The Rite of Duck Hunting

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
Each year I look forward to certain things that help my overwhelming need to get out into the duck marsh. The first in a long list happened 2 days ago when I received my Cabela's Waterfowl catalog. When I sat down in my favorite spot in the living room to watch a little TV after supper, there on the table, placed so neatly for me to see, was this catalog. Yes, Bev, was watching me and all she could do was laugh and say something silly like, "Don't you ever change?"

I began slowly and methodically going through that catalog page by page, setting my mind into a whirling state prior to Bev awakening me from all of this by saying, "Remember, you don't need any decoys!" She laughed. It seems like over the years duck season just can't officially begin unless at least one box of decoys arrives prior to the season starting. Lord only knows how many of them I have stuffed into the shop.

From the catalog to my computer, where I then sent off an email to my retired waterfowl biologist friend, Tim, asking him, if he was a betting man, when would our early teal season begin and how about the regular season?

Yes, the days are getting shorter and that is another sign that I definitely look forward to. Hurry up, September! It's like looking at your pup and wishing it could retrieve a duck tomorrow.
Al

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Al, We just set a record cold day Mon., coldest since the 1800sand did that ever get the mind spinning. So many things undone this summer, it's like summer came on a weekday and left the next day. I wish I had Cabelas' printing and mailing budget to play with, those catalogs just keep showing up. Got a Cabelas' archery catalog the other day and I haven't shot a bow since the early 70's. Kinda sad there is a Cabelas' store only 7 miles down the road and the catalogs keep coming. They sure are fun but being that close does change things a bit. We are in Fargo again for a week or so and the Sheels store here is like a Disneyland complete with a Ferrris wheel INSIDE the store. Guess in the land of 9 month winter that is how it is done, heehee. Fall is coming and reminds me there is only 2 seasons, hunting and not.
 
I got my Rogers Sporting Goods flyer and Maxx got his catalog from Cabela's yesterday. Well it said "Sporting Dog" on the cover anyway, so I just assumed it was intended for Maxx.

Only a couple of months left....

Steve
 
I have been doing some scouting of new sloughs to hunt. There is lots of water at this point and I hope they don't dry up before September as they are all holding lots of birds. We have been having a heat wave with temps in the low 80s. :)

Al, you can tell Bev that I intend to buy some new decoys this fall. LOL I did sell about 120 when I moved west. Right now I just have a few hand carved and E. Allen decoys.

Cabela's just announced they are building a new store about 5 miles south of my home. Construction has already begun with site preparation and they are anticipating opening in the fall of 2015. Can't wait. I already have a Bass Pro about 5 miles north of me so this will be really nice.
 
Funny how similar we all are. My wife just rolls her eyes or laughs every time I comment on how the cool weather makes me want to shoot a few right in the lips.
 
Funny how the status publications come out this week, the flyway council meetings are next week and the regulations meeting is the following week and then banding starts....finishing up the process for setting this year's seasons and starting on next year's regulations...Yep its a rite of duck hunting...coincides with the Cabela Catalog season almost perfectly.
 
Recieved a call from a friend in southern Michigan today. The voice mail went something like this. "Its cool here today got me thinking about all those ducks we are going to be shooting soon".

Its been nice and cool up here and its got me kicked into "winters coming" gear. Lots to get done before the snow flies.
 
Al~

It's 53 right now this morning. I usually wait for this sort of weather in late-August to get fired up. But, thanks to duckboats.net, a wealth of friends and customers with boat and decoy projects, the time for art, a desire to document the history of this grand passion - and a "retirement" that frees me from a daily routine, my focus on duck shooting is now year-round. I do try to squeeze in some work on the house, the farm, sailing vessels and some non-bird art - but not a day goes by without something having to do with waterfowl. This gift of cool air will allow me to finish up the Horal Scooter restoration I've been puttering on for a couple of months - just have to scrape and paint the innards - after I split firewood for an hour or so.

The catalogs have less impact for me than the once-per-annum Herter's I studied back in my youth. It seems that one Cabela's or another arrives every week or so - I think 2 others came in the same day's mail with the Waterfowl issue. And, I pretty much have everything I "need".

But, you are right on the money with the "rite" of autumn (and winter). Tying one's passions - and physiology - to the natural cycles just feels "right".

And, Saturday, I'm off to the Thousand Islands Decoy Show in Clayton.

