WEBVTT - Ep. 119: THIS COUNTRY LIFE - Duck Camp Etiquette

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<v Speaker 1>Welcome to this country Life. I'm your host, Brent Reeves.

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<v Speaker 1>From coon hunting to trot lining and just general country living.

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<v Speaker 1>I want you to stay a while as I share

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<v Speaker 1>my stories and the country skills that will help you

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<v Speaker 1>beat the system. This Country Life is proudly presented as

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<v Speaker 1>part of Meat Eaters Podcast Network, bringing you the best

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<v Speaker 1>outdoor podcast the airways have to offer. All right, friends,

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<v Speaker 1>pull you up a chair or drop that tailgate. I

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<v Speaker 1>think I got a thing or two the teacher duck

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<v Speaker 1>camp etiquette. It's summertime, so naturally we're going to be

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<v Speaker 1>talking about cold weather. Really, it's getting close to the

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<v Speaker 1>time when you plan your duck hunting trips. And if

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<v Speaker 1>you're using an outfitter, I think you'll get some good

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<v Speaker 1>out of this. And even if you ate, I bet

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<v Speaker 1>there'll be some stuff in here you can apply to

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<v Speaker 1>just the out anything. Y'all get ready for some duck

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<v Speaker 1>camp etiquette. And I ain't talking about the kind of

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<v Speaker 1>etiquette that suppresses your inner cave man and keeps you

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<v Speaker 1>from reaching across the table and snatching up the last

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<v Speaker 1>biscuit out of the bowl just because you still got

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<v Speaker 1>some sopping to do. I'm talking about the kind of

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<v Speaker 1>etiquette that helps you get along with folks you may

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<v Speaker 1>have never hunted with, maybe in a place you've never

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<v Speaker 1>hunted before. And since I know a little bit about

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<v Speaker 1>the guiding business, we're going to talk about how that

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<v Speaker 1>all applies to duck hunt. What clothes do I need?

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<v Speaker 1>Can I call to Can I bring my dog? But first,

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<v Speaker 1>I'm going to tell you a story. It was late

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<v Speaker 1>when I got to the duck camp that night. I've

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<v Speaker 1>been working with some other agents at my regular job

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<v Speaker 1>as a narcotics investigator on a case that required my presence,

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<v Speaker 1>so I didn't get to leave when I planned to,

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<v Speaker 1>and it was way after midnight when I came rolling in.

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<v Speaker 1>My brother Tim and I owned and operated Southern Waterfowler's

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<v Speaker 1>Guide Service near the small community of Raydale, which was

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<v Speaker 1>located thirty minutes due south of Stuttgart and on the

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<v Speaker 1>banks of the Arkansas River, right in the heart of

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<v Speaker 1>Arkansas's world famous green timber duck hunting. Tim had got

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<v Speaker 1>there as planned and had everything ready for our guests

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<v Speaker 1>when they arrived early that afternoon. They done had supper

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<v Speaker 1>and he explained to them that because of my job

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<v Speaker 1>that I was going to be a little late, but

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<v Speaker 1>not to worry, because I'd be there when the coffee

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<v Speaker 1>got ready. The next morning, before we all left out

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<v Speaker 1>for our hunt, our lodge was configured where the guests

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<v Speaker 1>stayed downstairs, with the kitchen the living room, and our

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<v Speaker 1>room was upstairs. We would come and go upstairs without

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<v Speaker 1>ever disturbing our guests, using the second story screened in

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<v Speaker 1>porch entrance, which I was slipping in with all my

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<v Speaker 1>hunting gear the night this happened, I slipped up the

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<v Speaker 1>stairs and eased the door open to the living room

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<v Speaker 1>and stepped inside, letting my eyes adjust to the darkness.

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<v Speaker 1>The kitchen was next to the living room and separated

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<v Speaker 1>by a doorway. The light above the kitchen sink was

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<v Speaker 1>always left on, and with it, shouting into the living room,

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<v Speaker 1>I hung a hard left and headed towards my room,

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<v Speaker 1>dodging a chair in a footstool, trying not to wake

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<v Speaker 1>anyone up downstairs, or my brother, whose room was just

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<v Speaker 1>off the kitchen. As I'm tiptoeing trying to be quiet,

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<v Speaker 1>I hear through the kitchen that my brother has opened

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<v Speaker 1>his door and walking in the kitchen, headed to get

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<v Speaker 1>a drink of water, which he was prone to do.

