Softkey Duckhunter Pro PC Game

With an organization like Ducks Unlimited sponsoring the program, you know in the beginning that Duck Hunter Pro is quality. And, it is. In fact, it's as close to being on a "real" duck hunt as you can get, minus the feathers and freezing cold weather. Installation was simple with no problems. You're taken to a screen where you're told that you have 15 weeks to bag your birds, and if you get three citations, your hunting season is over. Like on a real duck hunt, you must obey the laws. To start the game, you open the front door of your sports utility vehicle, a suburban, and click on the laptop sitting on the front seat. You can choose to play the game in the arcade mode, or choose a hunting location, following by a blind location, and actually "hunt." Open the back of the suburban to choose your shotgun. You can pick an over and under shotgun, a pump, or an automatic. The help file explains the differences. You also carry 48 decoys and 100 shotgun shells in the back of your vehicle. You then choose your location, such as Pass Shooting, which is the easiest, or Big Water, which is the most difficult, as well as Field and Potluck hunting which are somewhere in-between. Then, you choose from between four different blinds. You may see birds in every blind at your location, at one blind, or at none, as if you were really duck hunting.

If you play the game in the arcade mode, you don't get to set out your decoys or use duck calls. But, if you actually hunt, you can set out your decoys and utilize four different duck calls to call in the birds. The program tells you which way the wind is blowing when you're setting out your decoys, since ducks prefer to land in the wind. You're given hints on how to set out the decoys in the help section. You're also presented with local hunting regulations for your area, telling you how many ducks you can bag a day, the limit for certain types of ducks, etc. Now comes the fun part - the hunt. Before you begin, though, be sure to load your shotgun. Then, right click with your mouse, and your gun appears. Move your mouse from left to right or up and down to move your gun, and listen carefully. When a duck is in the area, you'll hear a voice that says, "Take 'em." Aim your shotgun and left click with your mouse to fire. If you're lucky enough to get one, you even have a dog that will retrieve it for you and put it in your bag. Clicking on your bag will let you know how many birds you've killed and the type. The game is simple enough for a child to enjoy, yet challenging enough for adults to get addicted. It could also be a wonderful way for children to learn a little about the sport, including hunting regulations, how many shells each gun holds at a time, how to set out decoys, the differences between the various duck calls, and much more. Duck Hunter Pro brings a duck hunt right into your computer screen, complete with graphics, sounds, and the thrill of the sport. It's realistic, challenging, and just plain fun for folks of all ages.