“On the Ebb” - Black duck hunting film by Field & Stream

[Tim Chelius]

Good Morning All:
Field & Stream has just released a new film: “On the Ebb” which chronicles the traditions, culture, decoys and boats of a Long Island coastal black duck hunter. The story is told through the experiences of one man, Ryan Chelius, who, despite opportunities to duck hunt across the country is compelled to return each year to his roots as a waterfowler on the tidal marshes of Long Island, NY where it all began. The film features discussions of the boats, cork decoys and traditions that make this brand of coastal gunning unique. Top quality videography by F&S photographer David Cox who accompanied Chelius on a 3 day hunt make this a must-see. Link below.

Tim C.

 

[Paul Taylor]

Outstanding history and tradition!

 

[Jay K]

I saw the preview for this on FB. I mentioned to @Craig F that I thought it might be NJ. He correctly pointed out to me it looked like LINY. I can't wait to give this a thorough watch when I have a moment.

 

[tod osier]

Good Morning All:
Field & Stream has just released a new film: “On the Ebb” which chronicles the traditions, culture, decoys and boats of a Long Island coastal black duck hunter. The story is told through the experiences of one man, Ryan Chelius, who, despite opportunities to duck hunt across the country is compelled to return each year to his roots as a waterfowler on the tidal marshes of Long Island, NY where it all began. The film features discussions of the boats, cork decoys and traditions that make this brand of coastal gunning unique. Top quality videography by F&S photographer David Cox who accompanied Chelius on a 3 day hunt make this a must-see. Link below.

Tim C.

Welcome to the forum

 

[Steve Sanford]

Good Morning All:
Field & Stream has just released a new film: “On the Ebb” which chronicles the traditions, culture, decoys and boats of a Long Island coastal black duck hunter. The story is told through the experiences of one man, Ryan Chelius, who, despite opportunities to duck hunt across the country is compelled to return each year to his roots as a waterfowler on the tidal marshes of Long Island, NY where it all began. The film features discussions of the boats, cork decoys and traditions that make this brand of coastal gunning unique. Top quality videography by F&S photographer David Cox who accompanied Chelius on a 3 day hunt make this a must-see. Link below.

Tim C.

Tim~

As you know, I thoroughly enjoyed "On the Ebb" - and glad that Craig Kessler, Anthony and I claimed "On the Falling Tide" first.....

Mostly I wanted to brag that I know the 2 stars of the film. I'm guessing you and I first met around 1981 or so. This Duckboat Show - still at the Heckscher State Park Boat Basin - was not long after. Notice how I cleverly disguised the registration on your Sneakbox (you may need a mirror to decipher it). I'm guessing the stool rack holds the same McCormick Blacks that you made - with Mister Decoy and Paul Castelli all those seasons ago - and just used to good effect.



And, here is your fine son with his first Black Duck - the one he tells of in the video. A sharp eye can see that he shot it from a Sanford Gunning Coffin. I believe I dropped that off at your house in the Fall of 2010 - right after I retired from DEC.



Coincidentally, Troy Nicolls just "dropped" (as the kids say nowadays) his YouTube about building the gunning boxes. And, I am writing a letter to Mike Marran's wife and son - to express my sorrow for his death but also to share a few good stories. One such tale involves a box built to my design - by Mike and a former NY Jets tight end.

I hope to see you and Ryan in Hauppauge next month.

All the best,

SJS

 

[Tim Chelius]

Welcome to the forum

Thanks Tod. I think the film is one the members here will appreciate.

 

[James Woods]

Good Morning All:
Field & Stream has just released a new film: “On the Ebb” which chronicles the traditions, culture, decoys and boats of a Long Island coastal black duck hunter. The story is told through the experiences of one man, Ryan Chelius, who, despite opportunities to duck hunt across the country is compelled to return each year to his roots as a waterfowler on the tidal marshes of Long Island, NY where it all began. The film features discussions of the boats, cork decoys and traditions that make this brand of coastal gunning unique. Top quality videography by F&S photographer David Cox who accompanied Chelius on a 3 day hunt make this a must-see. Link below.

Tim C.

Tim: What a great film, just made this old man's heart sing.

 

[Tim Chelius]

Tim~

As you know, I thoroughly enjoyed "On the Ebb" - and glad that Craig Kessler, Anthony and I claimed "On the Falling Tide" first.....

