4 Weeks From Now

[laduck]

Crow's post got me to thinking (I don't do very much of that these days, too many years in the classroom.
It has been my enormous good fortune to anticipate opening for many years, to see the great migrations come and go, through the years of many and the years of the few. And always, whether I was able to hunt a lot or my days afield were limited, the coming of autumn have never failed to get my blood up. I am 55 years old, and I will still not sleep well or long the night before. I'm betting most of you are much the same. About the time that football is big, you'll begin spending an inordinate amount of time with activities that have been dormant since early in the year: swinging and sighting your favorite duck gun at imaginary targets, touching up decoys, inspecting your boat and blind riggings, blowing duck and goose calls to the point where your family possibly threatens rebellion, working with your retriever. It's time to get ready. No matter what the flyway forecasts say is in stgore for the areas we hunt, we're going to be out there, doing our thing. Jack

[mississippi_duc_htr]

Good post Jack and your exactly right. Tuesday morning when I got off work, temps in the upper 40s, I walked out of the building and checked the sky for a string of V's or at least a semi V first thing. Nope not yet was the answer from behind. A friend of mine was walking out behind me. I told him I know but never hurts too look. I walk out of the plant every night and see if I can here the sound of snows over head. Nope not yet, but it wont be long now.

I checked the forecast and the temps next week in the 40s for a few days next week. My wife told me a few days ago as I flicked back and forth to the weather channel several times. Duck season must be getting close I said how did you know she said you become a weather channel addict when it startes getting close to time. I just looked @ her and she just looked @ me and and mumbled something that sounded somthing like she was speaking in german or something to that effect!!!!!

MAN I CANT WAIT!!!!!!!!!

[gadwall2]

Guys, the best thing I can campare the anticipation to is being a kid at Christmas. LA, I know the feeling. Stepping outside and feeling the cold air makes me grin ear to ear. Coming back from the delta yesterday, I was searching the skys for a flight of snows(hoping). Looking at the fields with combines and rice in them and knowing what they will look like and what will be in them several weeks from now just builds the anticipation. And like the kid at Christmas, I will not sleep the night before until I accidentally doze off. Its really only a short time until season, but it will seem like an eternity.

LA, I'm 30 and you are 55. It appears we harbour the same feelings for this great sport. Waterfowling can put the fever into anybody, regardless of age. And I am not calling you old, just older than I am.

[Haymaker]

I am with you fellas. I am really starting to get the itch to hit the fields. The feelings that come with that first morning of the duck season and the anticipation the night before will probably never change as long as chasing ducks is something that you love. I plan on putting the blind backon my boat soon, and start watching the weather, checking decoys, reworking my dog box,.... won't be long now. Am going to go north to southern IL to try to sneak in an early hunt. I hope that everyone has a safe and enjoyable season.

Haymaker

[DuckyDan]

Guys, you're not alone. I'm 21 and get that same feeling! I'm ready for season to be here! There's nothing like that night before the first day of season, or that night before a hunt where you've got plenty of water and you know there's a BIG cold front moving through around daylight! I always stay at my aunt and uncle's house and go hunting with my uncle and cousin. He's 2 years younger than I am, but it's so funny. We'll come in around 11:30 or so on Friday night so we can "get some sleep", but in reality, we'll sit up, get the boat ready, or clean our guns even though we KNOW they're clean. Then, we'll check the boat again, then make sure our guns are in working order, get our waders and other clothes set out so it won't be a hassle the next morning, go watch the weather channel for the local on the 8's, then pop in a Phil Robertson tape and sit up and watch that. We usually end up going to sleep somewhere in the 1:00-2:00 range, then wake up at 3:30 wide awake! There's no feeling on Earth quite like sitting there at 3:30 in the morning, watching the weather channel, putting on camo after one hour's sleep, knowing that you're about to get soaking wet and freezing cold and have a good day hunting.
I used to think that the finer things in life consisted of money, prestige, fine wine, gourmet meals, etc. I have learned something though as I have grown older. The finer things in life cannot be bought. The only thing I can think of that can be bought is that $1.00 can of vienna sausages that you buy at the Shell station at 4:00 in the morning. Some people go through their whole lives never knowing what all of us know. You can't beat viennas when it's 20 degrees outside and the juice inside the can looks like jelly instead of juice. Who else on Earth would understand this phenomenon better than us? What about all those times we dipped our waders, or had to go real bad and couldn't find dry ground or didn't have any paper? What about the days we've all been hunting and gotten skunked? What about when it's 3:00 in the morning and the dog decides he is going to take a dump in the back of the truck (Bronco in our case)? What about the days that we've all gotten soaking wet and froze our little toes off? What about those days when you're standing against a tree when ice is melting off of the limbs over head and it wacks you on the head? What about those days you got lost in the woods and found "the BEST duckhole"? What about the times the boat paddle has been lost or broken and you had to use your gun instead? What about that day when the boat motor quit and you walked for 2 miles in the shallows of the river dragging a boat behind you in the water? What about those times when we "had those 2 ducks lined up in our sights" only to find we had a wet shell in the barrel? It's funny how I look back at all of these experiences and remember them as fun.
The older I get, the more I realize why I hunt. I used to think it was fun and challenging to get out there and shoot ducks. I still do, but my motives have changed. It's all about getting away from the daily grind of life and getting into the duck woods where you can escape everything else that may be on your mind. Never in my life have I found anywhere else that I can do this. It's about getting out there with friends and family and enjoying spending time with them in nature. It's about actually communicating with a wild animal. That is just the coolest thing in the world to me that I can blow on this call and tell these ducks what to do!
There is no doubt in my mind that we are the lucky ones in this world. We HAVE the finer things in life. I know Mississippi may not be considered as a state to possess the "finer things", but in my opinion, what more could you ask for? We have plenty of beautiful places to go in the outdoors, we have good food, family, friends, and churches. I can't think of anywhere else I'd rather be.....

