29 Things I did while duck hunting where there were no ducks -NDR

Don Shearer

Active member
1. Got scared by a beaver who slapped the water right next to me while I was setting out dekes in the dark. 2. Watched the sun come up. 3. Shared my lunch in the first hour with Aspen. 4. Dropped my coffee cup in the marsh. 5. Found my coffee cup. 6. Told Aspen about my plan to join PETA and after 6 months offer to organize the end of hunting season game feed. 7. Told Aspen that was really funny and it wasn't nice of her not to laugh and that if she didn't change her attitude she would not be invited to the PETA game dinner. 8. Let Aspen make it up to me by eating the last half of my chocolate muffin. 9. Watched steelhead jump every few minutes in the decoys. 10. Thought to myself that is strange steelhead do not usually jump like silvers or pinks. 11. Was real surprised by the number of steelhead at the head of the creek I was hunting since the creek did not look like good spawning habitat. 12. Thought to myself the cab of a '79 Chevy Luv was not ideal spawning habitat but it didn't stop me when I was 18. 13. Realized if I wrote the above sentence it would generate at least 25 posts reminding me this site is frequented by kids. 14. Thought at least I wouldn't mention poop. 15. Uh-Oh, I realized that if did say I didn't mention poop I would actually be mentioning poop. Oh poop! another Catch-22. 16. Saw a group of buffies land about 60 yards away. 17. Got a kick out of watching a group of buffies and decided they are one of my favorite ducks and that they must be the duck breed that has the most fun and if in some strange sense of cosmic humor I am reincarnated as a duck I want to be a buffie. Buffies always at least to me look like they are busy playing and other duck breeds often seem like they are comparing insurance rates. 18. Thought about all the folks I know who are veterans and sent them a mental thank you. 19. Got distracted by the calling of the quail and pheasants on the hillside behind me. Tried to ignore the calling and got the cold shoulder from Aspen for ignoring the calling. 20. Noticed one of the dekes making a silent escape as it floated out into the main river channel. 21. Wondered how far I would let it float before getting in the boat to go get it. 22. Asked Aspen if I should shoot the decoy as an escapee. She continued to ignore me as she scanned the hillside for quail and/or pheasants. 23. Silently hoped the decoy made it to freedom and lived the life it always dreamed of. 24. Decided I might be spending to much time hunting alone this season. 25. Saw a mule deer doe crest the hill being pursued by a small 4 point buck. He must of thought the creek looked just fine as spawning habit as he chased her out of site across the creek. 26. Picked up the decoys...including the escape. 27. Never took the safety off. 28. Drove home. 29. Thought it was a perfect day. My best, Don
 
that at least a "dozen" children look at this site I am going to "remid you" that "spawning solo at 18 in the cab of a '79 Chevy Luv IS NOT the same thing as really spawning".....


Carry on...

Steve
 
Don -
Holy crap (opps I mentioned a form of poo - close you eyes if you are sensitive)
This has got to be my favorite - to date write up on the DHBP. Completely funny and real.
It had stiff competition with such previous DHBP novels like: "the tires gripping like tigers paws" and some of the old floating fork stuff,,, but they just can’t hold a light to the Chevy Luv spawning reference.
This was great, thank you!
Derek
 
Nicely done Don, I really enjoyed that. I didn't get to spend near enough time with you or Aspen last fall in the quail cover.

T
 
Enjoyed that, Don, well done. I owned a '78 Chevy Luv and the only picture I have of it is with the tailgate down and nice buck taking up most of the bed. Number 23 made me laugh out loud. Hope you have more "productive" days afield. - Jim B1
 
Don,
Great post. After reading the beaver slap... which caught my attention to read more, I laughed and remebered my cousin yelling into the darkness thinking it was some antihunter throwing boulders at us. He was really pissed at those beavers, but didn't know that they were beavers until the sunrise. I'm still laughing as I type.

Great time to reflect while waiting for ducks.

-Jack
 
What, no farting or scratchin? And you call yourslef a duck hunter. Can you imagine what the recordings would be like if such a machine existed to record thoughts while sitting in a duck boat? Scary -

Mark W
 
Guys,

Thanks for the kind reply's. I wasn't sure I was going to post it or not, but in the end decided to.

For the record Mark I have never (to my knowledge) claimed to be a duck hunter. There are dozens of people who will agree to this statement. I can't shoot worth a poop. I make Gregg K. look like Sergeant York. I am not allowed to use a duck call by anyone who hunts with me. But rest assured I am sure there was plenty of fartin and scrathin and I didn't mention them since they go along with breathing...something I do reguraly but am not even aware of anymore.

My best,

Don
 
Probably the best (and closest to home) post I have seen on this site. My hats off to ya Don, that was some great, funny, and poetic reading. Keep them coming, maybe next time give us Aspen's thoughts on the morning....a perfect sequel. dc
 
Hey Don -

I lived in Pullman Washington for awile when I was very little. My Dad was in grad school there. Sister was born in Pullman.

Can't remember anything about it except it is the place I broke my arm - 3 times.

Mark W
 
Mark,

Pullman is a great place and home to the greatest univeristy in the world. Not that I am biased. You should come back for a visit.

My best,

Don
 
Nice post. I've had my share of days like that, and I'm sure we all have. Its nice to be out on the water just thinking about whatever completely random crap comes along.

One of my other favorite issues/topics when its slow is how to re-rig my decoy spread for the 18th time in 2 years. I know that I've rerigged decoys three times in one season. This sport causes some lunacy....or are we drawn to this because we're lunatics....

I've watched my brother get bored after an hour and set off to find the birds that landed "over there". He's damn near a ninja when he's creeping in on the birds. I got lucky and was able to watch him do this in South Dakota a few weeks ago. He's really good on the stalk.

Have a good one.
 
Yeah, I agree it sounds pretty familiar to hunting the Atlantic flyway.

Many a duckless day I've spotted whitetails nearby, had trout rising in the decoys (or, if it's salt water, seen stripers rolling on the nearby surface).
 
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