Save the date: 2015 Novice Women's Duck Hunt

Ladies, the 2015 Novice Women's Duck Hunt will be held Nov. 6-8, running Friday evening through lunchtime Sunday. To be notified when registration opens, plug your email address into the "Get updates by email" box at the top of the right column on this page, and look for a confirmation email that you'll need to respond to. Last year, we sold out in nine hours, so you definitely need to stay alert if you want to get in.

We're still planning details, but here are the broad outlines:

Who: This hunt is for women 21 and over who have hunted ducks five times or fewer.

Price: We haven't set the cost for this event, but last year registration cost $300.

Required license/stamps: You must have a California hunting license ($47.01) with a HIP Stamp (free), a California Duck Validation ($20.52) and a Federal Duck Stamp ($25). If you are not yet licensed, you'll need to pass a hunter ed course, which cannot be done last minute. Click here for hunter ed info, and here for licensing info.

Required gear: You will need chest waders, a camo and (ideally) water-resistant duck jacket, a shotgun, 2-3 boxes of non-toxic shot shells (shot size 2, 3 or 4). We may have some loaner gear available, but definitely not enough for everyone.

Schedule:

• Friday night: Meet at our home base for the weekend, near Biggs, California. Dinner, cocktails, getting to know each other.


• Saturday: Instruction all day - shooting, waterfowl ID, duck calling, duck cleaning. Dinner and cocktails in the evening.


• Sunday: We hunt at a cluster of sweet Upper Butte Basin duck clubs and finish up with a hosted lunch.

Pretty sure we're going to have a blast again this year, so stay tuned!

Ready to start hunting?

Thinking about joining us at the 2015 NorCal Women's Duck Hunt for novice hunters, but don't have your hunting license yet? California Waterfowl's got you covered - CWA has FOUR weekend hunter ed camp opportunities for adults this summer:

June 5-7 - for parents AND kids, together - super fun - check out this video about it!

Aug. 7-9 - another family camp for parents and kids.

Sept. 19-20 - just adults.

Sept. 26-27 - for women, but spouses are welcome if space is available. That one has a hunt included!

You can find info here, and you can register here. And to share the poster below (and the dates above) with your friends on Facebook, click here.

Wow, what a great weekend!

The 4th Annual Novice Women's Duck Hunt last weekend was a huge success! We had a great group of women who shot well, had a lot of fun no matter what they were doing and bagged probably the most ducks ever for this event.

If you're new to duck hunting and are interested in participating next year, us the "Get updates by email" feature in the upper right hand corner of this page and you'll be notified when we set a date for the next hunt and start accepting registration.

2014 Novice Women's Duck Hunt details

At long last, we have some details about this year's hunt! Registration comes soon.

Dates: Nov. 14-16, 2014

Cost: $300 - includes lodging, some meals, instruction and one year of membership in California Waterfowl (or renewal, if you're already a member). The hunts are donated!

The Program (short version) - We prep novice duck hunters with a full day of training including shooting instruction, and lessons in waterfowl ID, calling and cleaning. The next day, we take you for morning hunts at three outstanding Upper Butte Basin duck clubs just north of the Little Dry Creek closed zone. It's a great experience, and the participants often form long-lasting friendships at this event.

Requirements: You must be 21 or older and possess the proper license and stamps/validations. While we may have some loaner gear available, each participant is responsible for bringing her own gun, waders and duck jacket (camo, ideally waterproof or water-resistant). If you are NOT licensed, don't wait until last minute - you must complete a hunter education course to get a license in California here. Click here for licensing information.

How to register: Keep an eye on this website - we'll post a registration form when registration opens. Warning: With a limit of 16 participants, the event fills up fast!

TENTATIVE SCHEDULE

Friday, Nov. 14: We convene at the Hampton Inn in Red Bluff at 7 p.m. for introductions and conversation. Women will share rooms (two to a room). Dinner is on your own, but if you'd like to eat with some of the other ladies, meet in the hotel lobby at 5 p.m. for dinner before the main gathering.

Saturday, Nov. 15: Continental breakfast at the Hampton Inn (included), and then we convoy to Red Bank Outfitters for a day of training and camaraderie. The tentative schedule is:

- 9 a.m. - Orientation, safety, and questions, questions, questions!

- 10 a.m. - Shooting instruction with Top Shot Season 4 Champion Chris Cheng and the expert Red Bank staff.

- Noon - Lunch (provided). Chris will have copies of his new book, "Shoot to Win: Tips, Tactics, and Techniques to Help You Shoot Like a Pro" available for purchase and signing (one for $25, two for $40). Copies can be pre-purchased with registration as well.

- 1 p.m. - Waterfowl ID taught by the Guy Who Should Know - Mike Carion, chief of enforcement for the California Department of Fish and Wildlife (and an avid lifelong duck hunter).