All the best,

SJS
 
Al, We just set a record cold day Mon., coldest since the 1800sand did that ever get the mind spinning. So many things undone this summer, it's like summer came on a weekday and left the next day. I wish I had Cabelas' printing and mailing budget to play with, those catalogs just keep showing up. Got a Cabelas' archery catalog the other day and I haven't shot a bow since the early 70's. Kinda sad there is a Cabelas' store only 7 miles down the road and the catalogs keep coming. They sure are fun but being that close does change things a bit. We are in Fargo again for a week or so and the Sheels store here is like a Disneyland complete with a Ferrris wheel INSIDE the store. Guess in the land of 9 month winter that is how it is done, heehee. Fall is coming and reminds me there is only 2 seasons, hunting and not.
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Well, Tom, your "polar vortex" reached us in Luis Lopez, New Mexico two mornings ago. We had a strong breeze out of the north when I got up around 4AM. After breakfast, I had to put on one of my long sleeve shirts to keep from freezing. Boy, was it ever refreshing outside. So, I decided to split over a half cord of wood and think about little things like, "I wonder what it is like out at the ranch?"
I enjoyed your saying, Tom. " Only 2 seasons, hunting and not."
Al
 
I got my Rogers Sporting Goods flyer and Maxx got his catalog from Cabela's yesterday. Well it said "Sporting Dog" on the cover anyway, so I just assumed it was intended for Maxx.

Only a couple of months left....

Steve
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Hey, Steve, I'm glad you told me that Roger's flyer is coming. That is one that I look forward to getting, also. Darn good company. Let's hope these months fly by.
Al
 
I have been doing some scouting of new sloughs to hunt. There is lots of water at this point and I hope they don't dry up before September as they are all holding lots of birds. We have been having a heat wave with temps in the low 80s. :)

Al, you can tell Bev that I intend to buy some new decoys this fall. LOL I did sell about 120 when I moved west. Right now I just have a few hand carved and E. Allen decoys.

Cabela's just announced they are building a new store about 5 miles south of my home. Construction has already begun with site preparation and they are anticipating opening in the fall of 2015. Can't wait. I already have a Bass Pro about 5 miles north of me so this will be really nice.
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Sounds to me, Paul, that you will have plenty to choose from with those two stores almost in your backyard.
I tried to tell Bev about all those decoys you needed but she would have none of it. She knows me too well. Glad to also hear of you starting to do some scouting for this upcoming duck season of yours. Good luck, Paul.
Al
 
Funny how similar we all are. My wife just rolls her eyes or laughs every time I comment on how the cool weather makes me want to shoot a few right in the lips.
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Another way of making life much more enjoyable. I got a kick out of "My wife just rolls her eyes or laughs." Paul, I agree with what you said.
Al
 
Funny how the status publications come out this week, the flyway council meetings are next week and the regulations meeting is the following week and then banding starts....finishing up the process for setting this year's seasons and starting on next year's regulations...Yep its a rite of duck hunting...coincides with the Cabela Catalog season almost perfectly.
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Who knows, Brad, maybe the publishing company that produces Cabela's Waterfowl catalog, has that MBA on staff who is a duck hunter, also? When you mentioned those meetings it was all I needed to propel me to the next level. Now that is exciting.
Al
 
Recieved a call from a friend in southern Michigan today. The voice mail went something like this. "Its cool here today got me thinking about all those ducks we are going to be shooting soon".

Its been nice and cool up here and its got me kicked into "winters coming" gear. Lots to get done before the snow flies.
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Now that was funny but so real, Brandon, when you said that there is lots to get done before the snow flies. I understand about those conditions on the UP. That made me think of the guy that asked me if we had the four seasons in Alaska when I lived up there in the 60s. I said, "We sure do, sir. We have Spring, Summer, Fall, and W---I---N---T---E---R!
Al
 
Al~

It's 53 right now this morning. I usually wait for this sort of weather in late-August to get fired up. But, thanks to duckboats.net, a wealth of friends and customers with boat and decoy projects, the time for art, a desire to document the history of this grand passion - and a "retirement" that frees me from a daily routine, my focus on duck shooting is now year-round. I do try to squeeze in some work on the house, the farm, sailing vessels and some non-bird art - but not a day goes by without something having to do with waterfowl. This gift of cool air will allow me to finish up the Horal Scooter restoration I've been puttering on for a couple of months - just have to scrape and paint the innards - after I split firewood for an hour or so.

The catalogs have less impact for me than the once-per-annum Herter's I studied back in my youth. It seems that one Cabela's or another arrives every week or so - I think 2 others came in the same day's mail with the Waterfowl issue. And, I pretty much have everything I "need".

But, you are right on the money with the "rite" of autumn (and winter). Tying one's passions - and physiology - to the natural cycles just feels "right".