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<v Speaker 1>I sat my bags down, walked to the kitchen and

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<v Speaker 1>could see a silhouette up my brother standing behind and

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<v Speaker 1>propped up against a waste high island that we had

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<v Speaker 1>in the kitchen. He was drinking water out of a

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<v Speaker 1>coffee cup. I walked up and propped up on the

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<v Speaker 1>opposite side, and we briefly talked about the case I

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<v Speaker 1>was working on, and once that was done, he let

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<v Speaker 1>me in on the plans he'd made for the duck

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<v Speaker 1>hunt that we were going to go on in just

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<v Speaker 1>a few hours. There were six hunters, so he'd take

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<v Speaker 1>three and I'd take three. He told me their names,

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<v Speaker 1>and they were all experienced with guns, no red flags.

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<v Speaker 1>Seemed to be a good bunch of boys, and he

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<v Speaker 1>was looking forward to hunting with them. He'd already scattered

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<v Speaker 1>the places we were going, and there was lots of ducks,

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<v Speaker 1>so we should have a good hunt. I was giving

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<v Speaker 1>plumb out and I told him I was going to bed.

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<v Speaker 1>He said okay, and he stepped toward the end of

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<v Speaker 1>that island and toward his room. So I followed his movement,

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<v Speaker 1>intended to give him a hug before we headed off

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<v Speaker 1>to our separate beds. By this time, my eyes had

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<v Speaker 1>calibrated to the darkness, and I could see everything that

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<v Speaker 1>I couldn't see when I first got inside. It was

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<v Speaker 1>at the other end of that island, when we both

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<v Speaker 1>stepped around it, that I realized my brother was naked

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<v Speaker 1>as a pick bird, and had been for the entire

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<v Speaker 1>five minutes we were standing there, talking, separated only by darkness,

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<v Speaker 1>kitchen furniture, and good fortune. Cat like reflexes turned a

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<v Speaker 1>potential embrace with a naked man into a pat on

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<v Speaker 1>the shoulder and an immediate about face. I was still

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<v Speaker 1>awake when Lauren went off a few hours later, and

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<v Speaker 1>that's just how that happened. Lots of questions should come

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<v Speaker 1>up when you're heading out on an adventure, especially if

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<v Speaker 1>we're using an outfitter or a guide service. Now, I've

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<v Speaker 1>been running a camera on a few outfitted bear hunts

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<v Speaker 1>with clay Bow, and always my number one issue was

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<v Speaker 1>power availability to charge my camera batteries. After all, I

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<v Speaker 1>was there to film, and everybody knows that in outdoor media,

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<v Speaker 1>if it didn't happen on film, it didn't happen at all.

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<v Speaker 1>Now I'm going to talk about coming to the duck camp,

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<v Speaker 1>but you can apply a lot of this to just

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<v Speaker 1>about anything if you generalize it just a bit. The

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<v Speaker 1>answer to all your questions should be addressed with the

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<v Speaker 1>outfitters themselves. Keeping an open line of communication between y'all

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<v Speaker 1>is vital to making your trip enjoyable for everyone. I've

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<v Speaker 1>had clients book of December duck or goose hunt in

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<v Speaker 1>August when the dates are set and talk to them

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<v Speaker 1>weekly up until they get there. I've also had others

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<v Speaker 1>book a hunt and not talk to them again until

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<v Speaker 1>they needed to ride from the airport. Having been in

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<v Speaker 1>the business for so long, we grew to expect this

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<v Speaker 1>and tried to get out in front of all the

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<v Speaker 1>questions to begin with by sending everyone a list of

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<v Speaker 1>the items they needed to bring and what was provided.

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<v Speaker 1>I've looked at several websites for different species of game

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<v Speaker 1>and types of hunting, and I didn't find one that

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<v Speaker 1>didn't have a prepared list like we made, or a

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<v Speaker 1>contact number or email addressed for questions. So if you

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<v Speaker 1>get to your hunt spot ready for your big adventure

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<v Speaker 1>and you ain't got what you need, guess whose fault

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<v Speaker 1>that is. Which reminds me of a story we had

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<v Speaker 1>some foaks from Wisconsin book a hunt with us that

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<v Speaker 1>lived in Green Bay. Now he gets cold up there. Brother.

