Duck Hunting

Duck hunting is an absolute passion for me and nothing could possibly interrupt this annual event. For me, sitting out in a duck blind at 5:30 in the morning with the brisk cold air biting at my skin is something I look forward to each and every year. Even having to break through a layer of thin ice to make it out to my blind never gets old. The frigid cold on my hands can get unbearable at times, but the possibility of frostbite is never at the forefront of my thoughts. After all, when the ducks start to fly, nothing can force me off the lake.

My passion for duck hunting began when I met Bruce, a friend of my dad's who introduced me to the sport. He is a phenomenal man who really has a brilliant knowledge in the sport of duck hunting.

One of my greatest memories I have duck hunting was on opening day of 2000. Bruce and I traveled to his hometown of Moro, Minnesota for a week-long hunting excursion. Not only did I get to go hunting for a whole week, my parents also excused me from school!

There are different regulations regarding hunting in different states, and in Minnesota, the times for hunting run from 12:00 noon until 4:00 p.m. on opening day and at sunrise for the remainder of the season. Although this doesn’t seem like a lot of time, the ten of us made some memories I will never forget. We arrived at our blind at 10:30 a.m. The sky was swarming with ducks before we even got things set up. Everywhere I looked I saw ducks swooping in and out of decoys. It wasn’t going to take long to bag our limit, and I knew we were going to get the season off to a great start. All we had to do was wait until noon!

At approximately 11:51 a.m., I had the gun loaded, in my hand and ready to shoot. All we had ...

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...ce was calling almost all of the flocks in our area into our decoys. For as many duck hunts as I have been on, I have never seen someone so productive with duck calls.

Bruce and I were becoming better friends as each day passed, and I know this experience is what made our friendship what it is today. After this trip, we continue to be duck hunting buddies. Hunt after hunt, he would call the ducks into our decoys.

When the last day of our trip arrived, we were exhausted and ready for the trip to end. As we were packing up the trucks and getting ready to leave, the quote came to my mind again. I recited it to Bruce only to have him shrug his shoulders and walk away laughing. Bruce did not think he was a good duck caller, but I, along with everyone else in the party knew the truth, “A successful hunt can not be successful without a successful duck caller.”