The Iowa Department of Natural Resources reports Paige Stoaks, of Essex, will be spending three days in an Ontario marsh on a waterfowl dream hunt later this month, thanks in part to a thoughtful gift she received from her boyfriend last Christmas.

In order to use her new bow to go hunting, Stoaks had to complete hunter education and by taking her online class at HUNTERcourse.com, the Page County woman was automatically entered into the dream hunt drawing. While her first deer hunting trip didn’t yield success, she is hopeful her first waterfowl hunt will end with ducks in the bag. Stoaks and her father, Brian, will leave Oct. 13 from Omaha for a guided waterfowl hunt by St. Lawrence Outfitters from Lansdowne, Ontario.

Stoaks has been working to improve her shot in preparation for the trip. She says “We’ve been doing some clay pigeons (shooting), adding that she plans to do more target shooting before the hunt. The whirlwind Dream Hunt trip ends Oct. 15.

Students who complete their hunter education requirements at HUNTERcourse.com are automatically entered into the Dream Hunt drawing that selects two students and one instructor each year for a hunt of a lifetime. The other student winner is Derek Ramage, from Winnipeg, Manitoba, and the instructor winner is Dwain Lecoq, from Stony Mountain, Manitoba.

Huntercouse.com is one of two approved online hunter education courses approved by the Iowa Department of Natural Resources. To search for an upcoming hunter education course or if 18 years or older and want to begin an online only course, go to www.iowadnr.gov/huntered