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<v Speaker 1>Now I never think about those boys at Green Bay, Wisconsin.

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<v Speaker 1>That I don't hear John Facinda, the narrator of NFL films,

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<v Speaker 1>say the frozen tundra of lambeau Field, Except John Fercinda

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<v Speaker 1>never really said that. What he did say was the

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<v Speaker 1>frozen tundra of Municipal Stadium. And he was talking about

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<v Speaker 1>the Cleveland Browns, not the Green Bay Packers. But back

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<v Speaker 1>to the story. Those folks not only lived on the

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<v Speaker 1>frozen tundra, they went to the football games at lambeau

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<v Speaker 1>Field in the winter when it was below zero. Get this,

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<v Speaker 1>they also duck hunted on the frozen tundra and had

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<v Speaker 1>experienced cold like I had never known in my life.

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<v Speaker 1>I picked him up at the airport, got them to

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<v Speaker 1>the camp, and we checked them in, got their bags

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<v Speaker 1>in the rooms, got their shotgun square, and began to

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<v Speaker 1>visit while waiting for supper to get ready. I thought

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<v Speaker 1>it was odd that the main topic of concern for them,

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<v Speaker 1>having just come from the frozen tundra was how cold

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<v Speaker 1>it was in Arkansas. A big Arctic cold front had

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<v Speaker 1>pushed in, dropping the tempts below freezing for highs, and

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<v Speaker 1>forecasts to get progressively colder, with highs in the teens

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<v Speaker 1>and lows in single digits for the duration of their

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<v Speaker 1>three day hunt. Now, I don't know about y'all, and

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<v Speaker 1>I don't really care to hear everybody that lives up

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<v Speaker 1>north tell me there if you think that's cold stories.

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<v Speaker 1>I do think that's cold, and I don't live up

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<v Speaker 1>there for that very reason. But apparently these boys had

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<v Speaker 1>it in their heads that they were coming to the

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<v Speaker 1>Bahamas to duck hunt. They didn't bring coats, long handed lunderwear,

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<v Speaker 1>or insulated waiters. And even though the severity of that

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<v Speaker 1>cold front was abnormal, for the love of humanity, cheese heads,

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<v Speaker 1>you're still outside in North America in December. So we

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<v Speaker 1>busted our hind ends, finding coachs and barring waiters and

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<v Speaker 1>clothes from every place we could find to keep those

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<v Speaker 1>cats from going back home looking like old hatchet Jack

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<v Speaker 1>and Jeremiah Johnson. Now, in their defense, not everyone had

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<v Speaker 1>access to the internet like they do now, and they

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<v Speaker 1>just assumed that since they were coming south that it

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<v Speaker 1>was going to be warmer from where they came. It

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<v Speaker 1>was not. We got them some clothes and boy did

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<v Speaker 1>we kill some ducks. So what does that tell you?

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<v Speaker 1>Ask your outfitter and come prepared. Every state that I've

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<v Speaker 1>ever been in will have someone say if you don't

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<v Speaker 1>like the weather, just hang around fifteen minutes and that

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<v Speaker 1>it'll change. Well, you need to be prepared to change

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<v Speaker 1>with it. Choose wisely, and bring layers. It's easier to

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<v Speaker 1>take them off if you get hot and add them

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<v Speaker 1>if you get cold. Setting yourself up for one type

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<v Speaker 1>of weather is dumb, unless you're going to the Tropics

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<v Speaker 1>or the Arctic. Those two extremes are pretty well a

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<v Speaker 1>safe bet as far as what kind of drawers you're

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<v Speaker 1>gonna need. I asked an outfit in Saskatchewan one clear

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<v Speaker 1>cloudless day before we left in a boat to head

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<v Speaker 1>to a bar bait reckon, I'm gonna need this rain gear.

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<v Speaker 1>He looked at me with the expression I'm sure I

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<v Speaker 1>had when those boys from Wisconsin quizzed me about when

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<v Speaker 1>it was going to warm up, and I said March.

