First Duck Boat

[Don McCullough]

I wanted to post about the first "home made" duck boat I bought. It cost a high $20.00 for a 9 foot by 4 foot flatbottom plywood boat. It had a pointed bow and two seats and no room for decoys. Of course back then decoys were hard to come by as duck hunting was at an all time low. Well anyway I had bought an Olt duck call for .75 cents. Duck stamps were another high $2.00, I had to buy two as my buddy couldn't afford one. Well anyway we loaded it up on the top of the car and off we go to a swamp. This boat never leaked or tipped over, I was in awe how it handled on such tough waters. Every low spot we came to we had to get out and carry it to deeper water. After about 5 carrys I said to my buddy lets set up here. He said thanks. We sat and sat for about 3 hours and no ducks! I said to my buddy lets go home and he said Thanks. When I put the boat in the yard for a couple days a guy came along and offered my $20.00 for the boat and I said Thanks. It was his. Now about the time of this happening was back in 1955. And I have been hunting for ducks off and on for the last 55 years. Guess what? I will never quit, the only way I'll give up my guns rights is for somebody to pry my hands off the gun. Best Don McCullough

 

[Capt. Jack Passie]

I'm with you Don. it sounds like you've got a few years on me.my first Duck Stamp was $3.00 and my first New York State hunting license was $3.50, I just paid $98.00 for a so called Super Sportsmans license. Its got all the bells and whistles. I think its the same license I paid $3.50 for back in 1962, it just has more tags and is a nice shade of green and is printed on a computer insted of walking up to the counter of your local gun shop with a copy of your last years license. My first Duck boat sounds something like yours I paid $25.00 for mine and was the king of the bay. I guess ill have to stop sooner or later but for now I just keep on plugging along.

 

[Cas Alkanowski]

I'm 75 and back in 1954 from what i can remember I went into L and H sporting goods store,lied about me being 16(really only151/2 so I could buy a hunting stamp and del lisc. plus shells.I think i paid like $1.oo-stamp $2.50-lisc.and $3.00 for Petters 20 gauge shells ,for my new 20 ga. double barrel stevens shotgun which I also bought by my self at Al's sporting goods store for $50.00 brand new, back then the stock and forarm was tenite . I wore my dads old black hard rubber boots boy ,did they rub the sides of knees raws.I bagged a lot of ducks with that ol sidebyside. That old 20 has been re-blued with new cherry checkerd stock and forarm and stands retired in my gun cabinet. Anyone out ther can go back in time further than this lets here it.?