What do you miss?

I miss the mystery of the migration; i.e., what's happening to the north and south. The internet and chat boards like this have taken that away forever.
And I miss lead. As a kid with a 20 gauge, I would walk the creek and come home with blacks, woodies, grouse, woodcock, snipe, etc. Those days are gone.
 
What I miss about duck hunting

I guess if I had to miss something, it would be the smoke filled pool halls in my home town of Ortonville, Minnesota, back in the 50's. The night before the opener was like magic to this 13 year old kid. The hunting stories went on and on and the only thing that ever happened to me back then was that my eyes got bigger and bigger as the stories always seemed to get more exaggerated. I miss those days when everyone was dressed the same----that tan look (like Carhartt work clothes) and 99 out of every 100 duck hunters wearing a Jones cap.

I miss the solitude more than anything but growing up in the 40's and 50's gave me that luxury. Back then we had a US population of 150 million people. Today we are heading for 400 million by the 2030's. Where I used to hunt I never heard an 18 wheeler hit a rumble strip on a freeway. I never heard a jet fly over just because there weren’t any. Little did I know then how lucky I was for this pristine silence. Oh I realize that a great many times I heard a rooster crow from one of the nearby farm houses but that was about it. In Alaska, back in the 60's, when I was the only one hunting it was only mother nature who made sounds and that was heavenly. I’ll never forget those moments. Those memories that have filled my mind are priceless.

Several members have already alluded to this subject. What was it like in the old days? I can remember being covered up in corn stubble back in the 50's and Dr.Karn telling me what it was like back in the 30's. Once in Alaska I had an old-timer look at me and say, “Son, you should have been here in the 20's and 30's, boy, was it something else. Game all over the place.” I thought about that statement when I was glassing over 50 legal Dall rams and wondering which one I was going to shoot. This happened to me in 1972.
There was so much area to hunt back then and farmers were much more receptive if you just did one simple thing and that was “Ask permission”. No one had to tell us to close the gates—to pick up the shell casings—to not litter. We just didn’t do those things because it was they way we were all taught. I guess it was “RESPECT”!
As for the numbers of ducks, I had the privilege of witnessing a mass migration either in 1957 or 1958. The ducks were heading south ahead of a huge blizzard that was boiling out of Canada on one November day. The duck hunting teachers at school had that same look in their eyes as did we, their students. All of us were looking out the classroom windows. No matter where you looked all you could see was wave after wave of mostly mallards heading south. At lunch time, we, the duck hunters, ate in a big hurry and headed outside for a better look. When that last bell rang you should have seen us bust out of that building heading for home to get our gear and wait for the ride so we could go hunting. The ducks never ceased flying that day. As far as you could see it was one huge flock of ducks after another.
Other than that, I would much rather hunt now. I have had the pleasure to shoot more ducks since 2000 and see more ducks than ever before. However, last year was probably compared more with the hunts in the 80's when there wasn’t much to shoot. That is all right, however, because that is part of hunting.

I do miss the ability to hunt more. Just before I broke my leg 4 years ago while duck hunting I was hunting between 75 and 80 days a season. Now that number has drifted to around 50. Now that I am in my 70's my body reacts differently than it once used to. I still love those calls that I hear from mother nature early in the morning whether it be a hoot owl or pack of coyotes off in the distance. The sound of whistling wings is in my blood. Duck hunting is a privilege and I will continue as long as humanly possible.
Al
 
I was not as fortunate as many of you to grow up in a hunting family. My father was a "city kid" and never hunted or fished in his life. My grandfather on my mothers side was an avid outdoorsman, but my mother would not let him take me hunting until I was 12 years old.. I remember practicing with him for the big day I would turn 12. He died when I was 10.

I started hunting and offshore fishing (my other passion) when I was in my late 20's (married and had 3 kids by then).. I learned by joining DU, being very quiet and RESPECTFUL of all the people that clearly new more than me! I offered to carry decoys, clean birds, etc etc if I could just tag along with them. Over the years I built some great friendships and LEARNED a lot.

What I miss is the simplicity of duck hunting when I first started (now 25 years ago). I only had a dozen or so decoys, a half trained golden retriever (who was the BEST companion and OK retriever), my grandfathers old Savage Arms 12 guage shotgun, and some leg waders (not full waders) that my father in law "loaned" me (I think i still have them). I would coordinate with a hunting friend, get up early, get to a simple spot (walk in only or off the beach for sea ducks), talk, drink coffee and banana bread or muffins my wife had made for me.. We would shoot our share of ducks, but sometimes none at all... and be back home by 11 am to spend the rest of the day with my young family.

Somewhere in my mid 30's, I had some more money and got duck boats, bunch of decoys, guns etc etc. Then hunting became a big production... boat launching, big decoy spreads, lots of ducks shot, etc etc. I would be gone all day and sometimes well into the evening. Started to become more like "work" than hunting...

Now, I am back to a simpler hunting style. I have 2 boys (20 and 17) and a daughter 19. My daughter, unfortuneatly has no interest in hunting or fishing (although she has done both just to prove she did not like it... but she CAN clean a duck and a fish!). Both my boys are great shots and very good hunters. My oldest has the real passion and is one of the best offshore fishing mates in the Cape Cod area. My youngest, more like me, enjoys the social aspects of hunting and fishing and spending time with me and all my hunting/fishing friends. My hunting and fishing friends are all great guys and as most of us outdoorsmen are "characters". The one thing that I notice in all my hunting and fishing friends is that they are REAL MEN. They stand up for what they believe, take care of their families, have good morals, honor their chosen religion, etc etc. They have all been GREAT role models for my sons!

