EASTON, Md. - This weekend, the 51st annual Waterfowl Festival is in Easton.
If you're on the mid-shore this weekend, and you hear a bunch of ducks quacking, it's a safe bet those calls are coming from the popular Waterfowl Festival. The three-day show celebrates the outdoor culture of Maryland's Eastern Shore.
Under today's rainy conditions, people and their pets got a little wet today.
The dog dock jumping was one of the favorite events of most spectators.
Dogs lunged to distances ranging from 5 feet to 17 feet.
But amongst the good boys and girls, the event also included a little shopping for hunting supplies, food options, and a chance to learn a few things about calling ducks.
Today's festival was described as a culture for some.
Ramsey Russel came from Louisiana to watch the duck-calling competition. He says, "whether you're an actual hunter or just a wildlife appreciator, getting to come to this festival and see the duck calling competition lets you experience how humanity interacts with wildlife."
Russel added, "the Maryland Waterfowl Festival is a celebration of all waterfowl hunting culture. I love all aspects of it. When you look at the goose calls and the duck calls they take an essential part of duck hunting and elevate it to an art form."
Russel says calling is a relationship with wildlife. "It's about a relationship between me and that wildfowl. It's an intimate relationship. A duck and a goose have an entire world to fly over. But, I'm trying to learn his language and mimic his life habits to bring him closer to me. It's not just so I can pull the trigger. It's so I can build that relationship with him. It's very intimate that way," says Russel.
David Tyler is one of the organizers of the festival. He says while its activities are unique, this weekend couldn't have happened without their volunteers. "The most unique thing we have here on the property is the dock dogs. They're probably one of the most interesting things that we do. But, the real heart of it is all the volunteerism that happens," says Tyler.
A festival that welcomes all shapes and sizes.