- 2 p.m. - Duck calling lessons (instructor TBA). You'll walk away with some calls you can use immediately - not much practice required!

- 3 p.m. - Cleaning your duck, with beak-to-feet eating advocate (and event co-hostess) Holly Heyser, who will have autographed copies of her and her significant other's cookbook, "Duck Duck Goose: Recipes and Techniques for Cooking Ducks and Geese, Both Wild and Domesticated," available for $20 for pre-purchase or sale on-site (cash only).

- 4 p.m. - Departure - convoy to the Gridley Inn. Accommodations included; women will share rooms (two to a room).

- 7 p.m. - Dinner on your own at one of several restaurants within walking distance of the Inn.

Sunday, Nov. 15:

4 a.m. - Wake up, grab coffee, convoy to the Upper Butte Basin duck clubs (a 20 minute drive), and start hunting!

11 a.m. - Return to clubhouse for lunch, beverages and conversation. If you want to keep hunting waterfowl after this weekend but aren't sure how to go about it on your own, we'll have those conversations here.

We hope to see you soon!

Need to get licensed? Here's your chance!

Do you know a woman who'd like to participate in the Fourth Annual Novice Women's Duck Hunt this November, but doesn't have her hunting license yet? California Waterfowl has her covered!

CWA continues its popular women's hunter education event, the Women's Pheasant Hunt Weekend, Sept. 20-21 in Birds Landing.

This is an amazing event: For $225, a woman can complete her hunter education course, get shotgun instruction and then go on her first hunt the next day. She doesn't even need to own her own gun - loaners are available.

There is absolutely no easier way to dip your toes in hunting, with mentors who are keenly focused on safety and learning. If it turns out you don't love hunting, your total investment is two days, $225 and whatever gasoline it takes to get you there.

So, pass it on, and stay tuned here, because we're going to open registration soon for the Nov. 14-16 Novice Women's Duck Hunt, and spaces will go FAST.

Save the date - 2014 Novice Women's Duck Hunt

This year, our Novice Women's Duck Hunt will be held Nov. 14-16. Stay tuned for more details soon!

Registration for the 2013 hunt is open!

10/9/13 UPDATE: We are sold out! If you'd like to get on the waiting list, click here.

Registration for the 2013 Novice Women's Duck Hunt is now open and will close when we reach the limit of 16 - click here to register. After we reach the cap, you can still sign up to get on the waiting list in case more openings become available. Payment will not be necessary to get on the waiting list.

Here are details about the hunt:

Dates: Nov. 9 and 10.

Registration deadline: Oct. 31, but it will probably fill up long before then. First 10 women to register will be included in a drawing for a Kuiu jacket!

Cost: $275. Includes food and lodging, and California Waterfowl membership or membership renewal.

Location: Red Bank Outfitters (link to map) in Red Bluff on Saturday and Saturday night; Sunday hunt will be at private clubs near Biggs, which is between Yuba City and Chico.

What you need to bring: You will need waterfowl waders and jacket (camo or neutral colors, ideally waterproof or water-resistant), a shotgun, and at least two boxes of non-toxic shot (#2 or #3 shot is ideal). You also need to have a 2013-14 California hunting license with state and federal duck stamps and a HIP stamp, which you will be required to show upon arrival. Click here if you don't have these items and have no idea where to begin. If you are not yet licensed, click here for information, and be aware that you must complete a hunter education course before you can buy a license - you need to get rolling on that now.

What we will provide: Lodging is in a bunkhouse with full bathrooms, but no private bedrooms. Food is included. We hope to get 12 and 20 gauge ammunition donated for shooting instruction, plus lots of goodies for you to take home. If you don't have waders, a jacket or a gun, we may be able to help find one for you to borrow, but no guarantees. Use the contact links below to get in touch with us.

Schedule:

Saturday, Nov. 9
8 a.m.: Arrival
9 a.m.: Firearm safety and shot gun instruction by certified instructors
Noon: Lunch
1 p.m.: Waterfowl ID
2 p.m.: Duck calling
3 p.m.: How to pluck and gut a duck
4 p.m.: California Waterfowl - conserving waterfowl, wetlands and hunting heritage
5:30 p.m.: Social hour
6:30. p.m.: Dinner

Sunday, Nov. 10
3:30 a.m.: Wake up (sorry!)
4 a.m.: Leave for hunt near Biggs
6:15 a.m.: Shoot time!
Noon: Lunch and socializing
2 p.m.: Depart

Registration information: You  must complete a registration form and submit payment for your registration to be considered complete. You can cancel for a full refund through Oct. 25. Click here to register.

Got questions?  Email organizers Judy Oswald or Holly Heyser.