The annual FCS Duck Hunt was a splashing success. Two officers (Ron Denison and Kenneth Kidd), one member (Van Short), and one quest (Kenneth’s son Chris Kidd) were in attendance (four total participants).
The hunt was in south Texas near Wharton, led by one of Bill Sherrill’s guides, Steve.
The trip started Friday afternoon when we all loaded up in Ron’s truck and headed south. After a stop at Meyers BBQ in Elgin we continued the trip. Unknown to us was Ron’s nick name “Wrong Way Ron.” It became apparent later as a short two hour drive became a three hour adventure. Oh well, we saw some interesting road side in the head lights, some of it twice (it gave us more time for fellowship).
The Texas Inn in Wharton was nice but we had to sleep fast as we had a 0400 show time at the Pierce Café, the center of community life in Pierce, where we were treated to breakfast tacos and coffee by Van (Thanks Van!).
We met Bill Sherrill and our guide for the morning, Steve, then we were off into the dark again, this time led by a professional guide, with no worries about getting lost or miss-directed.
After suiting up in a stiff north wind that was a might chilly we trekked off into the flooded rice fields awakening hundreds of ducks, it sounded like we were surrounded by thousands of the feathered critters.
Steve positioned us on a levee after we placed the decoys. No shooting out of cramped dry blinds for these seasoned hunters, no sir, laying out flat in the marsh grass with our feet in the water trying to blend into the marsh was our method of concealment.
Finally there was enough light to see ducks, then legal shooting time was upon us and the guide gave the call to shoot. We had a steady flow of ducks flying right down the levee we were on. Mostly Spoon Bill, some Gadwall and little rockets with a tail wind commonly known as Teal. Actually all of them had about a 20 mph tail wind out of the north which made the shooting right sporting (I figured out then that is the reason they have right to left crossers at 30 yards at the sporting clay range).
What happened next I still have mixed emotions about, all the time spent in preparation, the money spent for the trip, the long drive, the short night in a motel, and 10 minutes after sunrise it was all over. Twenty five dead ducks of various species and three geese lay on the levee next to a very tired retriever. Yep we had all limited out in a very short time. I suppose we need to spend less time at the shooting range so the next hunt will last longer.
Thanks to all that participated, Ron for driving…and driving, Van for breakfast, and Mark Dillow for setting up and organizing the trip. Chris it was great to spend time with you.