The Meaning of the Word "Wait": A Two Day Trip to the Outer Banks

L

Larry Eckart

Well-known member
The Meaning of the Word "Wait"; Two Days on the Outer Banks

Wait. It is a simple English word. The dictionary says it means, "delay, pause, or stop." Wait. I know what "wait" means. At I least I thought so, until I didn't.

I just finished two days on the Outer Banks with childhood friends Mark Armon and Ron Fricke. We made the same trip last year. We are all 64-65 years old. At this age, it is good to have old friends. At this age, it is great to get together with old friends. We hunted two days. The weather was cool but not windy. The gunning intermittent, the marksmanship fair, and the birds at hand in full winter plumage.

We ended up with twelve birds for two days hunting, a mix of bluebills and redheads. While this is not a number that you brag about, who needs to brag about the number killed when you are 64 years old? We had ducks to clean, ducks to eat and ducks to remember.

The first photo is my contribution to sunrise pics this season. I hope you enjoy mine as I have enjoyed yours. Thank you. I thank God for the privilege of such a morning and for His grace to us each day.

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The boat we used the first day is an example of the cover blinds used in the Outer Banks. Boats larger than 20? are standard. Pine branches are wedged into a frame mounted on the gunnels. That frame has holes that are vertical and angled to provide cover out front, from behind and from above. The guide harvests fresh pine branches on a weekly basis. The more adventurous captains use a scissor blind which, in simple explanation, is like driving your boat into a "garage" made of pine branches wedged into juniper boards floating on the water.

Pic two: a close up of the frame and branches
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Pic three: my friends standing "in the pines"
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The action on day one can be described as empty skies interspersed by pandemonium. Is there a finer waterfowl moment than bluebills approaching from behind, banking 100 yards out, turning to the decoys and aiming for the boat as if it was a bombing target? Ah, that video image is surpassed by the moment of truth when, instead of alighting, these visitors from Canada performed a crossing maneuver with the birds on the right flaring left and the birds on the left flaring right causing a pandemonium of shooting confusion.

The guide was neither happy with our results nor impressed by our smiles of satisfaction: "That was great!"

The bundle of birds on a post is proof that some of our shots connected.

(Pic four)
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This trip we discovered a delightful feature of our hotel: a cleaning room! You know you are staying in hunting country when the hotel has a cleaning room. While some duck hunters can afford Yeti and Simms products, most of us are scroungers, able and willing to piece together equipment with ingenuity but without costing many dollars.

This plucker consisted of rubber fingers on a shaft mounted to an electric motor. The plucker was assembled over a hood. The hood was connected to a shop vac. Turn on two switches and voila! Duck magic! When was the last time you said, "Plucking is easy?"

Pic five: motor and fan
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Pic six: hood and shop vac
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Bluebill breasts were cut in thirds and skewered with pineapple. Teriyaki marinade drizzled over the kabobs. Grilled to medium rare. Served with rice pilaf and salad. Basil Hayden bourbon for "dessert." The day ended with red faces and happy stomachs.

On day two we went to the fabled Currituck Sound. Variable winds were not music to our ears but we go when we can. This is Dare County, NC. The market hunters are gone but the only way you can hunt this "public" water is with a guide. The marsh has changed over time but it is still beautiful.

Pic 7: Currituck marsh
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We had few chances but wonderful conversation with our guide who took the time to teach us, "When the birds come in, push your gun out so it doesn't catch on your waders and then bring it back to your shoulder." We thought this unusually good advice. The guide's last words were, "Wait for me to call the shot."

The morning went by and we picked up a few birds. Conversation moved from birds to water levels to the history of Currituck to even dabbling in those forbidden topics, politics and religion, but with good humor and civility.

Then came the moment when I learned the meaning of the word, "Wait."

Two big ducks veered into our set with cupped wings. They were on the right side of the blind so upon our guide's order, friend Mark dumped the first bird. It crashed to the water but still had its head up. Mark urged friend Ron to finish his bird. Friend Larry and the guide simultaneously said, "Wait, the other bird is coming back."

Sure enough, the other big duck circled back. It was a drake canvasback whose neck and head stood out in silhouette. "Wait," said the guide.

Bull can vectored closer and closer back to his buddy on the water. "Wait," said the guide.