Mostly I wanted to brag that I know the 2 stars of the film. I'm guessing you and I first met around 1981 or so. This Duckboat Show - still at the Heckscher State Park Boat Basin - was not long after. Notice how I cleverly disguised the registration on your Sneakbox (you may need a mirror to decipher it). I'm guessing the stool rack holds the same McCormick Blacks that you made - with Mister Decoy and Paul Castelli all those seasons ago - and just used to good effect.

View attachment 73314

And, here is your fine son with his first Black Duck - the one he tells of in the video. A sharp eye can see that he shot it from a Sanford Gunning Coffin. I believe I dropped that off at your house in the Fall of 2010 - right after I retired from DEC.

View attachment 73315

Coincidentally, Troy Nicolls just "dropped" (as the kids say nowadays) his YouTube about building the gunning boxes. And, I am writing a letter to Mike Marran's wife and son - to express my sorrow for his death but also to share a few good stories. One such tale involves a box built to my design - by Mike and a former NY Jets tight end.

I hope to see you and Ryan in Hauppauge next month.

All the best,

SJS

Steve:
Thanks for the kudos regarding my debut in “On the Ebb”. I think my role might better be described as a prop than a star. Your nostalgic photos bring back a flood of memories (even if I have to view them through a mirror). And yes, those McCormick decoys on the boat are in fact the actual decoys featured in the film which we hunted over. They have certainly stood the test of time and aged well, which is more than we can say about the guy in the photo. That boat was the first place winner (grass boat division) in the 1981 S. Shore Waterfowlers duckboat contest. Paul Castelli found it for me in south Jersey annd I trailered it back to L.I. Although it was glass over plywood in construction and not cedar planked, it was a true barnegat sneak box in every other sense. It came with a complete sailing rig (sail, center board and rudder). If you look in the photo, you can see the mast leaning against the car and the boom with sail attached at my feet. It also had a “dagger board” which can be seen laying on the trailer fender. This was used for setting decoys. Basically a 1X10 plank about 4-1/2’ long, cut to a point at one end, it could be thrust through the centerboard trunk (well) just aft of the mast base and into the bay bottom in shallow water. It would stop the drifting boat dead in its tracks and made setting and pulling decoys a pleasure. I sold that boat a year after the contest to another SSWA member, Eric Tirpak and I’m sure he put it to good use. I replaced that boat with an all glass Higbee sneakbox when Paul and I bought a pair of them while they were still in production in Egg Harbor, NJ. That is the boat I still use today and is featured in the film.
Yes, the photo of young Ryan is in fact his first black duck that he shot from his Sanford Gunning Box. We were both very grateful with your gift of the box and we had many successful days using it. However, I had to be careful in describing it in family conversations. Ryan was my youngest and the first of my 3 boys to express interest in hunting. My wife, a city girl from Queens, NY was unsure about this whole duck hunting thing and expressed concerns if it was appropriate for a 12 year old. I assured her it was a safe youth activity just like baseball or soccer, (despite the fact that it involved small boats, freezing weather and firearms). It would have been much harder to make a persuasive safety argument for youth hunting if she heard our young son was about to spend the day in a “Sanford coffin box”. Ever since then we have always referred to it as the “Sanford Gunning Box”.
Glad you enjoyed the film. I’m very proud of the work Ryan is doing at Field & Stream showcasing waterfowling traditions and culture we all care so much about. Hope to see you at the show in Hauppauge next month.
Regards,
Tim C.

 

[Eric Patterson]

Tim

Are the areas featured in this video open to the public all season? Can someone hunt all day every day? Or are they managed areas with restrictions that don't apply other places?

Thanks for sharing and welcome to the community.

 

[Anthony Babich]

Tim, Fantasic film as expected and I'm sure you've heard this many times before but awesome job on being Ryan's instrumental idol in the true ways of waterfowling here on Long Island. It's nice to see this kept alive. I like Ryan look to my father and reflect on all the many ways the mutual vision is kept alive along with those other old-timer influencers (some seen above )

Last season I gave Ryan the gift that keeps on giving an experience of dragging a Baur Boat across the mud for a few hundred yards like the old timers before us did LOL. He did great and those memories will continue to live on! Grateful to have the homeland featured. See you all soon.

