with the next generation. Our season ended today and as I sit here typing this note I have a real sense of satisfaction stemming from the wonderful time spent with Thomas. I hunted around 25 days this year and Thomas was there for about 20 hunts. On the days he wasn't there the first thing he did when he got home from school was to call me on the cell phone and get a report. Here at home in Alabama with the help of badly needed rain in the form of floods we were able to stick to backwaters the entire season. At the outset I said I would avoid the over publicized lake and did just that. Not one lake hunt this year and that is a good thing as I thirst solitude perhaps as much as I seek ducks. One particular note of interest is the number of pintails we saw this year. By far the most since the late 80s and more in this season than the last 10 combined. I hope it's an indication that numbers are rebounding. We made our second annual father-son trip to NE Arkansas this year and had a wonderful time. Over the course of that trip Thomas managed to bag Mallards, Wigeon, Shovelors, GW Teal, Gadwall, and Pintail. He is now bent on taking his first Woody and Black duck. His taxidermy wishes exceed college tuition at a private school.
Maybe with a little luck on the Youth Hunt in February he'll get that Woody or Black duck. Which by the way I almost feel guilty talking Thomas on as it intended to be for young hunters starting out. Thomas seems more like a veteran, a short one but a veteran nonetheless, to me now. I don't think they had his case in ind when they came up with the Youth Hunt idea. That's okay, we'll participate just the same and I'll have the video camera in my hands instead of a shotgun.
I have to tell two short stories.
When hunting in Arkansas Thomas exhibited unbelievable shooting skills as proven by always claiming the kill. Four of us hunting and he always got the most desirable bird or the double. My hunting partners were just plain tickled at Thomas's penchant for "I GOT THAT BIRD", every single time he pulled the trigger and something fell. Early in one particular hunt we had 7 ducks strapped, there were four of us. A single shovelor was pulled into our spread by what seemed to be an uncontrollable force, that particuarly afflicts shovelors, and fluttered 15 yards out. We told Thomas "Take'em, he's all yours!". Thomas didn't budge. After the duck flew off I asked Thomas why he didn't shoot. He said, "I've already got my limit." We bust out laughing and Thomas smiled real big. I'll carry that memory forever.
After this morning hunt we came home and unloaded the gear with no hopes for going out again since Michelle was on call. Thomas called his close friend Patrick and asked him to come over. Thomas and Patrick are developing a real close friendship with a common interest in duckhunting, as Patrick duck hunts with this father and brothers about as much as Thomas. They ask if they can go to the pond at the end of the street and I tell them sure, go ahead. About 10 minutes later I see the two of them wearing camo with a decoy sack so full they have to drag it. I leave them to their fun and go to the workshop to mess with the planer I'm working on. Around sunset I head to the pond and see them dragging the decoys home. I pull alongside them and they climb in the truck with great enthusiasm and begin to tell me about the mallards they worked into the spread of decoys. I have no doubt they worked some in as we see flocks heading that way every evening. As I'm driving home I look over to see the happy young boys, proud of their solo accomplishment, and send a prayer. Please Lord let them have this same enthusiasm when they are teens for surely this kind of dedication and involvement will keep them out of trouble. I am truly blessed.
Maybe with a little luck on the Youth Hunt in February he'll get that Woody or Black duck. Which by the way I almost feel guilty talking Thomas on as it intended to be for young hunters starting out. Thomas seems more like a veteran, a short one but a veteran nonetheless, to me now. I don't think they had his case in ind when they came up with the Youth Hunt idea. That's okay, we'll participate just the same and I'll have the video camera in my hands instead of a shotgun.
I have to tell two short stories.
When hunting in Arkansas Thomas exhibited unbelievable shooting skills as proven by always claiming the kill. Four of us hunting and he always got the most desirable bird or the double. My hunting partners were just plain tickled at Thomas's penchant for "I GOT THAT BIRD", every single time he pulled the trigger and something fell. Early in one particular hunt we had 7 ducks strapped, there were four of us. A single shovelor was pulled into our spread by what seemed to be an uncontrollable force, that particuarly afflicts shovelors, and fluttered 15 yards out. We told Thomas "Take'em, he's all yours!". Thomas didn't budge. After the duck flew off I asked Thomas why he didn't shoot. He said, "I've already got my limit." We bust out laughing and Thomas smiled real big. I'll carry that memory forever.
After this morning hunt we came home and unloaded the gear with no hopes for going out again since Michelle was on call. Thomas called his close friend Patrick and asked him to come over. Thomas and Patrick are developing a real close friendship with a common interest in duckhunting, as Patrick duck hunts with this father and brothers about as much as Thomas. They ask if they can go to the pond at the end of the street and I tell them sure, go ahead. About 10 minutes later I see the two of them wearing camo with a decoy sack so full they have to drag it. I leave them to their fun and go to the workshop to mess with the planer I'm working on. Around sunset I head to the pond and see them dragging the decoys home. I pull alongside them and they climb in the truck with great enthusiasm and begin to tell me about the mallards they worked into the spread of decoys. I have no doubt they worked some in as we see flocks heading that way every evening. As I'm driving home I look over to see the happy young boys, proud of their solo accomplishment, and send a prayer. Please Lord let them have this same enthusiasm when they are teens for surely this kind of dedication and involvement will keep them out of trouble. I am truly blessed.
Last edited:
