Life of a Ga. Duck Hunter

I started duck hunting when a friend ask if I wanted to shoot some ducks in a pond near his house. That was back in 1968. Wow a duck hunt, my daddy ask where I was going with the shotgun and I told him duck hunting. He said I would kill a one. Well, I did get one and I had to swim half way across the pond to get him. Ronnie ask why I swam out to get the duck it was in the 30's. I told him to show my daddy I could kill one. That started it all. Over the following years and thousands of dollars I have grown from a Sears 12 pump and a few shells to Remingtons, Brownings, Berettas. I can't for get the dogs, all those Labs, all Black. I do have to say only 2 of them were really good, Kizzy and Sam. Sam was the best, I would put her up against any dog for hunting. She was good on everything from rabbits, quail, doves, ducks, pheasents and even squirrel. Next came the boats and motors. Everyone starts out small. Mine was a Yazo 12 ft alum with a 9.9 Evenrude. Well now a 12 ft boat is a little small for 2 men and a Lab. Next came the 14 ft.StarCraft with a 20 hp Mercury. Now that was a fine boat but then Donald came up with the 13 ft. Winna, a fiberglass boat that looked like a cheenoe. The 20 ran good but it left me in the river one night. The next day a New Johnson 35 hp. Now you talkiing about fast. This thing would peel your eye lids back, and really fast with the 10 x 15 SS SST prop. The next one was another 14 ft.Alum StarCraft. Then in 1990 I bought the DuraCraft 1436 with a new 25 Tohatsu that I have now. With each one of these boats I bought a new custome make blind. I have built several bilnds for my friends and hunting buddys. Well you can't be a big time duck hunter without deks. I now have a barn full, all sizes and all brands.

Now for the personal items: Duck Calls, how many can you count? At last count I have 41. I use to buy at least one a year. They are fun to collect and have only gotten expensive in the last few years. I remember when a high price call was $20.

Guns anyone? My frist was a Sears Ted Williams my father bought me for my 14 birthday. I still have it. Then came the gun of a life time, the world famous Rem 1100. He bought me that one as well. The problem it wouldn't shoot 3 inch shells. You know you need 3 in. Heavy Magnum shells to kill ducks. Then came the Rem 870 Magnum, I still have it too, along with several other 870's. Then one day at Perry a Beretta 390 cau.ght my eye, 24 inch barrel and all. That would do it, just what I needed in the boat blind. This is a great gun and put a lot of ducks in the boat.

Waders and Jackets? How many pair of waders do you need. First was a cheap pair I picked up Crammans in Savannah. They last 2 years, then Cabelas came out with their super waders at $150. Well I had to have them. They lasted 2 years. Now I am back to the cheap waders again. I also have hip boots and knee boots. You need all to cover all hunting conditions. Now for jackets, my wife has a fit about all these jackets and coats throwed everwhere. I have one for boat hunting, swamp hunting, wading or pump shooting. All patterns too.

Where do I hunt, EveryWhere. I love hunting ducks. I have hunted ducks from the local creeks and ponds to the Altamaha River, Ohoopee River, Lake Simanole, Lake Oconee, Oconee River, Clark Hill Lake, All over the coast of Georgia, Tennessee River, Reelfoot Lake, Mississippi Delta, Arkansas, New Mexico, Nebraska and South Dakota.

You know I have spent a lot on time and money duck hunting.

This is a family forum, as in wives might drop in, please refrain from reminding us of the money spent. Although it was all worth it!!!!

Great post!

Mark K said:

This is a family forum, as in wives might drop in, please refrain from reminding us of the money spent. Although it was all worth it!!!!

Great post!

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Exactly!!! I haven't spent a dime in 4 years, just made really good "trades".

I 've got alot of rich generous friends that feel sorry for me!!

Ya'll are all blowing my cover for sure.

good post

rholton said:

Ya'll are all blowing my cover for sure.

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naw, it's all the traveling your doing that cost you money...

good read, thanks for sharing.

How old were you in 68'. This is a GREAT post, sitting here imagining all the pictures that have been taken over the years. You should post a few to go along with the history! Great Narrative...Enjoyed it

Very familiar. Great post.

Man sure glad I never got into it that bad It's a good thing the wife hunts with me otherwise for the amount of money I spend to bring home a few pounds of duck/goose meat she'd figure for sure I was out at the HONKY TONKS chasin women and drinkin all day (probably be cheaper ) then roll in after dark sayin "The ducks just didn't fly. Well there's always tomorrow then up before daylite and gone again. Someone could probably make a fortune of us if they could come up with a pill to break the addiction There's times as I sit and shiver all sweated up from packin and settin deks up in mud that trys to suck your boots off (and does sometimes) I'm getting to old for this I need an easier hobby then I hear the wings or a faint HRONK in the distance and those thoughts blow away with wind.

I'm HOOKED bad and love it.