Mr. Silverback cupped his wings and glided to the outside of our spread. Canvasback are not a regular bag even on the Currituck Sound. We did not know how eager and excited our guide was to soon be able to say, "My clients bagged a drake canvasback."

Just as the guide was about to say one more time, "Wait," Larry's brain malfunctioned, his ears closed and all his senses shouted, "SHOOT!"

Larry shot two times and that beautiful bull can did not fall.

A dejected silence fell over the blind broken by the guide's word, "We must have a different definition of the word, 'Wait.'"

Said friend Mark: "He never was good at English."

Said friend Ron: "Listening's not his strength either."

Ah! Nothing is better than getting jabbed by your buddies after blowing a shot at waterfowl glory.

Eighth pic: Drake redhead that was the can's buddy.
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Ninth pic: Second day's bag against a juniper tree, the wood used in some local boat building.
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In the end the trip was a gift to us all. And this Lutheran pastor will always remember and probably be reminded of the word spoken softly but firmly by a guide in a blind on the Currituck Sound, "Wait!"



 
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Beautiful sunrise pic Larry. Sounds like you had a blast . I Use to pull camper down to Frisco every year in early oct. and enjoy some surf fishing and always thought about how great it would be to hunt the sound and adjoining marshes. That bluebill dish sounds pretty good and I,m sure that Basil Hayden helped ease the pain of a few missed shots!
 
Larry,

Great story and sounds like a fun adventure.

I got a kick out of your WAIT. That is a word I use often with my dogs and in certain circumstances, it is tough for them to follow that command like it was with that bull can. BUT I have been just as guilty of forgetting to WAIT. [laugh]
 
Thank you for taking us on that trip with you. Well written and the pictures compliment your words.

Ah yes... Wait... That is unless the quarry had other places in mind... And then the nature response would be...we should have shot earlier!!! Lol...

I also cringe when I go with a guide, and they say that they will call the shot. It can be helpful, but it also irks me, as I hunt all season on my own and am accustomed to making my own choices... Some good .. some bad... But they are mine. Lol.
 
AHA! Now I understand your query regarding the
"/? quandary. That is too many errors to indicate your fingers were occasionally going awry. Perhaps, the keyboard is ready for replacement?
Nice birds, good company!
 
Nah, it's not the keyboard. It only happens when I type up a post in Word and paste it into the duck boat.net post. If I type straight in the forum's server, there quotation marks come out as quotation marks.

It's something in the conversion from Word to the server of our site, perhaps aided by a Mac.

It's also not a virus.

No biggee.

Larry
 
Great story and photos, thanks for sharing Larry!

Advice given in the blind is sometimes hard to follow.
I once advised a novice buddy hunting divers with me for the first ime to not try to kill more than one but to make sure the first one he shoots is dead because they will dive, never to be seen again.
Not too long into the hunt a whole flock of ringnecks come in on his end, he expertly "folds" one the first shot and then commences to miss at the rest of the flock with the next two shots, ignoring his "dead" bird.
This "dead bird is now head-up swimming away from his end of the boat (I cant shoot it, he's in the wa).
He looks down, started fumbling for shells, and looks up to see the "dead ringneck" dive, never to be seen again. Just like I said it would.
He turns to me with an embarrassed/dumbfounded look on his face and I ask "didn't I just say shoot just one???"
He hunted with me about 10 more times over the years and never ever again tried to double, on any species!
 
Excellent story and pictures, Larry. Love the ribbing after the miss. Gotta have thick skin if you're gonna chase ducks with friends. When the guide has a few more years on him he'll understand. Thanks for sharing.
 
Larry Eckart said:
Nah, it's not the keyboard. It only happens when I type up a post in Word and paste it into the duck boat.net post. If I type straight in the forum's server, there quotation marks come out as quotation marks.

It's something in the conversion from Word to the server of our site, perhaps aided by a Mac.

It's also not a virus.

No biggee.

Larry
Click to expand...

Nope.. When I typed up Kodi's Obit, on Word on a PC, and copied and pasted... it did the same thing.
 
Larry -

Very good story and photo's. Thank you for the post.


Regarding Currituck Sound, were you able to leave the dock prior to shooting time?

When I gunned there years ago, we could not leave the dock until shooting time. Our guide was a very good, Southern Waterman, and stayed in his one man blind very close to ours.