And, Saturday, I'm off to the Thousand Islands Decoy Show in Clayton.

All the best,

SJS
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Sounds to me, Steve, that if you were not retired, there would be no way that all of what you do, could get done. Love to see that sort of schedule. Have fun at that decoy show. With all that you have to do, your duck season should be upon you before you know it. Herter's happened to be my catalog of choice back in the 50s and 60s, also. I used to tie my own salmon flies when I lived in Alaska. Their selection of polar bear hair was awesome.
Al
 
I had Chip jump up in the front seat of the truck and with the Mule on the trailer, we headed for the ranch yesterday afternoon. The only mistake I made then was leaving when it was 93F. I just had to get out there to see what it would look like. What was so totally different was the amount of vegetation growing this year. I found out that the rancher had once again driven his Bobcat down to the pond and filled in the earthen damn that had begun to breach. That will give me a larger pond if it holds.

Last year it never rained in the summer, even during the monsoon season and there was no new vegetation until after the middle of September when the "heaven's opened up". The result of that caused the rancher to take his tractor and build a berm to keep the water from flowing into his house. Where I once used to drive my Mule was now 4 feet under water. It wasn't until Christmas time that I could get to my duck hunting spot.

Well yesterday I found it just as dry as the rancher had told me it was but with much vegetation beginning to grow. They had received over an inch of rain this year and things are looking good. Well, as good as it can look without water!
Al

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I did walk to the south fence line and found out that it is only 45 yards from it to the edge of where my blind is. That means that the average shot I am taking is between 20 to 30 yards, sometimes closer.

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This is the way it looked back in January before the season closed.

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AL, I loved your entry about the rites. My Cabelas and Macks Prairie Wings were in the mail box on the same day. I'm not familiar with Rogers. But I well remember the Herter's Catalogs of yesteryear as another poster mentioned. I was living in Florida and Herter's seemed to bring a north wind into the room making me even more determined to get the hell away from palm trees and sand, and I finally did, landing up in duck nirvana in Wa State. I've been inactive two years now, and it's killing me. I am losing weight, trying to exercise, and hoping I sell enough books to buy a hunting license. My one room apt and closets are crammed with a lifetime's collection of decoys and my duck boat is on rotted tires at my son's house. He wonders if with my arthritis I can even get into the boat; good question. So new tires, fill the Bearing Buddies, test the 9.9. Figure out where to park a duck boat in the old folks home or drive 50 miles to pick it up at my son's place...I've got freshly painted pins I bought for a song at Cabelas to add to the rig, and painted them into drakes. Maybe if I keep acting like I'm going to have a hunting season I will.
 
Al - A couple of thoughts from our waterfowling forefathers...

"Sometimes we are inclined to regard things we enjoy as rights and not as privileges. All forms of game shooting are privileges --- the privilege to participate and take a share from our great natural resources." James Ford Bell

"In short, game is a luxury and every man must in some manner pay for the privilege of seeking game." H. Albert Hochbaum 4/20/67 Game and Private Property

Kindly tell Bev, sweetie, Duck Hunting is a privilege and, privileges cost money... :) Pat
 
Yes too I recieved my Cabela's Waterfowl edition. Not even looked at it yet but I very excited for this season. I just retired and are really looking to a fun time hunting with my son and getting out more with my 6 year old grand son who has the hunting bug real bad. One can never have enough hunting gear to cart lug drag and then store after the season.
 
AL, I loved your entry about the rites. My Cabelas and Macks Prairie Wings were in the mail box on the same day. I'm not familiar with Rogers. But I well remember the Herter's Catalogs of yesteryear as another poster mentioned. I was living in Florida and Herter's seemed to bring a north wind into the room making me even more determined to get the hell away from palm trees and sand, and I finally did, landing up in duck nirvana in Wa State. I've been inactive two years now, and it's killing me. I am losing weight, trying to exercise, and hoping I sell enough books to buy a hunting license. My one room apt and closets are crammed with a lifetime's collection of decoys and my duck boat is on rotted tires at my son's house. He wonders if with my arthritis I can even get into the boat; good question. So new tires, fill the Bearing Buddies, test the 9.9. Figure out where to park a duck boat in the old folks home or drive 50 miles to pick it up at my son's place...I've got freshly painted pins I bought for a song at Cabelas to add to the rig, and painted them into drakes. Maybe if I keep acting like I'm going to have a hunting season I will.
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Best of luck to you, Bill. I hope that by duck season you have all of it straightened out/fixed, have your license and are a lean mean hunting machine.
Al
 
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