DUCK HUNT — MISSOURI

Dark water, a spread of decoys, and a whistle of wings overhead before the sun clears the treeline — this is waterfowl hunting the way it's supposed to look. Kids make the trip north to the Schell City marshes with mentors who call, set decoys and read the sky, then teach them to do all three. Waders and cold-weather gear are provided, guns stay unloaded until the blind, and one adult is assigned to every young hunter. It's an overnight, out-of-state trip: lodging, licensing, permits and travel consent are all handled and confirmed with parents before we leave Texas.