Duck Hunting Memories
January 10, 2012 by Chris Hustad
by Adam Brassfield
Do you remember the first time that you went duck hunting? Well I was thinking the other day about my first trip to the duck hole. It took me a minute but it started coming back to me, my duck hunting memories.
I was 9 years old growing up in Northeast Arkansas along the Mississippi River. My grandparents, Tommie and Nina James lived out in the country where it was a daily routine to go fishing in the summer, hunting in the fall, and winter. My first shotgun was given to me by my Uncle Barry when I was 7. It was a single shot 20 gauge. The first time I shot it at a squirrel it knocked me on my rear and I thought I saw stars there for a moment.
At Christmas one year my Dad bought me a 12 gauge pump that shot 2 ¾ inch shells and I was ready for duck hunting. My Uncles friend Randy had picked us up one cold sleeting morning at 3:30 in his old beat up Bronco. I distinctly remember getting to our duck blind before daylight and having breakfast with a bunch of old men that had been duck hunting for hundreds of years if you listen to them tell it. These were the type of men that if you blew your duck call the wrong way it was time to get a rope. I figured the best thing I could do is just pay attention and keep my gun on safety. As daylight broke I heard someone shout. “Its shootin’ time let them fly!” I actually shot the first duck that morning and it was my only duck that morning as all the adults begin to shoot their limits and mine. Lesson learned!
That is where this passion of mine began. How many times do we all go duck hunting and forget to savor the moment, capturing that special point in the hunt that can be shared with our grandkids. Now that I am all grown up and duck hunt for a living, it seems that every hunt of every season has its memory that will be etched into my mind forever.
Just the other day I shared a duck hunt with my three favorite friends. My beautiful lady Tasha and my two buddies Larry and Roy. We were hunting one a spot that we think a lot of. It was a flooded field that just seemed to be magical every time we were in it. We all limited on ducks that morning but it was the laughter and smiles that we had together over tall tales and missed shots that was the ticket to a great hunt.
As a Father, I hope and pray that our waterfowl community can come together and work on keeping this tradition alive for our kids. Duck hunting is a passion that a lot of us share and the common interest of our friends that we may never meet. It won’t be too long, before you know it, I will be that old man in the duck blind spattering off about how I have been hunting for 150 years and looking at that 9 year old in my duck hole with his new shotgun he got for Christmas. It will make you think. Who’s duck hunting memories will you help make?
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dave on Sun, 15th Jan 2012 2:40 am
I have been duck hunting for many years now as nd the one thing I have noticed is the longer I hunt the more I notice how messed up ducks unlimited has be come . They do nothing to help educate young hunters ,they take your money but don’t do what they say Thier committed to doing. Ducks unlimited has become basically a outfitter for the rich and has forgotten Thier roots.
I enjoy the sport almost more than I do my family but I get so frustrated when I see young hunters with no idea of what the beck they are doing its not Thier fault they don’t have any real good seminars to attend that teaches them the basics ( I’m not talking the b.s. gamefairs where they just try and sell you stuff ).
dave on Sun, 15th Jan 2012 2:59 am
The first time I for me was when I was 11 and my grandfather took me out to a a Bundy hole that he and three others knew about , it was the third week of November in central Minnesota and cold and snowing a big cold front was moving in from Canada the lakes were starting to freeze up , I had no clue what I was doing but I was with my grandfather hunting and that was all I needed to know , the first time I seen a duck locked up and gliding strait in at me , it was a big 3 curl green head and had two hens following , I raised an old single shot 20 gauge up and fired to my surprise I hit it ,the wings folded up and it tumbled it seemed like for ever to into the lake , the thing was still trying to get up but couldn’t my grandfather lookedat me with all the pride in the world and told me nice shooting.
It may not seem like a great story but to me it was the best day of my childhood with my grandpa.
Greg The Quacksmoker DeBrum on Fri, 20th Jan 2012 9:08 am
I know what ya mean a friend of mine by the name of tony taberna asked me to go duck hunting knowing nothing about it i’ve hunted deer,doves,pheasnt,ect but never duck I gave up all other hunting and only hunt duck i’ve been duckhunting for about 10 to12 years now I wish I could do it full time eat,sleep,hunt ducks I wish I could get a group of guys or join a group get sponsers and have our own waterfowl show.
GA hunter on Sat, 28th Jan 2012 9:02 pm
My first hunt was in a swamp in GA. About 5 of us, 4 rookies and 1 veteran waded into a small pool, veteran put out decoys. The plan was veteran was going to call in some ducks and we were going to shoot em. Well while putting out decoys the veteran lost his call. The rookies watched 10-12 woodies cruise in, none setting in the hole but close by, but since we were waiting on the caller, we never shot. Been hunting for about 12 years now and lovin every minute.
Chris on Fri, 3rd Feb 2012 9:39 pm
The first time i went i was with my dad in a river hawk in a cove on Melton Hill in east Tennessee.With my 20 guage Stoger double barrel.At the first of lite one Bluewing teal come blazing by.I sprayed at it and hit it one the second shot.My dad was so proud of me he wouldent stop talking about it for a week!Now im 12 and shot tons of waterfowl.i shot that teal when i was 8.One of the bet days of my life