Duck Music

I enjoy hunting ducks, but I'm not a duckhead who lives to hunt waterfowl. I mostly hunt ducks to get the Big Black Dog out or to spend time with good friends, several of whom, by the way, are duckheads. I recently hunted Cheyenne Bottoms with  a couple of those friends, one of whom is partly responsible for my love of duck hunting. He is another one of those mentors I've been fortunate enough to have known during my life, and he became a great friend in the process. I met Jim 25 years ago at an Outdoor Writers of Kansas conference. The meeting was in Great Bend and on one morning, members traveled to Cheyenne Bottoms to hunt. There was very little water that year, but good numbers of Canada geese were  feeding on wheat growing in the dry pools. I was young and inexperienced, and I brought hunting clothes that would have been appropriate on the day we arrived. However, I was drastically underdressed on the morning we hunted because a cold front had arrived in the night. Fortunately for me, Jim came prepared. In his van, he had extra jackets, hats and even gloves, which he offered and I gladly accepted. As we sat in the blind, I asked Jim 50 questions about goose hunting, but the calling aspect is what really fascinated me. When he tired of my questions, he handed me a call and coached me on how the make it work. When a flock of geese approached, I tried to hand the call back to Jim, but he winked and said I could do the calling. He told me when to make a few basic "honks," and the geese actually flew by in range. Of course in my hyper-excited state, I missed my shot, but Jim dropped one. Later, Jim coached me on the different ways to blow a duck call. I was hooked and have been trying to sound as good as Jim ever since. I enjoy calling, and the thrill I get when mallards turn and set their wings in response to my calls is part of what keeps me duck hunting. I owe that feeling to Jim. I also enjoy spending a morning in the blind with Jim and will count last Saturday has a highlight of the fall. My outdoor experiences have been enhanced because Jim was willing and generous enough to give me a little coaching that morning in the goose blind (and a pair of gloves). I am forever indebted to him. If you don't think passing it on has an impact, think again.