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<v Speaker 1>He went back to putting gear in the boat and

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<v Speaker 1>he said, this is northern Saskatchewan. He rains up here

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<v Speaker 1>somewhere every day. I took it with me in less

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<v Speaker 1>than an hour. I was putting it on in a

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<v Speaker 1>downpour that came out of nowhere, and watching him smiling

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<v Speaker 1>at me while I did it. The difference between me

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<v Speaker 1>and the cheeseheads because I asked, what about calling? What

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<v Speaker 1>about calling? I'll tell you about call. Calling ducks into

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<v Speaker 1>the dcoys for folks that can't do it is the

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<v Speaker 1>closest thing I'll ever know of what it was like

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<v Speaker 1>to be Elvis telling your hunters to be still, get ready,

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<v Speaker 1>and blowing a series of calls at the correct time

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<v Speaker 1>and volume to get a big group of ducks lightning

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<v Speaker 1>the decoys. Feels as good as when Yo Mama hugs you.

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<v Speaker 1>I started calling at an early age under the mendership

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<v Speaker 1>of my older brother Tim, and I practiced year round.

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<v Speaker 1>As a matter of fact, they're hanging within arm's reach

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<v Speaker 1>where I'm sitting right now into a duck hunter. It

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<v Speaker 1>far surpasses the enjoyment of shooting them in my eyes.

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<v Speaker 1>And I don't know anyone that likes to bust a

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<v Speaker 1>cap in a matter of ducks behind more than I do.

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<v Speaker 1>It's a wondrous thing, and everyone wants to do it,

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<v Speaker 1>but not everyone wants to put in the work to

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<v Speaker 1>be good, or they just don't know how to be good.

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<v Speaker 1>The old saying of practice makes perfect that ain't correct

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<v Speaker 1>power perfect practice makes perfect. If your practice is jacked up,

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<v Speaker 1>your duck calling will be too. Now, we had a

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<v Speaker 1>guy that booked a hunt on the premise that he

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<v Speaker 1>could help call, no worries. He was the only guy

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<v Speaker 1>that was coming for those three days, so when he

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<v Speaker 1>said he knew how to call, we took him at

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<v Speaker 1>his word. I'm reminded of a quote by President Reagan

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<v Speaker 1>that said trust, but verify. And we didn't verify, but

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<v Speaker 1>we should have. We just assumed that since he said

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<v Speaker 1>he could call, that he could call. And we've been

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<v Speaker 1>talking to him all summer. He was the type that

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<v Speaker 1>booked the hunt in August, and we talked to him

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<v Speaker 1>nearly every day, and all he could talk about was

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<v Speaker 1>how excited he was by being in the green Timber

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<v Speaker 1>that flooded Green Timber of Arkansas and calling ducks in

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<v Speaker 1>and killing his limit. Filling up his ducks trapped with

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<v Speaker 1>limits of green heads that he called in himself was

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<v Speaker 1>his only goal because he already knew everything else. So

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<v Speaker 1>when he came down and we got out there that

0:13:00.640 --> 0:13:04.120
<v Speaker 1>morning that first morning of his hunt. Man, He's got

0:13:04.200 --> 0:13:07.199
<v Speaker 1>all the right gear. He knows where to stand associated

0:13:07.240 --> 0:13:10.080
<v Speaker 1>with the wind. He helps set the decoys out correctly.

0:13:10.280 --> 0:13:12.480
<v Speaker 1>I can see it's call hanging around his neck. It's

0:13:12.480 --> 0:13:16.160
<v Speaker 1>a quality call. He does everything that he's supposed to do,

0:13:16.640 --> 0:13:19.600
<v Speaker 1>and he looks the part. And when the ducks started

0:13:19.600 --> 0:13:22.640
<v Speaker 1>flying and it came time to start calling, the racket

0:13:22.640 --> 0:13:24.679
<v Speaker 1>that was coming out of his duck call was something

0:13:24.720 --> 0:13:31.760
<v Speaker 1>I had never heard in my life. I couldn't imagine

0:13:31.880 --> 0:13:34.200
<v Speaker 1>how much practice it took for him to make the

0:13:34.320 --> 0:13:38.120
<v Speaker 1>sound that I thought was impossible to decreate it by

0:13:38.160 --> 0:13:42.080
<v Speaker 1>blowing the air over a plastic greed. It sounded like

0:13:42.120 --> 0:13:45.880
<v Speaker 1>somebody skinning a live bobcat with a dove hatchet. Tim

0:13:45.880 --> 0:13:47.800
<v Speaker 1>and I looked at each other and I thought he

0:13:47.840 --> 0:13:50.880
<v Speaker 1>was kidding. I thought he's playing a trick on us.

