Waiting on the Big Ducks....or not?
Posted: Wed Nov 04, 2015 8:32 pm
My friend that introduced me into waterfowling knew I was an avid hunter, but he never realized he was starting something that just doesn't seem to go away. For me, I hope it never does. The birds would come and we would stand up and shoot together. There were bluebird days it seemed all we did was talk and look, but it became a passion for me. He would stand up and say, "We now salute those who are about to die." Never really figured that one out til I watched the movie Gladiator many years later. Rest in peace, my good friend.
We always went back and forth with this and that, but one thing it was hard to learn was when he would stop me from shooting little ducks. I knew we could shoot six, but he wanted to wait for what he called the nine o'clock mallard flight. It was tough changing in mid motion from the excitement of those great little ducks I have learned to love so much. I learned to shoot what I could on those bluebird days with no wind, even if he was grumbling. Duck weather would have me stop with a few teal in hand and wait with him. The teal seemed to stop early, so it wasn't too bad most of the time. We slowly started putting big ducks on the wall. I was happy. I finally understood.
There were also mornings we would sit til the twelve o'clock curfew with two to four teal each and wonder if we were crazy. Long wait. No ducks. Maybe I prayed for big ducks a few times. Probably did. He was always happy for me to watch the decoys while he would go on these little walks to check some of the other potholes. That worked well a few times I can remember. I was eating a sandwich when he disappeared for almost an hour when a lone black duck flew past me. He asked why I didn't shoot fifteen minutes later.
He never liked the little ducks like I did, but he still enjoyed the whole show. We placed a small tree on his grave last Christmas with curley mallard tail feathers here and there the wife hot-glued. It was still there in early January when we returned for it. It will go back this year again.
I could talk ducks all night, but was wondering how many of you guys wait on the big ducks, shoot the little ducks, or just enjoy it out there and take what God sends your way. As preparations are being made for this season, I jumped two lone big ducks the other afternoon. Made me think of my old partner. I hope God sends big ducks my way this season enough to keep up with all my memories. How about a nice brace of big ducks for my old friend? Good luck this season. Pray for some cold weather, too.
We always went back and forth with this and that, but one thing it was hard to learn was when he would stop me from shooting little ducks. I knew we could shoot six, but he wanted to wait for what he called the nine o'clock mallard flight. It was tough changing in mid motion from the excitement of those great little ducks I have learned to love so much. I learned to shoot what I could on those bluebird days with no wind, even if he was grumbling. Duck weather would have me stop with a few teal in hand and wait with him. The teal seemed to stop early, so it wasn't too bad most of the time. We slowly started putting big ducks on the wall. I was happy. I finally understood.
There were also mornings we would sit til the twelve o'clock curfew with two to four teal each and wonder if we were crazy. Long wait. No ducks. Maybe I prayed for big ducks a few times. Probably did. He was always happy for me to watch the decoys while he would go on these little walks to check some of the other potholes. That worked well a few times I can remember. I was eating a sandwich when he disappeared for almost an hour when a lone black duck flew past me. He asked why I didn't shoot fifteen minutes later.
He never liked the little ducks like I did, but he still enjoyed the whole show. We placed a small tree on his grave last Christmas with curley mallard tail feathers here and there the wife hot-glued. It was still there in early January when we returned for it. It will go back this year again.
I could talk ducks all night, but was wondering how many of you guys wait on the big ducks, shoot the little ducks, or just enjoy it out there and take what God sends your way. As preparations are being made for this season, I jumped two lone big ducks the other afternoon. Made me think of my old partner. I hope God sends big ducks my way this season enough to keep up with all my memories. How about a nice brace of big ducks for my old friend? Good luck this season. Pray for some cold weather, too.