Ducks Unlimited tried to make the most of the 2009 Youth Waterfowl Season by having all 1,000 acres of the Verona Complex near Clay Center designated for youth hunting this weekend.

However, only two young hunters came to utilize opportunity.

Tim Horst, the Ducks Unlimited Nebraska Land Manager, said that while it was a beautiful Saturday, it wasn't ideal waterfowl hunting weather. Horst said he hopes that more young hunters come when Youth Pheasant, Quail, and Partridge season opens at the end of October. The goal of DU is to promote the fact that 120 of the 1,000 Verona Complex acres are designated for youth hunting year round.

"We've kind of always made the youth tract our public use area to draw as much attention to it as we can," Horst said. "The observation tower is on this tract, this is the only tract at the Verona Complex that has a permanent blind, and it's kind of the reason we put the Fallen Heroes Memorial here also."

The Fallen Heroes Memorial was dedicated at Verona two weeks ago to honor Nebraska military who have killed in post-September 11, 2001 conflict.

Horst said that DU plans on keeping Verona for the foreseeable future instead of making it a part of a revolving lands program.

"We use [Verona] as a demonstration of management and restoration techniques," he said. "Each tract has five to six individual wetlands on it, so it's pretty important. Wetlands today, waterfowl tomorrow."

For more on the Wolf North Tract (the youth hunting tract) and the Verona Complex, click on the video link above.

Upcoming Hunting Seasons:
-- Youth Pheasant, Quail, and Partridge - Oct. 24-25
-- Pheasant, Quail, and Partridge - Oct. 31- Jan. 31, 2010