0:13:51.240 --> 0:13:53.760
<v Speaker 1>But it was obvious after a minute or two that

0:13:53.920 --> 0:13:56.480
<v Speaker 1>not only was he not playing a trick, but he

0:13:56.559 --> 0:13:59.000
<v Speaker 1>also did not know how to call ducks as he

0:13:59.160 --> 0:14:03.319
<v Speaker 1>previously claimed. So after he flared the second bunch of

0:14:03.400 --> 0:14:05.240
<v Speaker 1>ducks out of the hole and looked at us like

0:14:05.280 --> 0:14:07.280
<v Speaker 1>a calf looking at a new gate, trying to figure

0:14:07.280 --> 0:14:10.400
<v Speaker 1>out what was wrong. He was standing over there by Tim,

0:14:10.600 --> 0:14:13.439
<v Speaker 1>and I asked him. I said, hey, man, have you

0:14:13.480 --> 0:14:17.000
<v Speaker 1>ever had your call pitched? He said no, I don't guess.

0:14:17.080 --> 0:14:18.800
<v Speaker 1>I don't guess I have do Do I need to

0:14:18.840 --> 0:14:21.360
<v Speaker 1>have that done? So my brother said, yeah, let me

0:14:21.400 --> 0:14:24.880
<v Speaker 1>see it. Take it off your lanyard. So the fellow

0:14:24.920 --> 0:14:28.040
<v Speaker 1>took it off his lanyard, handed it to Tim, and

0:14:28.080 --> 0:14:30.360
<v Speaker 1>Tim pitched it to me and I stuck it in

0:14:30.400 --> 0:14:33.280
<v Speaker 1>my pocket and I said, buddy, if you want to

0:14:33.360 --> 0:14:36.120
<v Speaker 1>kill some ducks, let me keep this here and we'll

0:14:36.120 --> 0:14:38.720
<v Speaker 1>shoot some and then when we get done, we're going

0:14:38.800 --> 0:14:40.640
<v Speaker 1>to teach you how to call them. And that's just

0:14:40.680 --> 0:14:43.360
<v Speaker 1>what we did. So if you've a mind to be

0:14:43.440 --> 0:14:45.680
<v Speaker 1>calling ducks when you get to your outfit or club,

0:14:45.800 --> 0:14:48.320
<v Speaker 1>don't be surprised if they ask you to call before

0:14:48.360 --> 0:14:52.200
<v Speaker 1>you all go hunting. The biggest mistake folks make is

0:14:52.400 --> 0:14:55.200
<v Speaker 1>actually not the sound that they make, although that is important,

0:14:55.520 --> 0:14:58.320
<v Speaker 1>But the biggest mistake they make is when they make

0:14:58.400 --> 0:15:01.840
<v Speaker 1>the sounds. I've hunted with callers that like to hear

0:15:01.880 --> 0:15:04.720
<v Speaker 1>themselves call more than they like to call ducks, and

0:15:04.800 --> 0:15:07.800
<v Speaker 1>knowing when not to call that may be more important

0:15:07.800 --> 0:15:10.880
<v Speaker 1>than knowing when to. I'll tell you this next item

0:15:10.920 --> 0:15:14.160
<v Speaker 1>on the list was more contentious than just about anything

0:15:14.200 --> 0:15:17.400
<v Speaker 1>else we dealt with during our guiding career, and while

0:15:17.480 --> 0:15:20.480
<v Speaker 1>only a few folks ever requested it, it caused the

0:15:20.560 --> 0:15:23.840
<v Speaker 1>most problems and hurt feelings. And I shut her now

0:15:23.960 --> 0:15:26.840
<v Speaker 1>thinking about it. And that was when the potential client asked,

0:15:27.680 --> 0:15:30.440
<v Speaker 1>can I bring my dog? Oh Lord, here we go.

0:15:31.560 --> 0:15:35.800
<v Speaker 1>I'll tell you this, Nothing makes a good hunt great

0:15:36.280 --> 0:15:39.800
<v Speaker 1>faster than a well trained, obedient retriever. I've had one

0:15:39.800 --> 0:15:42.120
<v Speaker 1>of the best I've ever seen. Her name was Anna.

