Duck Season: Preparations
I’m sorry I have been MIA, but there are lots of things to do in order to prepare for a duck hunt. And of course, all these things could have been done within the last six months. For some reason, my sons procrastinate as long as they can, and since both of my adult sons are not off this weekend, all the preparations fall to Termite and me. Since Termite doesn’t drive, there’s only so much he can do without my help.
Last weekend, you saw how he built duck blinds. This week, he’s been trying to bring up his math grade so he can be “un-grounded” and go hunting. Today he proclaimed to me that his grade has come up one grade level. Being the trusting mom I am, I took this for gospel truth and agreed to let him go hunting.
Go hunting? Alone? No way. That means, I am going hunting. Well, not hunting. I will sit uncomfortably in the boat, behind tall cane, swat mosquitoes, try to take photos without flash and try to be quiet–almost impossible for me.
Early in the week, I ordered parts online for the mudboat and had them overnighted. Wednesday was Veterans Day, so we had a family supper out to honor The Captain and his tour of duty in Viet Nam. My LilSis and her hubby RenRed came down and celebrated with us. Thursday, I took RenRed fishing. We caught 20 nice trout!!! Thursday evening, with the help of The Mechanic, the new parts got put on the mudboat, while other problems revealed themselves.
Today, after a morning fishing trip with RenRed, I cleaned the fish and told him and LilSis goodbye. I bagged the fish and went to see Widow Mary and give her a pack of fish. While having coffee with her, I realized I didn’t have a hunting license and duck stamp–both required for me to observe. That sent me rushing to town fto get that and a replacement fuel pump for the mudboat engine. I got both, got back home, and changed the fuel pump before Termite got off the bus. I needed to grease the shaft and bushings, but the grease-serts were rusty and the grease gun was missing. That would have to wait.
Termite was anxious to check his duck blind before the hunt tomorrow, so we hopped in the little Crestliner and headed to the lease. We drove straight into the duck blind, made sure the roseaus were bent down where he could see over them to shoot, chopped up some giant salvinia with the propeller ( I hate that stuff), timed our journey back home, making note of the location of all the crab traps we will have to avoid tomorrow at 5 a.m.
With high hopes of being able to use the mudboat for our hunt tomorrow, we rushed back into town to get new grease-serts, a new grease gun, and grease before the hardware store closed at six. While in town, those of you who read last year’s duck hunting story, will be glad to know I bought a NEW spotlight, which I will claim as my own. And in so doing, hope it will miraculously work tomorrow, and work consistently all the way to the blind. If not, we have four backup flash lights.
Will we take the mudboat? No. It needs a new primer bulb. Or I need to run the fuel line directly to the gas tank and bypass the bulb. But by the time we got home and brought all our gear upstairs, I was just too pooped to mess with the mudboat in the dark and mosquitoes any more. We’ll take the little Crestliner. It will be fine.
At this moment, Termite is putting strings and weights on the box of decoys he puppy-dog-eyed me into buying. There’s nothing like a begging 13-year-old in the hunting department, surrounded by burly hunters watching to see if I am going to deny this kid his decoys. Through gritted teeth I told him he was going to have to work these off and that I am making a note in my date book: I WILL NOT BUY DECOYS EVER AGAIN! Why? Because I think he’s had about three dozen, and he has not taken care of them. Oh, and let it be publicly known that he SWORE that he would take care of these.
Sorry there are no photos tonight. I’m behind in blogging with you all, but it has been one crazy week! It’s been a good crazy, though! I’ll be back with a full duck hunt report, complete with photos, as soon as I can. Okay?
So, dear friends, what are YOU up to this weekend? Do tell!
BW
I will be up to exploring another part of New Mexico. We moved from our last camping spot because of a winter storm warning. We’re now further south and at a lower elevation so we will hopefully be out of the snow. All of next week we’ll be in one of the biggest wintering spots for sandhill cranes and snow geese – at Bosque del Apache. We’ll be attending their annual “Festival of the Cranes”. We got some awesome photographs here last year when we passed through.
I’ll have to check your blog for some more of those good pics and a story or two about the cranes! How about artwork at the festival? Is there much? Have a great time!
Good luck to Termite! I do love a good, roasted duck! Who needs turkey for Thanksgiving if you have ducks to roast or smoke??
Our weekend is going to be short since I have a birthday party planned for tomorrow evening for our grandsons 13th. And, I am FINALLY going to get to see my new, great grandson!! His grandmother (my daughter) told her son and DIL she was kidnapping him to bring him to his first party and to see us. Bless her!! They agreed so they could have some quiet time.
Hopefully with five older grandsons and one granddaughter here, I’ll get some of the leaves raked & bagged so I can pick the bushel or more of pecans up from the yard before the rain sets in Sunday. I know they are under those leaves, I feel them when I walk and hear them landing on the cars!
So, Cammy, are you all recovered from your surgery? The Captain is out looking for pecans right now, but the high storm winds from last year’s two hurricanes messed up the trees. They were full of pecans at the time, but this year there are none, it seems. I hope they recover and make pecans next year. He loves to sit in his chair and shell and eat them. Congrats on new great grandbaby! Enjoy the time!
If you are ever in this area at this time of the year, grab a bucket and stop by. My back yard has 3 huge pecan trees and 3 more overhang it from the neighbors yards! I have picked up about 8 gallons so far and they are just beginning to fall. I give most to mom and we shell them and some we sell and most we freeze to cook with and give away. Hubby blowed the leaves into two big piles for the kids to play in then mulched them when they left. I got about 2 more gallons picked up. Wish the Captain had some of them.
Going to pick up black walnuts later this week at the neighbors. Hope the hunt went well.
While y’all are making your way to the duck blind, I plan on being snug in my bed. I’ll make my way to the kitchen about 6:30 to drip a pot of Community Dark Roast coffee. I’ll then put my feet up, drink my coffee and read the newspaper. Since I won’t be going fishing, I’ll have to settle for watching other people catch a few fish on TV. Hubby will take over the remote …college football. I’ll crochet while he watches (correction…sleeps through) football. Sunday starts off like Sat…. Coffee, paper, TV fishing, then it’s off to church. NFL football replaces college football. I do admit though I enjoy watching LSU and the Saints. It’s pretty boring around here during football season!
Final prep for Loozy. Sealing up the crawl space. Shuffling garage to fit saturn in too. Pretty nice today. Fished this am crappie (sac’s) white bass, bluegill,walleye, and a green sunfish. Tossed them all back.
Trout and a bass.