Riding around the BDDC a few weeks back, I noticed a car I hadn’t seen in the past. I know all the member’s vehicles like Mark’s car, Justin and Ronnie’s truck, and Kit’s truck. The levee was dry enough where the unknown hunter was standing, so I pulled down to see who it was. He wasn’t hiding from the ducks flying. The gentleman was standing with flocked mallard dekes in front of him in the pond, gun crossed over his arms, dog healed beside him, and he was wearing a cool looking hat pulled straight off a golfer from a golf course in jolly Ol’ England. As I got closer, I said to myself, ” I know this guy!”
It was RJ as I called him since I had known him. It was a busy day for me as I had some guys on the ponds shooting some shovelers to finish out some limits, but something told me in my gut to hang around and visit with Ronnie. I stayed for 20-30 minutes and laughed and joked like we always did. I can’t tell you what we talked about, but I remember the laughter.
Ronnie and I weren’t the closest of friends like some on here, but we had one major thing in common we both loved the BDDC. Ronnie never looked at the BDDC as I did though. It was one of two things for Ronnie. It was his trophy spot where he stalked canvasback or the place he loved taking kids to. I can’t tell you the number of times I snuck up on Ronnie while he was scoping out canvasback through the truck window. He never cared anything about the 3000 bluebills, 5000 shovelers, or the few teal that hung around. It was all about killing a can. If he spotted I mean one, he unloaded everything out of the truck a few levees away and the hunt was on. I asked him a couple of times if he wanted me to try and run them to him, if I saw some. It was always, “Nope!” ” Gonna do it the right way.”
It is going to be strange not seeing Ronnie on the ponds anymore. It will be strange not getting my weekly text asking about the numbers and if I have seen any damn cans hanging around. I hope the cans are rafted tight up there bud. Save a few for me and I will see you soon!
Ducksouth will be taking donations through Paypal to present to the family. Ronnie leaves behind a wonderful wife and seven year old son. Follow these steps: Go to paypal.com, click send money to friends and family, enter jestes22@yahoo.com as recipient, enter an amount, and click send.
I know Ronnie would do the same for all his fellow Ducksouth members. Thank you guys and please be praying for this family through these trying times.