0:15:42.440 --> 0:15:44.600
<v Speaker 1>She was black as an ace of spades and lived

0:15:44.640 --> 0:15:47.640
<v Speaker 1>with us for thirteen years, and when she died, I

0:15:47.640 --> 0:15:50.640
<v Speaker 1>thought I was going to die too. She was something

0:15:50.680 --> 0:15:55.520
<v Speaker 1>special and retrieved no telling how many ducks thousands. On

0:15:55.560 --> 0:15:58.960
<v Speaker 1>the other hand, nothing will ruin a great hunt quicker

0:15:58.960 --> 0:16:02.720
<v Speaker 1>than a dog than ain't try. Allowed me to pontificate.

0:16:06.800 --> 0:16:09.320
<v Speaker 1>This group of hunters came to us from the Atlantic coast.

0:16:10.320 --> 0:16:12.840
<v Speaker 1>They duck hunted a lot out there, but the hunting

0:16:12.880 --> 0:16:15.880
<v Speaker 1>conditions where they were was quite different than it was

0:16:15.880 --> 0:16:18.760
<v Speaker 1>in Arkansas. They were lucky if they shot a few

0:16:18.760 --> 0:16:21.400
<v Speaker 1>wood ducks here and there where they lived. They never

0:16:21.480 --> 0:16:24.360
<v Speaker 1>had the numbers of ducks working into the decoys like

0:16:24.440 --> 0:16:27.200
<v Speaker 1>we did in Arkansas. When they brought their dog for

0:16:27.240 --> 0:16:30.280
<v Speaker 1>the first time, we had fully vetted these folks and

0:16:30.400 --> 0:16:33.280
<v Speaker 1>how good this dog was. They talked about his pedigree,

0:16:33.360 --> 0:16:35.680
<v Speaker 1>they did demonstrations with him when they got there to

0:16:35.760 --> 0:16:38.440
<v Speaker 1>the camp on how good this dog was a man.

0:16:38.600 --> 0:16:41.800
<v Speaker 1>He performed like a champ for real. He did everything

0:16:41.840 --> 0:16:43.840
<v Speaker 1>that that boy told that dog to do when he

0:16:43.880 --> 0:16:45.640
<v Speaker 1>told him to do it. I mean, he was an

0:16:45.680 --> 0:16:48.640
<v Speaker 1>absolute monster. And they also hunted him in hunt test

0:16:48.720 --> 0:16:51.440
<v Speaker 1>and he did really well. But when we got in

0:16:51.480 --> 0:16:54.760
<v Speaker 1>that flooded green timber and groups of twenty forty and

0:16:54.800 --> 0:16:58.760
<v Speaker 1>fifty ducks started working around the hole and in coming

0:16:58.800 --> 0:17:01.880
<v Speaker 1>in and calling the water, slashing and shooting. Man, it

0:17:02.000 --> 0:17:05.920
<v Speaker 1>was more than that dog could stand. He was whimpering, whining,

0:17:06.119 --> 0:17:09.280
<v Speaker 1>barking loud, breaking off the stand, running out of decoys,

0:17:09.280 --> 0:17:11.920
<v Speaker 1>and when the duck started coming in, and that's dangerous

0:17:11.960 --> 0:17:15.119
<v Speaker 1>for everyone, especially the dogs. He can mess around and

0:17:15.119 --> 0:17:18.000
<v Speaker 1>get shot, and the other hunters were looking to hang

0:17:18.119 --> 0:17:24.119
<v Speaker 1>that dog and his owner. It's really nothing against the dog.

0:17:24.920 --> 0:17:28.160
<v Speaker 1>He had just never experienced anything like that. He had

0:17:28.200 --> 0:17:31.320
<v Speaker 1>seen all the hunting scenarios and the hunt test that

0:17:31.359 --> 0:17:34.840
<v Speaker 1>he'd been in, but he had never experienced the real thing.