SO, I have evolved a bit.. and I am getting back to my quiet, simple style of hunting and spending great times with my family and friends. Offshore fishing is taking up a bunch of my time now, but has very similar aspects to hunting. I can now honestly say, it does not matter to me how many ducks I kill or fish I catch.. it is more about the "life conversations", laughs, comaraderie and experiencing God's gift of Nature that happen while out hunting and fishing...

Jim O'Brien
 
The more I read this thread, the more I wondered. I guess in a way, all my life has been forward looking. It's very mcuh like my focus what I look for when training my dogs. The best ones are those that look up at you with a body language that simply says....."That was interesting....What's next?" In way, I think my dog's are an extension of my daily focus "What's next?" Of course, I reminisce once in awhile and even have some regrets, but missing something kind of goes against the grain of the "What's next?" approach.

Every morning or sometimes the night before, I write out a list called "Things to Do". I never seem to have enough time to complete everything so there is always a "What's next?" catalyst.

Yesterday's list included going to the post office to buy this year's federal duck stamp. It is one of the items required for a blind drawing July 28th. Today on my list is watching Lylah (my two and half year old granddaughter) all morning because my wife of 50 year is busy with a summer Bible study class. In addition, the granddaughter’s therapists are supposed to be here at 10:30 am. I'm so busy the only thing that occupies my spare time is remembering "What's next?"

Oh and early Illinois teal season is September 8th with the rest of this summer's fishing trips focusing more a thorough scouting of pool 13 on the Mississippi River. And there's the four dogs that need regular vet work and training. One previousy regular item that hasn't been as big on this summer's lists is mowing the lawn.....geez, the drought has eased that up quite a bit.

Every day "the list" is longer than I can finish. There's no time for missing anything except that third teal in a possible triple this fall. "What's next?"
I'd could ramble on with this theme.....but I have other things do......the child therapist arrives in 15 minutes. My wife just called on the phone to remind me.
The "What's next" approach often requires a good looking secretary.
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Ignorance really was bliss.

The more I hunt, the more I analyze and philosophize. I miss looking at the sport with wide eyes and no preconceptions.

My $0.02

Anthony
 
I miss hunting almost every day of a 90 day goose season in college in S. IL when the geese still made it down that far. Hunt geese in the morning and deer in the evening almost everyday.

I also miss many of the spots I hunted thru the years that have changed ownership or are now leased.
 
Im 66, I still have my dad and mom, they are 90 and 92. I kind of miss fishing with my dad, but we still look at a lot of pictures and tell a lot of stories. I hunt a lot with my 39 year old son and our 10 and 14 year old grandsons. Lake Okeechobee has all the ducks we need, so does our favorite spots in North Dakota. On Lake O, if you are lucky enough to get out weekday mornings not crowded at all. I am still working and real retirement is but a faint dream, but all in all life is good. I thought about this matter of what I might miss the most, and decided that the energy I had 35 years ago and the 32 inch waist wouldnt be bad to have back! Rich.
 
I miss being able to enjoy the company of men like Lew Craig, "Bink" Binkley, "Ampy" Afterkirk, & Buckeye Joe - all people I considered "Old Timers" back in the day (...and now I'm getting to be one ;-) ) .....Sitting around listening to them talk about dogs, fishing, upland birds, waterfowling, decoy-making, people they knew, and the outdoors in general, was always a treat. Funny thing was that their stories never hinted that hunting, fishing, etc. were some sort of a competition where they ranked at the top. What you witnessed them do took care of that. Sharing a day in a dove field, duck blind, or even in a workshop with them provided an education you couldn't pay enough tuition to get nowdays. At the same time, I'm thankful for the new people I've met through all these pursuits who are the ones that seem to "get it."

I'm with Boz 100% about the seemingly hurried nature of time spent in the outdoors nowadays. Fortunately, the past three post-retirement seasons have restored me the privelege of not only being able to pick up and go whenever; but also to completely be there in those moments - with no concern for what tomorrow's schedule is dictating that I worry about. If one can't appreciate what an immeasureable blessing that is, he probably deserves to lose it.

I contacted Buckeye Joe's daughter a while back and got her OK to share one of the unpublished stories her dad had sent me. Looking forward to putting it up on the DHBP forum in a few installments this fall & winter.

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Hunting with my grandpa...he is 98 now, still doing ok, but unable to get around in the woods/marsh. We only ever deer hunted together, he gave up ducks years before I was born. This man shot 2 bucks at age 88, both were 12 pointers with 20+ inch spread. One for me and one for him. The smile on his face is permenantly etched in my brain.

He has been more than just a grandpa to me, he stepped in when my dad left when I was three and has been there in all the moments of my life. To not have him by my side hurts.

It is amazing how many times we would sit for hours just being next to one another and not even talking, just being at peace in one anothers presence.

I also miss listening to the Packer game in the woods in his blind on Sunday of opening weekend. guys would laugh at him and mock him, telling us we will scare the deer away. I can not tell you how many deer we shot listening to Max and Jim with the play by play. So much for theories.

This man could catch fish better than anyone I know, we had a party, 53 people.....all ate bluegills/crappies/perch. 3 fryers going, everyone ate their fill. Still had 2 9x13 pans heaped with fish left over. He was so proud to be able to provide for me so I did not have to buy the fish (or try to catch them all as I would have taken me YEARS to catch that many).....anyhow, watching him fillet fish with that razor sharp knife that was now paper thin from years of sharpening, his deft hands working like a machine...

yah, I miss having my grandpa being younger and able to do all of that with me....I also wish my son who is now 14 could have seen how cool Great Grandpa really was "back in the day"

thanks for the thread, I really enjoy reading everyones thoughts.
 
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