These McCormicks were apart of Red Mangus Rig (Owner of South Bay Duckboats) acquired from his son they are stamped 1976 marking their 50th season on the water

 

[Tim Chelius]

Anthony-
Good to hear from you. I can’t claim any credit regarding the film. Ryan and Dave Cox, the Field & Stream videographer, did a tremendous job. They spent 3 full days on the marsh in frozen weather from sunrise to sunset and many hours on the editing. Ryan had an idea for the storyline to capture more of the tradition, history and craftsmanship regarding decoys, boats and methods and how it contrasts with other forms of duck hunting. They really got it done as seen by the reaction it is getting online. They could have left out the shot of my spectacular whiff on that lay-up shot of the decoying bird, that scene would have been better left on the cutting room floor. I’m dreading the abuse I’ll be getting from my hunting buddies for that one. I’m really glad that you and Ryan have connected. I had noticed your great work with camera and video long before we met you, especially your projects with Craig and Steve and the documentaries you guys produced. This whole digital, social media world is a whole new universe for us old guys as we struggle to muddle through it. We are lucky to have a young generation like you and Ryan to carry the torch into the future for this crazy waterfowling culture we all seem to love so much.
I was not surprised to hear that your father was the main source of inspiration for all your endeavors in the waterfowling world. This outdoor stuff is not for everyone, and as a dad you can only expose your kid to it and see if it takes. For most it doesn’t, for you & your dad it clearly did. I’m sure he’s beyond proud of all you do.
Those photos are great! I can’t believe you have McCormick decoys from Red Magnus! I’m sure you know that he was one of the main characters is the classic story “Bayman’s Solstice” written by Norman Strung in 1980 for Gray’s Sporting Journal. I feel like they should be in a showcase somewhere but I know what old Al would have to say about that: “I make workin’ decoys for gunning, not pretty birds for the mantel”.
All great stuff. Hope to see you at the decoy show in March.
Regards,
Tim Chelius

 

[James Boyd]

Good stuff, enjoyed the clip

 

[J. Overland]

Excellent video. It really is special fooling a LI Black Duck. Sometimes through careful decoying and sometimes, as attempted in the video, through a slow stalk to the spot where they have chosen to be.

 

[roy brewington]

Those mosquito ditch stalks have saved many a duck hunt on the marsh when Mr. Blk. Duck doesn't want to respond to the decoys correctly.

 

[Eric Patterson]

I think my question got missed so I'll ask again. Who owns the shore line? Are the areas featured in this video open to the public all season? Can someone hunt all day every day? Or are they managed areas with restrictions that don't apply other places?

 

[Tim Chelius]

I think my question got missed so I'll ask again. Who owns the shore line? Are the areas featured in this video open to the public all season? Can someone hunt all day every day? Or are they managed areas with restrictions that don't apply other places?

Hi Eric:
The wetlands shown in the film are on the south shore of Long Island. They are public waterways open to the public and fall under the jurisdiction of the Town of Hempstead which lies within Nassau county. Long Island consists mainly of 2 counties, Nassau in the west and larger Suffolk county to the east which extends to Montauk Point. Other townships on LI which regulate hunting on wetlands include the Town of Oyster Bay, and Southampton Town. In Town of Hempstead, the NY state laws regarding migratory bird hunting apply to hunting in their jurisdiction. Laws are enforced by the Towns own division of Bay Constables as well as NY State DEC conservation officers. In most of these areas there are no special daily or seasonal permits required, other than your license, duck stamp and being in compliance with NYS and federal law. You may hunt all day if you wish. Southampton town is very restrictive in terms of non resident hunting. The north shore of Long Island consists of a more rocky shoreline and a smaller system of wetlands. The launching ramps in Nassau and Suffolk are regulated by different entities (County, state and Town) and different permits are required for their use. The problem a newcomer would face is navigating outside the main channels. The topography changes quickly with dropping and rising tides and navigating can be a challenge without a keen knowledge of the backwaters. More information about this area can be found by contacting the NY State Dept. of Environmental Conservation (DEC) region 1 office in Stony Brook, NY. I hope this helps.
-TC

 

[Steve Sanford]

I think my question got missed so I'll ask again. Who owns the shore line? Are the areas featured in this video open to the public all season? Can someone hunt all day every day? Or are they managed areas with restrictions that don't apply other places?