0:17:34.880 --> 0:17:38.040
<v Speaker 1>And man, I tell you, I about lose my mind

0:17:38.080 --> 0:17:40.480
<v Speaker 1>every time a big group of ducks starts working coming

0:17:40.520 --> 0:17:43.480
<v Speaker 1>into the decoys. So I get it. He was excited

0:17:43.680 --> 0:17:47.080
<v Speaker 1>and he just couldn't help it. He just needed exposure

0:17:47.119 --> 0:17:49.399
<v Speaker 1>to it. And the wrong time to expose him to

0:17:49.480 --> 0:17:51.760
<v Speaker 1>it is when you've got a group of folks paying

0:17:51.800 --> 0:17:54.320
<v Speaker 1>to hunt and the only thing that's keeping them from

0:17:54.320 --> 0:17:58.639
<v Speaker 1>being successful is your dog. So what we wound up

0:17:58.680 --> 0:18:01.919
<v Speaker 1>doing was taking his dog and the stand and the

0:18:02.000 --> 0:18:05.119
<v Speaker 1>hunter and moving them back like thirty or forty yards

0:18:05.160 --> 0:18:07.880
<v Speaker 1>away from where the decoys were, and we would work

0:18:07.920 --> 0:18:10.040
<v Speaker 1>the ducks in, shoot them, and then bring the dog

0:18:10.119 --> 0:18:12.760
<v Speaker 1>up and let him retrieve the ducks. They were there

0:18:12.760 --> 0:18:15.640
<v Speaker 1>for three days, and that was the first morning we hunted.

0:18:16.320 --> 0:18:21.200
<v Speaker 1>We retrieved our own ducks the last two days. There's

0:18:21.200 --> 0:18:23.439
<v Speaker 1>so many things to consider when bringing a dog on

0:18:23.480 --> 0:18:27.320
<v Speaker 1>a guided hunt. Number one is the dog trained. Does

0:18:27.440 --> 0:18:30.600
<v Speaker 1>the outfit or have space available for a dog? Just

0:18:30.640 --> 0:18:33.480
<v Speaker 1>because it's a duck camp doesn't mean it's open range

0:18:33.480 --> 0:18:36.399
<v Speaker 1>for labs to roam all over digging in folks stuff,

0:18:36.400 --> 0:18:39.520
<v Speaker 1>and live in purena land mines behind the couch. Yours

0:18:39.560 --> 0:18:41.800
<v Speaker 1>and Mama's baby might be able to do that at

0:18:41.800 --> 0:18:44.320
<v Speaker 1>home and sleep into bed with you, but it'd be

0:18:44.320 --> 0:18:46.879
<v Speaker 1>a rude surprise for both of you if after you

0:18:46.960 --> 0:18:49.320
<v Speaker 1>get permission to bring him and you get the camp

0:18:49.320 --> 0:18:51.760
<v Speaker 1>and you find out all the dogs stay outside in

0:18:51.800 --> 0:18:56.959
<v Speaker 1>the count ask yourself this question before you consider asking

0:18:57.000 --> 0:19:00.280
<v Speaker 1>about bringing your dog. Would he be an asset to

0:19:00.280 --> 0:19:12.120
<v Speaker 1>everyone's hunt or a liability? It's that siming. I've seen

0:19:12.160 --> 0:19:14.320
<v Speaker 1>a lot of changes in duck hunting from the time

0:19:14.359 --> 0:19:16.720
<v Speaker 1>I started to what it is now. And while I

0:19:16.760 --> 0:19:19.320
<v Speaker 1>still have the passion for it, I don't have the

0:19:19.400 --> 0:19:22.840
<v Speaker 1>drive to do it like we used to. Sixty days

0:19:22.960 --> 0:19:25.080
<v Speaker 1>is a long grind, but boy did we have a

0:19:25.080 --> 0:19:29.119
<v Speaker 1>good time. I made friends that have remained friends long

0:19:29.520 --> 0:19:32.320
<v Speaker 1>after we retired from guiding Tim and I talked to

0:19:32.320 --> 0:19:35.240
<v Speaker 1>two of them today. Two good friends from North Carolina

0:19:35.320 --> 0:19:38.119
<v Speaker 1>took a chance and booked a hunt at our duck camp.

0:19:38.800 --> 0:19:41.600
<v Speaker 1>We met and we all became brothers. And that was

0:19:41.640 --> 0:19:45.280
<v Speaker 1>over twenty years ago. David Miller and Jay Van Noyd,

0:19:45.520 --> 0:19:49.160
<v Speaker 1>an unlikely pairing of a mortician and a lawyer, two

0:19:49.280 --> 0:19:53.000
<v Speaker 1>folks that everybody's going to need Eventually, one of them

0:19:53.040 --> 0:19:54.919
<v Speaker 1>can help you get you out of a jam, and

0:19:54.960 --> 0:19:57.679
<v Speaker 1>the other one, well, he'd be the last fellow that