Thanks for a great post and a fine read

Great read! I tell my wife hunting is cheap because I don't have to put 30gallons of gas in the boat. She still hasn't figured it out and I hope she never does.

Someone ask my age in 68, I was 17 years old, I am 58 now. I have devoted my life to hunting and fishing. In fact that is the only reason I work. As a few of ya'll know I have spent a lot of cold, wet mornings and days on the water. But oh the stories I could tell, the things I saw. It was worth every cold wet day. My wife is very good to me. She doesn't mind me hunting and fishing, she just ask that I let her know where I am going and about what time I will be back. She worries about me since I hunt and fish alone. My friends use to go but they have all got old and they only watch ball games and races on TV. They have gotten soft, if you don't beleive me, just ask their wives. That too.

I can tell you of a day many years ago when they use to farm the big field next to the Hazlehurst bridge. This was back in the early 80's. The Mobley's owned it then and they had soybeans planted on it and had not been able to get them combined because of the flooding. It was mid December and the Altamah flooded and the field had about 18 inches of water on it. A truck driver friend stopped by my office and told me the whole field was covered in ducks. The next morning I was up and on the river by 5 a.m. I put in at McNatt Falls and headed up the river. I knew where a creek drained from the field into the river. I headed up the creek and out into the field. There were willows all along the creek bank making good cover for me and the boat. I set up and put a few deks out and got ready. The set up looked good in the dark. There were beans every where floating. As I set in the boat I could feel the cold creeping in. My fingers first then my toes. Oh what I would do for a cup of hot coffee. I knew I should have bought that Stanley Thermous. Well I'll have one next weekend. Now the sky started brighting up. Then like a jet a flight of ducks came by. It was about time. Time to get loaded up and ready to go. Hunting starts at 30 minutes before sun rise, with Bullard Creek WMA just across the river I knew I better be on my best behavior. Time, no duck in sight. 7 o'clock, no ducks. Where had they all gone? Then I saw them, about 50 ducks coming my way. Woodies all of them. The limit at the time was 2 males or 1 female. I knew I had to be careful. Just as I was about the fire, they flared to the right. But before I could cuse, 5 set down right in my deks. They were so pretty. I just sit and watched them. Then 3 more joined them. I was amazed. From no where the sky turned into ducks flying every where. Then I saw them MALLARDS. The real thing. I called they turned and headed my way. I knew not to look at them and keep my head and face down. As they came over I started the feed call. That was all it took. I peeped up and saw them turn and head in. Chest out, wings back, landing gear down. BAM,BAM,BAM. One mallard went down right off, another took 2 shots. I nearly jumped out of the boat. My first mallards in Georgia. Kizzy made the retrieves. Now time for the woodys. Ducks were every where. I had 2 boxes of shells. Good ones: Remington LEAD 2 3/4 - 3 3/4 - 1 1/4 - #6. The most deadly load I have ever used on close in-coming birds hunting over deks. Well, I was young and I use to do foolish things I am just glad the game wardens didn't show up. The last five shells I loaded one at the time. I didn't want to waste them. Needless to say we all ate duck for weeks. The river stated up for 3 more days and my friends and I really enjoyed hunting that field. I wish they still farmed that field and I wish the river still flooded in the winter. Maybe next year.

Thank you! That was better than any article in a magazine!

Have you ever thought about writting a book?

Very good reading.

Thanks Nimrod71 you really got my blood boilin! Cant hardley stand the wait for that cold wind to start kickin.

Great read fellow addict...you put me right next to you in that boat! Can't wait!!

My loving wife has said many times I need to write some books of my adventures. She said I was one of a kind, that was why she married me. I love hunting and ducks have been a passion. Once it gets in your blood it becomes a driving force, what else would make a man get up from a good warm bed with a lovely woman to go out in the dark cold morning. Then drive to a cold, lonely boat ramp and unload and head down a dark river, alone except for your loving dog. I can tell you the love of the outdoors and hunting.

Good story brother. Ive been hunting ducks since leadshot was used. These young bucks dont know what there missing.

I also was hunting when deer hunters laughed at you if you said you were hunting ducks. We were an outcast society in Georgia

crabbybill said:

Good story brother. Ive been hunting ducks since leadshot was used. These young bucks dont know what there missing.

I also was hunting when deer hunters laughed at you if you said you were hunting ducks. We were an outcast society in Georgia

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Same here Crabby. A buddy talked me into going with him when I was 19 in 1977. Those were some great hunts. We hunted in jeans and tennis shoes and kept dry clothes in the truck for when we got through. I finally got some Hodgeman canvas waders and thought I was something.The two greatest things then that we took for granted was lead shot and the split deer season. We hunted swamps, rivers and lakes like we owned 'em because nobody else was in the woods.We'd go in a Waffle House afterwards with our faces camo'd and guys would ask us what we were doing. We'd tell them "duck hunting" and they'd spit coffee through their noses and belly laugh. But we had some great mornings.(I don't think the limits were so strict back then.)