lead to hunt waterfowl. Just settle down a little bit. LIKE i said i am just not wanting my nephew to grow up to be a BARNEY i want him to respect the sport and to ALWAYS give back more than he takes out. So far he is doing well. I do understand bout you wanting them to have fun BUT duck hunting is not ALL bout shooting ducks its bout the time you spend and effort you put into it, shootin ducks is just a plus

well fishin isnt about catchin fish either but if my wife or kids arent catching we end up swimming or going home, I know the patience will come but I got to make it fun in the beginning, I can assure that a 14 YO dosent realize the beauty of a sunrise on the marsh, I think that comes much later.

LMAO when you have a point you have a point i hope the young ones have fun either brother and i hope you get on some birds theres nothing like shooting game your first time out. GOOD LUCK

I wouldn't worry about it. Keep it safe and they'll have fun.
I would much rather a kid take a skillet shot than sky blast any day.

I consider myself an ehtical hunter and I have no problem saying that I have no issue with someone shooting a duck off the water. You did the work- got out there at 4am to freeze your tail off. You deserve the reward of your labor. Sure it's more fun to shoot them out of the air- but it is in no way unethical.

IMO it's more ethical than shooting a deer over bait. I mean at least you tricked the ducks into landing in your spread. With deer you condition them to show up at a feeder so you can shoot em.

Neither is wrong and neither is unethical. That being said, I will be deer hunting over bait this weekend

LMAO very good point. GOOD LUCM this weekend

I am taking out two of my kids this weekend and they will all shoot one off the water if we can get them it! They have been with me in the past just to sit in the blind and this is their first chance to pull the trigger, I want them to succeed in getting their first duck more than I want them to understand the "purity" of shooting one out of the sky - purity can come later, now is the time for SUCCESS!!!

I gurantee if the opportunity presents itself, I'll let sissy make that decision this weekend. Get em hooked

get them hooked on the sport, then introduce the sport, (wingshooting)

pure greatness if that dosent sum it all up I dont know what does. Thanks SJ