0:19:57.720 --> 0:20:01.800
<v Speaker 1>will ever let you down. Literally, booking a hunt with

0:20:01.840 --> 0:20:04.560
<v Speaker 1>an outfitter, well, it's a gamble. The only thing that

0:20:04.600 --> 0:20:07.600
<v Speaker 1>they can guarantee is to do their best to give

0:20:07.600 --> 0:20:11.720
<v Speaker 1>you the opportunity to shoot some ducks, deer, elk, catch fish,

0:20:11.800 --> 0:20:14.600
<v Speaker 1>whatever it is you're after. That's what you're paying for,

0:20:14.920 --> 0:20:19.000
<v Speaker 1>the opportunity. Take it upon yourself to be informed about

0:20:19.080 --> 0:20:23.040
<v Speaker 1>what your responsibilities are and recognize that going in and

0:20:23.080 --> 0:20:27.040
<v Speaker 1>the whole experience can change for you. Do this for me,

0:20:27.800 --> 0:20:30.560
<v Speaker 1>Go in with the attitude that you want to learn something,

0:20:31.000 --> 0:20:35.480
<v Speaker 1>just one thing in addition to why you're there. Like

0:20:35.520 --> 0:20:37.720
<v Speaker 1>the guy that couldn't call ducks but thought he could,

0:20:38.160 --> 0:20:42.240
<v Speaker 1>he learned two things. Number one that he didn't know

0:20:42.280 --> 0:20:46.359
<v Speaker 1>how to call ducks. Number two, the killing a full

0:20:46.400 --> 0:20:49.520
<v Speaker 1>strap of green heads paled in comparison to the group

0:20:49.560 --> 0:20:52.840
<v Speaker 1>of ducks that he called in by himself and letting

0:20:52.840 --> 0:20:56.320
<v Speaker 1>the decoys. On the last day of his trip, Tim

0:20:56.359 --> 0:20:59.560
<v Speaker 1>and I had our limits and had unloaded our shotguns

0:20:59.600 --> 0:21:02.600
<v Speaker 1>and was left him do it all. By himself. He

0:21:02.760 --> 0:21:05.159
<v Speaker 1>was one green head short of his limit. When he

0:21:05.200 --> 0:21:08.520
<v Speaker 1>saw a group and started calling like we'd shown him,

0:21:08.800 --> 0:21:11.640
<v Speaker 1>he worked him like a champ. He was silent when

0:21:11.680 --> 0:21:15.639
<v Speaker 1>they approached except for soft, contented feeding calls, and forceful

0:21:15.680 --> 0:21:19.160
<v Speaker 1>when they swung away, bringing them back time after time

0:21:19.560 --> 0:21:22.440
<v Speaker 1>until they committed and settled in the hole. They were

0:21:22.520 --> 0:21:26.119
<v Speaker 1>landing all around him and us, and he never fired

0:21:26.119 --> 0:21:30.320
<v Speaker 1>a shot. I will never forget it. The ducks eventually

0:21:30.400 --> 0:21:32.639
<v Speaker 1>spooked and exploded out of the hole, and he never

0:21:32.800 --> 0:21:37.159
<v Speaker 1>reached for his gun. We were silent watching him watch

0:21:37.240 --> 0:21:40.600
<v Speaker 1>all those ducks fly out of sight. They'd been gone

0:21:40.680 --> 0:21:43.560
<v Speaker 1>ten seconds before he moved, and with tears of joy

0:21:43.560 --> 0:21:45.280
<v Speaker 1>in his eyes, he looked at me and Tim and

0:21:45.320 --> 0:21:48.480
<v Speaker 1>said it was the most beautiful thing that he'd ever seen.

0:21:49.520 --> 0:21:52.919
<v Speaker 1>And I have to agree. It was pretty sporty, and

0:21:52.960 --> 0:21:56.679
<v Speaker 1>we was awfully proud of it. I thank y'all so

0:21:56.840 --> 0:22:00.600
<v Speaker 1>much for listening. Remember educate yourself on watching plan is,

0:22:01.320 --> 0:22:04.560
<v Speaker 1>do your diligence and understand what's expected of you, and

0:22:04.600 --> 0:22:08.240
<v Speaker 1>above all else never hugged my brother in the dark.

0:22:09.080 --> 0:22:12.600
<v Speaker 1>This is Brent Reeves signing off. Y'all be careful