Crazy Bastards

I’m at home (home being my parents’ home) this week again and did the two hour drive here in 5 degrees, 30 mph north winds, blowing snow, and a single open lane on the highway all the way down. No hill for a mountain man. But what do I see passing me on the highway? Two trucks pulling big jonnys loaded down with dekes, tarps, buckets, all the stuff an idiot duck hunter would need. They’d both obviously been hunting as it was prime heading home time for duck hunters, noon after a big greasy breakfast somewhere.
Dumbasses. Idiots. Crazy bastards. I was wondering which one’s idea it was. Prolly the one passing at 70 in the snow packed fast lane.
I sure do miss it. I can almost taste the shine in the coffee.
BKB

I had some of my best results on days like that.


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We used to set up so they’d have to commit early in that stiff northwind and then you had ‘em by the short and curlies.

Yep, it was like they were just hanging there in mid-air.


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I remember breaking ice one morning with 4 guys in a 12’ john boat with a Sears 3hp air cooled outboard. Good times.


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I was thinking about the term you used "I sure do miss it" and it got me started thinking. Do I miss it in the sense that given the opportunity to go again I'd jump at it or do I mean I miss it in the sense that I have fond memories but it's not that important anymore? I'm 66 years old, terribly out of shape, and I freeze in a short sleeve shirt in 70 degree weather. I've got other things that I enjoy doing now, grandkids I love to be around, friends that I go play cards with and I'm starting to get into foraging for edibles a little bit. I like cooking and doing mundane jobs like picking out pecans while streaming videos or throwing the ball for Willis my old bulldog to fetch. I like preparing meal lists and putting dinner plans together for family and friends. I'm occasionally asked to fill in to preach at a nearby church and I spend a lot of time in the Word which is becoming more important in my old age. Life has really slowed down down for me and I kinda like it that way.

I've got lots of great memories from the good old days when lead shot was legal and the limit was generous but I don't want to relive them. I think I'll just be content to bask in the memories like an old dog in the sun.

I think Willis agrees

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Honestly, I look back on my serious duck hunting days and I don’t think I could hang these days with what we did then. For two straight seasons I left every Friday night and came home Sunday afternoon during duck season. And came home wore out. Hell I was in my early 40s. The shine alone would kill me now.
And to put a period on it, I don’t have the blood lust to kill that many ducks any more. Or anything else for that matter. Not sure what or when that happened but it just left me. I’m not worried about it. But the motivation just isn’t there to work that damned hard at having a big time.
lol maybe I’m woke now.
BKB