Story

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missed mallards
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Story

Postby missed mallards » Thu Oct 19, 2017 10:50 am

Had an hour to jot down a story. Haven't even reread it but figured wth I'd just go ahead and post.

The Lone Drake

The first cool breeze of fall is something I look forward too every year. For me, those first few fall days bring on a bit of excitement that I have yearned for. It’s a sign that harvest is wrapping up in the Mississippi delta and most importantly, hunting season is inching closer. I don’t know why but this morning as I let the dogs out, the cool nip in the air flooded back many a memory. Memories of past hunts, past trips, and so on. It was the memory of the old lone drake that brought on a smile, in essence, where it all began.

I didn’t start out in the waterfowling world like many. In fact, I started out behind the 8 ball. Coming from a family of deer hunters, the thought of standing in cold water wasn’t one that appealed to any. I mean my dad, nor my grandad, weren’t too keen on participating in such an event. With the lack of desire from my hunting companions, I had to make a decision. I either had to cut my teeth learning on my own, or not. It was a simple decision.

My first few hunts where quite the adventures. No, I didn’t start out hugging a tree, sitting in a pit blind, or even hunkered down in grass. I started out with a pair of lacross knee boots, a Remington 870, and two pockets full of shells! My goal was to kill a duck, and my walk them up methods weren’t proving to be an acceptable means to do so. But, I kept at it. I learned quickly to keep a low profile, that steel shot wasn’t effective at distance, and most importantly, to not flock shoot. I’ll never forget bringing home the first gadwall that made the mistake of flying into my pattern. I had done something right! That first ball of feathers was like pouring jet fuel on a bonfire. It fired me up!

That fire was what had me standing by the sapling willow on that cold morning in late December. I had progressed as a hunter and had managed to get myself some calls, a few dekes, and even waders! My hunting style had changed from jump shooting to sportfully hunting. By this point, I had even gotten into the retriever aspect of it. Essentially, I was a bon-a-fide duck hunter. At least in my eyes I was. And as a duck hunter rising early and beating the quarry to the mythical X was what we did, and on that morning, that’s exactly what I had done! I was there waiting, in the frigid water, when the sun broke the eastern skyline!

That was the morning it started, and I mean, it was all just “RIGHT”. I was standing by the lone willow when off to the north I heard a single quack. Armed with a call that had CCC on the barrel, I slowly picked it up and began to ‘work’ a duck. I would quack and chatter, and he would circle and look. I would kick water and quack, and he would circle and look. As I sat quietly with my heart raising, he would seemingly just dance over the trees in search of his friends. It was without a doubt the most intense excitement I had ever experienced in the woods. The sound of his wings beating, his loud quacks, and his color spectrum as the sun bounced off his back. It was at the moment, I knew I was hooked!

Yes, I indeed “Finished” him. I let him circle until he was content. I let him lock his wings and fall into a spiral into the decoys and as his foot brushed the water I shot. It was the first duck I had taken inside 20 yards, under my own desires, and had successfully played the game. I remember standing there shaking, not from the cold, but from the pure excitement. I remember reaching my hand into the cold water as I grabbed my first mallard and remember the pure excitement I had. I can remember the feeling of accomplishment as I carried him over my shoulder out the flooded impoundment. It was, a simple quiet and thankful rejoicement.

Every year I get to experience new hunts and such. Its always nice to think back on where it all began. With the odds stacked against me, I made the decision to go. I tripped, fell, and failed more than I care to ever admit. Through perseverance however, I finally got a chance. I got one moment that I was able to capitalize on and did it right. Through all the struggling, and failures, I was able to experience the accomplishment of doing it the right way! It’s a whole lot like life’s events, sometimes the struggles just make the accomplishment mean more!
If I don't do it, I ain't gettin nun.......So i'm doing it
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msudawg8087
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Re: Story

Postby msudawg8087 » Thu Oct 19, 2017 11:30 am

Now we're talkin! Great story. Always fun to think back on how it all started and the journey to now.
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ShotgunSP
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Re: Story

Postby ShotgunSP » Thu Oct 19, 2017 1:11 pm

Love it! Thanks for sharing.
novacaine
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Re: Story

Postby novacaine » Thu Oct 19, 2017 4:49 pm

Thanks for that..........I would say that it brings back great memories for all who started that way. Wonderful.
Come on duck season!!!!!!!!!
"You didn't happen to find that on the side of the road did you?"- One Shot

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