Traditions abound in the athletic world at N.C. State. People from all across the country travel to Carter-Finley Stadium to tailgate and take part in football game day festivities. Fans pack the RBC center to watch heated tobacco road basketball rivalry games. 

But there is one sporting tradition at State that often gets overlooked. This tradition of duck hunting will be brought to center stage this Saturday as waterfowl season opens back up in the Triangle.

Kevin Beverley, a sophomore in civil engineering, said he is particularly excited about the upcoming season. 

“I have more places to go,” Beverley said. “Duck numbers seem to be up, and my dog has another year under her belt.” 

Duck hunting allows students to take a break from their studies and get together in the outdoors with their friends.

“I am looking forward to the opportunity to get away from the classroom for a little while and get into the duck swamp and hang out with my buddies,” Beverley said. “Duck hunting is not like other types of hunting. You do not have to sit there and be quiet. You can joke around and have fun with your buddies.”

Entomology professor Clyde Sorenson agrees.

“Duck hunting is a social activity,” he said. “One appeal of duck hunting is that it is inherently more exciting than some other types of hunting.  You either get a lot of action or not much happens and you can go home.”

Morgan House, a sophomore in biological sciences, enjoys duck hunting for its social benefits as well. House started duck hunting three years ago because her family and friends took part in it.

“I like to spend time with my boyfriend and his friends while they are hunting,” House said. “I also like to clean their ducks for them.”

Another social aspect of duck hunting that House, as well as other State students, take part in is the involvement with the conservation group Ducks Unlimited. State has its own chapter of this organization. According to Brandon Batten, a graduate student in agricultural engineering and member of State’s DU chapter, State’s chapter is consistently in the top five university chapters for raised funds.

Many people on State’s campus grew up duck hunting while others were not as familiar with the sport until they came to Raleigh.

“You have people coming down here from the western part of the state and other places where they might not have had as many opportunities to duck hunt, meeting these people from the east who grew up around it,” Sorenson said. “They get an opportunity to go and they enjoy it.”

Duck hunting is even a family tradition for some. For others, it is a new thrill. Either way, once an individual enters the sport, he or she becomes a part of a long-standing tradition.

“There is a reason to be a duck hunter at N.C, State,” Sorenson said. “We have a long tradition of duck hunting in North Carolina. Many people grow up doing it.”

The sport is accessible to State students, as there are plenty of places to hunt around campus.

“There is plenty of open water that you can hunt around here,” Beverley said. “You have to be careful, because you can only hunt certain areas on certain days, but if you follow the rules, the game lands around here are productive and accessible.”

Duck hunting remains at the top of many hunters’ lists as far as which type of hunting they prefer most. 

“It is by far the best type of hunting,” Beverley said. “I’m a duck-a-holic.”