That time again....

[ghgetter]

Well its here, or almost. That time again to clean your truck, for the first time in 3 months. Clear the feathers out of the seats, find the lost shell casings in the back seat, sweap out your truck bed. That time again to wipe down the decoys, take your calls apart and clean them...maybe your gun too. Hang up the mildewy coat that hasnt seen the inside of a house in 90 days and hasnt been fully dry in 120. That time when we will watch the clouds of ducks spiral out of the sky into the hole where we had just hunted a week prior...and got skunked.

Again this great passtime of killing ducks comes to a close. Hopefully we were all able to get someone new hooked on the sport or maybe take someone old out for their last time. Whatever we did it was all for the love of the whistling wings and hearing the hen talk before shooting light.

Lets hear some of this years best stories and see some of the best pictures. Doest have to be the biggest bag or the banded bird but something that meant the most to you.

We have one more weekend. Get out and enjoy it...for the true love of the sport.

Ben

[KwackWacker]

good luck to you too this last weekend

it went by fast 

[ThePascoKid]

Yeah, I got a hunt planned for Sunday morning and then it's time to hang up the 12 gauge and grab the AR for some yotes, can't complain though it's been a pretty good year for ducks hopefully we can end with a bang, pun intended.

[Gamblin Guy]

GHG,

I've been watching your posts and pics with envy.  My son and I didn't have the best of years, plans fell through more than once and spots I thought I had locked down for access got nixed by things beyond my control. 

I did have a couple of good days, one being the group hunt with spur and company.  The best day by far for us though was spent with the owner of Burbank Guide Service at what he calls "Paul's Pond."  I took my dad, who is 74 with a host of health problems and not able to shoot anymore, two nephews and my son for a duck shoot.  We shot a few birds, but more importantly, my dad was able to watch his grandkids and see the excitement on their faces.  I'm sure they wont fully appreciate that time in the blind for many years, but for me....it's priceless.  My dad is talking about "next year" already when it wasn't that long ago he had all but given up and wasn't looking forward to anything.  I'm not sure if words exist to describe how I felt that day driving home, I can only hope my nephews and son can appreciate how much it meant to my dad....

Here's a photo from that hunt....

[road.kill]

Gamblin Guy,

Thats an awesome experience for you and im sure for the younger guys as well. Looks like everyone had a big smile on their face!

I never got to hunt with my grandpa, but he still talks about it all the time. Most of his stories are old and from when he was a young boy, but I still like to sit and listen to them time after time. He always asks me how the hunting and fishing is whenever i see him


Good luck to everyone on the closing weekend. After this there is no more opportunities, no more getting after them the next weekend

[ThePascoKid]

I agree, I never got to hunt with my grandpa either, by the time I was old enough he had lost the drive but I never tire of hearing his stories, those boys will never forget that hunt with grandpa.

[ducksdoom12]

yup saddest part of the year but lots of great memorys of being out in the blind or feild with my dog and/or dad/freind. it wasent the greatest year for me and my shooting ability seemed to want to take the year off but its fun none the less-- hell if it were only about shooting ducks who would go out so early in the morning to get soaked and cold to possibly not even sholder your gun
you can bet i will be out sunday from daybrake to the closeing minute (or till i limit/run out of shells, which ever comes first) good luck all

[ghgetter]

Gamblin...
What a great picture...and you konked 'em. Its amazing what time in a blind will do for relationships. I am a 4th generation waterfowler but I never knew my great grandpa or grandpa. I do have some of their old wooden hand painted mallards though and they mean a great deal to me. Thanks for that great story.

[whitey]

Good to hear that the "Ol Drake" had a blast,and real neat of you to spend that time with the family.. Super cool to see Family value,Its pretty rare these days.. Good health to all and have fun.. Whitey

[jadeball1]

me and junior did a hunt over the weekend and had a blast.  Shot a limit on sat and sunday. The time spent together was something we will remember forever. A great weekend and a quality time together. This is what hunting is all about. 

[Wack-N-Stack]

  This has been a great year for duck hunters and one thing made it so, the weather.
Most of us pray for wind and rain, but we got cold, snow, and frozen conditions. While not so rare on the east side of the hump, it made all the difference on the west side hunting. Frozen water, frozen decoys, frozen hunters make for some great memories. Birds moving, harsh conditions made for some quick limits and fun times.
  Best of all though is spending those harsh conditions out with good friends. Laughing, wondering what the day will be like when the dekes are set in the early morning darkness, looking at one another like you're crazy when the snow in blowing sideways and everything is frozen. I had the pleasure to spend many of those days (and experiences) with my oldest son (ghgetter) which made it all the more memorable. Pop's and son......that's what duck hunting is all about, tradition. As a dad it's too cool to see your son grow up into a man and make shots you use to only lie about. Or have him go the extra mile to help the 'ol guy out by carrying extra, or pulling extra, or fetching those down birds.
  Yep, this year was a good one, sorry to see it go. Those memories, those hours spent together....they'll last a life time. Shoot straight and see ya all next season. It's time to break out the 'ol coyote wacker and thin the herd.

[LOVEMYLABXS]

Not a year that I can say I slaughtered them but over all a very GOOD year when after her third year of going with me my wife Rebecca finally connected on a couple of geese 

Gamblin Guy that's an awesome picture tell the kids I say HOWDY 

[Gamblin Guy]

Gotta love the smiles, nice pictures everyone.

How ya doing Mike??