Eric~

One of the amazing circumstances is that almost all of the saltmarsh that is not attached to the mainland is public land. It is open to waterfowl hunting on a first-come, first-served basies. Some exceptions include some East End townships where the rights to fish, shellfish and wildfowl were bestowed to the towns long before there was a US Constitution. (but after the English took New Amsterdam from the Dutch and re-named it New York). Other exceptions include public lands managed as parks or refuges. The current rare exceptions include just a few bay houses - leased by the towns. Up until the 1970s, there had been hundreds of bay houses - especially "up West" - in the bays closer to NYC.

In any event, the limiting factor on hunting these saltmarshes is access. There is no place where one can simply walk in. Access is by boat - which means a seaworthy gunning vessel launched from a trailer. (A few keep their rigs at marinas for the season; and others keep their boats in the bulkheaded backyards of waterfront/canal front residents.) Launch sites are mostly owned by local governments and frequently restrict use to their own residents. This situation has gotten much more restrictive since I left Long Island back in the 20th century (1994). Whilst living there, I hunted all around Long Island and never contended with tickets or towing. Most of my regular launches are no longer available to me.

The other big factor limiting access is the shift in public attitudes toward hunting. Growing up, duck hunting was a big part of Long Island culture. One saw scooters and grassboats in many yards - and it was common for some gunners and non-gunners to just drive down to the bay to watch open bay rigs at "work". Now, the vast majority of waterfront homeowners have no connection to the bays - by boating, fishing or gunning. It is refreshing to visit New Jersey and still see the prominent role that waterfowling still holds in the culture.

So, any "stranger" wanting to hunt waterfowl on Long Island pretty much needs a "guide" - either the paid species (not very many) or the friend/acquaintance who can show one the ropes. I understand from friends that the interwebs have drawn too many to some parts of the LI duck waters - with unsatisfying results for all - especially the natives. Of course, this tension probably exists everywhere ducks and geese are hunted.

Hope this helps!

SJS

 

[J. Overland]

What Steve has said above is absolutely correct. As a NY resident (but not a LI resident) it has been somewhat infuriating learning how/where to hunt LI. LI has a late season that lasts almost an entire month past when my local season has closed. The variety and number of ducks is also remarkable. Trying to figure out how to access places is frustrating beyond words. I've spent many, many hours driving all over LI, searching Google Earth, and looking through various Town regulations, as well as calling DEC officers.

I want to be legal at all times. Unfortunately, information on where to legally duck hunt on LI is very challenging to locate. There are several areas such as Captree where the boat ramp and access is fully legal and well known. Unfortunately it is often not the greatest hunting. I did locate one new-to-me legal access this past season and will continue attempting to navigate LI access in the years to come. It's the only place I know of that is so, so restrictive on a Town by Town basis.

 

[CPKBasil and Robert]

Good Morning All:
Field & Stream has just released a new film: “On the Ebb” which chronicles the traditions, culture, decoys and boats of a Long Island coastal black duck hunter. The story is told through the experiences of one man, Ryan Chelius, who, despite opportunities to duck hunt across the country is compelled to return each year to his roots as a waterfowler on the tidal marshes of Long Island, NY where it all began. The film features discussions of the boats, cork decoys and traditions that make this brand of coastal gunning unique. Top quality videography by F&S photographer David Cox who accompanied Chelius on a 3 day hunt make this a must-see. Link below.

Tim C.

Tim,

I really enjoyed the film.

I only have one McCormick decoy, but I float it on Champlain almost every hunt.

Robert

 

[SJ Fairbank]

I think my question got missed so I'll ask again. Who owns the shore line? Are the areas featured in this video open to the public all season? Can someone hunt all day every day? Or are they managed areas with restrictions that don't apply other places?

I saw your original question, and was waiting for LI locals to respond before throwing in my two cents. For the most part, the East Coast from NJ north is unrestricted public access, no drawings, no time limits. The primary problem is usually a boat launch. As stated, there are sometimes local restrictions and the odd sanctuary, otherwise waterfowl can be hunted below the high tide line without any special restriction. Typically this would include tidal marshes, beaches, breakwaters and tidal rocks, but almost always hunting from a boat is OK provided legal shooting distances to structures are observed. This is why a number of us who've grown up in this part of the country can't understand the term "freelancing", which to our ears sounds a lot like some form of illegitimate activity. When I was a kid we viewed somebody with a lease as a questionable character, and hunting with a paid guide was only for well-to-do snobs incapable of hunting by themselves. It is amazing that in one of the most liberal areas of the country, we enjoy some of the least restrictive waterfowling access.