[BigBlackMallards]

Mr. Jack, can't wait to hit the hole with ya' and hopefully shoot some greenheads and sprigs this year. I went to put the plug in the levy the other day and was almost struck by a copperhead. I'm sure glad there are none of those around when it's time to do the hunting.

Cupped & Committed

[mississippi_duc_htr]

aaaaaaaaa

[mississippi_duc_htr]

Good post to all you fellas!! i got to thinking and what ducky says is absolutly right. We are well blessed to have the opportunities to hunt and fish like we do. Even when minor bad things happen we will usally look back and can laugh about them. I guess tyhey go right along with the good times too. I hope we all have a safe and great time in the outdoors this year and for years too come. Lets be safe out there and not sorry later on.

[mississippi_duc_htr]

Good post to all you fellas!! i got to thinking and what ducky says is absolutly right. We are well blessed to have the opportunities to hunt and fish like we do. Even when minor bad things happen we will usally look back and can laugh about them. I guess they go right along with the good times too. I hope we all have a safe and great time in the outdoors this year and for years too come. Lets be safe out there and not sorry later on.

[mississippi_duc_htr]

aaaaa ok I messed up on this post couldnt figure out how too delete it

[dkman]

The best comparison I can make is dusting yourself off after making sure your calluses stay glued on another year and turning around to admire your - leaning tower of Pizza. One thing about mother nature, she isn't real strict about timing. Duck Fever? What's that? Oh, that sickness I used to get before I found the cure - preperation - (not sold in Cabelas).
Danged stuff changes fever into confidence, and that stuff makes you sleep late. (not on the first day though) I figured out how to stop my wife from moaning all winter long several years ago. I conceded that football is child's game and since the kids dont like to watch it I gave it up. She liked that, but mostly because I bug her now instead. If you bug them enough, they are GLAD to see you go duck chasing. If you prepare well enough, you dont have to wake her up at 4:30 to do it, (except the first day of course) If you come home with plucked ducks and flowers you just about got it licked, (literally) Girls are easier than ducks but preperation works on both of them. No fair giving the 5 year old duck calls for Christmas, you have to have better sense than that. Looking foward to duck season is like paying for college once a week until they go off and waste your money. By the time it gets here it would be nice to see some good grades but the house is still open if life presents enough options that you simply must make all the mistakes first and get them out of the way.

The last time I got duck fever, I didn't get any ducks, and I still felt great. It was about then that I realized that it's not duck fever at all. It's I want to do what I want to do fever, and just about anything cures it as long as it's what I want to do. Then I realized that is what causes witchy wife syndrone too. It's Ok to act like a cave man some honey, just don't drag mud and feathers and ugly cave men up in my cave, OK? I said UG, and it's been peachy ever since. I came home one day and my shop had a little TV in it, already working, I about fainted. A little note said your own personal weather station. We had good sex after that one. (it's always good) Just a little more and a bunk will appear out there and I will finally have my own little piece of the world like I have been paying to get for about 20 years now. TV WITH remote, decoys hanging on the wall, I'm almost there fellas! (and so is duck season)
Many smiles and much joy to you as you finally get to do what you want to do for a change.