Spent many mornings in the Okracoke salt marsh early 70's then early 80's. Chapel Hill, Winston Salem then spent a year in Elizabeth City. Not many ducks during those hunts but loved every minute. My first duck hunt ever was Dec. 1972. My lacrosse coach and I drew a blind at Body Island. Never forget that day. A perfect ducky day. Cold, snow and wind. It was surreal and a unique experience I had never known. The duck gods had determined to inject me with the duck fever virus.
I remember going into the white building to draw our blind. Then heading into the marsh in the dark and blizzard snow. Before we got past the ditch by the road, my coaches' dog, Brawnie, a big half golden/irish setter, decided to take on a nutria. I had old lacrosse hip boots, cotton athletic socks, bluejeans and whatever a broke college kid could come up with. Never been colder, but the ducks whizzing over head, the Bean cork black duck decoys, and everything else and I was gut hooked.
Hunted Carolina many times over 10-15 years and never had that perfect weather. The only other time that came close was Christmas of 1983 when I went with a friend from Elizabeth City out of Oregon Inlet into the marsh. It was similar but not what the snow geese wanted.
Lot of great experiences in NC.