First you have to know that I have been wanting to harvest a wood duck for some 6 years now. Most of the places that I hunt hold very little in the way of woodies. Oh I have had a few chances over the last couple of years to harvest a wood duck, but they never were successful. So with that said, you can kind of feel the excitement that I had when fellow CFC''er Jim Thomas called me about a week or so ago and invited me to hunt with him along a little creek bed for some Woodies on opening day. I tried to keep my excitement to a small roar and accepted the offer.
We put out about a half dozen woody floaters, 2 mallard floaters and a half dozen mallard field dekes. The stage was set and the blinds were made ready for our disapearing act. Just as the sun started to rise, I was walking back from a trip to the truck when a loan goose was heard off in the distance. Jim and I started in on the goose calls and had him cupped and comitted in no time. He set down in the dekes right in front of us. Unfortunately for us, goose season doesn''t open for another couple of weeks. So we watched him as he took off. The next few minutes we watched as several small groups of wood ducks flew by just out of range as they headed down the creek. By 8:30 the skys were empty of our feathered targets. Jim and I had a great time just sitting there enjoying the sites of the new morning, and fellowship. About 8:45 Jim said, that he thought he knew were the wood ducks went and that we should take a walk down to the location. So we went for a little walk. We got about 60 yards from the spot that he said they would be and he instructed me to sneak up on that section of creek bottom. As I neared the area I could here the whistling of the wood ducks. Just as I peered over the bank, I heard the water splashing and could hear the ducks chattering as they went around the bend. I never saw any of them however. I looked up the creek to where Jim was standing and he motioned that he saw about 10 to 15 of them. I retracted my footsteps, still hearing the ducks chattering around the bend in the creek. Jim and I then set up a game plan. I would go back to the creek edge and wait while he would take the long way around through the woods and come up from them somewhere down creek from them.
The plan worked and in a matter of minutes several woodies rocketed past me. After pulling the trigger the first two times I really made sure my focus was where it needed to be and pulled off my last shot which sent a handsome wood drake into a spiral landing feet up in the water. Still hearing whistles from more ducks around the bend, I started jamming shells into my gun as a few more rocketed past me. I never had the opportunity to shoulder my gun on these, and that was the end of them.
This little adventure was a great time with a great friend who allowed me the opportunity to harvest a first for me.
The Opening day of duck adventure also reminds me that we as believers need to step out in faith and do our part in sharing the love that God has for us. We can''t just be sitting around on the couch or in our case sitting in the blinds waiting comfortably. Sometimes, we must be willing to go for a walk out to where the unbelievers are to share the gospel of Jesus Christ with them. We must step out in faith on our spiritual journey in order for things to happen. When you step out in faith, God will honor that and meet you there. Just look at the woman who touched the hem of his garment (Luke 8: 42b-48) No matter your circumstance, reach out in faith with all you got! Trust me, you will be amazed.
Here''s to all of you for a succesful 2010-2011 hunting season. Enjoy creating your own personal memories this season.
Me:
Jim:
