A morning to live for!

duckdown2 · 11-28-2007, 07:43 PM

The day started at 430am heading out to the duck spot with my dad. It was cold, foggy and black. made it half mile from the truck and stopped for a quick breather. I was pulling my marsh rat with all the gear in it and it proved to be quite the chore. so during this breather i kept hearing a strange noise coming from the tree line 150yrds ahead. it sounded like things jumping over a fence and the wires rattling against a sign. i listened to it for a minute or so before i realized the sound was moving around quite a bit. It then hit me what i was hearing was two bucks fighting! don't ask me why i thought it was a fence or anything else but i did. my dad and i listened for 10 or 15min before the battle was over (and these boys were goin at it!!!!!) never saw either one but still cool to hear. after that we got to our blind and started setting up. it was just one of those mornings where everything was chirping or making some sort of noise. There were swans, cranes, geese, pintails, mallards, wigeon, great horn owls u name it, it was their. My dad and i sat there in the dark marsh listening to the greatest symphony in the world wake up. it is mornings like these that i thank god for everyday. It makes every problem disappear and you cant help but smile when you hear it. Today was one of those day i will never forget. We didn't fire a shot all day but just sitting in the dark with my dad watching the marsh come to life makes it all worth it!!! Thats what i live for

Hunt'nFish · 11-28-2007, 08:20 PM

Sounds like an awesome morning with the Ol'man!

Hunt'nFish

dixiefisher · 11-29-2007, 05:10 AM

nice story!!....those are the ones you will remember....as far as the "fence" fight.....I bet it just didn't register in your mind what it was. I always love those moments where something is happening ( that is not part of every day life)....and when you can't see it....your brain is scrambling to get a picture.....

Rauly · 11-29-2007, 06:31 AM

cooool

Big Unit · 11-29-2007, 06:33 AM

YES! I love those times. The weapon is secondary. Nice post!

BU

Wreckless · 11-29-2007, 07:30 AM

Sounds like a GREAT morning!!!

AND you conserved some shells!!!!

Thanks for reminding us that it's not always about the # of dead birds, if it were I'd have to give up!!!!

Tar Heel · 11-29-2007, 11:42 AM

A nice "thread." some of our best days afield are ones when we never fire a shot--if we take time to look, listen....

duckboy · 11-29-2007, 08:13 PM

Well said Duckdown2.

Makes me glad to see that there are other folks out there that really appreciate what a cool & awe inspiring experience it is, to be out in the marsh at dawn.

duckdown2 · 11-29-2007, 09:46 PM

There is just something magical about those few minutes just before shooting light that can never quite be put into words. Its something that just us outdoorsmen can understand!

wife&3kids · 11-30-2007, 06:29 AM

Great post.
I can't agree more..

Meridian · 11-30-2007, 10:05 AM

Nice post, I always tell my son it doesnt really matter if we catch a fish or not. One day he will understand.

strictlyRUM · 11-30-2007, 10:16 AM

I wish I had one more of those "no luck" days with my dad. My dad never cared about success and just enjoyed the day. We all can learn from that. Step back and just realize how much we all have in common and how limited those days are. Wheather its ducks in the dawn, steelies on the Alsea, quail down the tracks from the house. Some of my best memories are in the blind or in the river just at that time when the anticipation of the day to comes to meet the day. To hear the sounds you have described ringing in my ears. To remember why I love the outdoors. I thank you for that memory.

Jason