This year I was only able to spend about half the time as usual in the river due to my marriage, honeymoon, and the holidays all falling at the start of duck season.
However, I was able to break in a new duck call this season. I actually found a custom call maker, Chamberlin Calls, in southern Georgia located near where I proposed to my wife. I thought this would be a unique gift for all the groomsmen in my wedding, since most us are also duck hunting partners. The calls are single reed and made out of African Black wood. The single reed really lets you control your volume while maintaining a clear, crisp tone. Each call has a solid brass ring around its neck, features a laser engraved logo from the call maker, and each hunter’s initials.
The season as a whole was pretty slow around the region. It got off to a hot start, but by the second split it slowed considerably with most of the action concentrated along the coast. Even with the slow half, I was able to bag enough ducks to put some away in the freezer and keep the dog happy.
The last hunt was especially memorable at my cousin’s farm. The morning was typical with the exception that we got to sleep in a little later than normal. We stood in a flooded corn field and waited for first light. When the gun smoke cleared there were four birds down and black dog happily obliged to carry them all back. Not too bad for thirty minutes worth of work.
To close out this season, be sure to take inventory of all of your supplies, clean shotguns, stock shells, and put everything away. Make sure all your decoys and blind material are dried before they are put into storage. If possible store in a climate controlled room so that everything is as you left it. The end of the season or summer is a good time to pick up new gear, because most supplier, like Cabelas, are running end of the year deals.
Now it’s time to shift from winter’s duck season to spring’s lowcountry harvest by breaking ground on our new garden. Stay tuned for pictures and posts as we clear ground and start from seed.
Seasoned by the River 