He would say MARK, when he sighted birds we did not. Calling the shot was our decision. He would gladly retrieve our birds, and jab us when we missed.

I shot my first long tail Bull Sprig there, with a old Spanish Double 10ga. with broken firing pins. The mount still brings back good memories.

Currituck Sound is hallow gunning grounds, that every waterfowler should experience at least once in their life.


Wait and patience are one in the same... When Canvasbacks make their third figure eight over the decoys, the wait is over.

Best regards
VP
 
This story, reminds me of hunting with a friend when I was younger.
He would say "wait till I say Shoot".
Then as the bird would fly by I would hear we should have shot or.
I would hear BANG> Bang> then he would say shoot.
 
Good morning, Larry~




What a wonderful tale! Very well told - and illustrated - and a theme we have all lived. I keep wondering when I'm going to cease to make "rookie mistakes".....


Sounds like a fine time on historic waters.



All the best,


SJS

 
Great story, and I enjoyed reliving it immensely. It brought to mind may memories of "wait". The most recent of which, with three of us gunning out of MY boat, I never got a chance to even mutter the word wait before I hear "BOOM, BOOM!", both missed, of course!

At my age, (57), and health, I cherish every single second that I get to share in a blind, or anywhere else outdoors for that matter. And by the way, 12 of those species of birds, between friends, is a pretty good time to me.

I put together a plucker lije that set-up for an old friend many years ago. After using it, I can't imagine a better way to clean birds. And having it available while staying there, is truly amazing!

I don't hunt with a guide very often, but I have asked, and was given permission, to call our own shots before. I think, after witnessing our experience, he was actually relieved that it sorta left him off the hook.

Thanks again for sharing the story and pics

Jon
 
[size 4]
Larry,

You had me at: "At this age, it is good to have old friends." Thanks for taking us along.

Bob
 
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Larry, thanks for sharing such a great story. I hope in 40 years, if the Lord is willing, that I can have friends to be able to get out there and rag each other on our poor shooting and judgement.

Even though I only live 2 counties over from the great Curritcuck I have never hunted it. Have plenty of cousins and friends that hunt it but just never got the urge to make the trip with them yet.

Which guide service did you use Larry?
 
Larry -

We gunned with Vern Berg, more than once, Vic's dad (now that man was a character, one helluva waterfowler, and decoy carver) back in the day.

A Brant that Vern shot, and I had mounted is my study bird. His hunters would stay at the Sea Ranch, where he had some of his decoys on display. He made a fine Greater Snow Goose decoy.

If you have a copy of Waterfowl Heritage North Carolina Decoys and Gunning Lore, by William Neal Conoley, Jr. Vern, Vera, and Vic each have their own page showing their work. At that time Bernie Corwin who also has a page in the book, worked for Vern. Vern and his guides always showed us a good time.


Vic is a very good decoy carver, and even sent decoys to the Pymatuning Decoy Conest in the early 80's, when I ran the contest.

I was aware that Vic was carrying on the "family tradition", and if we go back to the Outer Banks will book with Vic.

Benn a long time since I gunned the east coast...


When we gunned Currituck Sound, we gunned out of Grandy, as at that time Vern did not guide up there.

VP
 
Vince,
Some things don't change. Twice I've gunned Currituck and both times out of Grandy where it feels like you are driving through someone's yard straight into history.

Larry
 
Larry -

You are one hundred percent correct!


We gunned out of the Walnut Island Motel, Grandy, NC. Marsh blinds, or Point Blinds, $100 per day guide fee for 2 hunters. I still have the info and receipt.

I have a glass vial filled with sand, (scraped from the boots of my waders) from the first time I gunned Currituck Sound, January, 1983. I felt as if I was in Waterfowling Church.

From our blind, we could see one of the large old duck clubs (I am uncertain now, if it was the Currituck Club, or the Whalehead Club).

I thank God that I got to gun there.

If waterfowling history is important to a waterfowler, ya gotta Go There, at least once.

Thank you for taking me back there.


Best regards
Vince
 
That's a great story Larry, engaging from start to finish. It's good to be out with friends regardless of age. And look at this way, at least you and your friends did not "wait" to go on this trip or had you, this great memory would not be.
 
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