Often times like anyone else I get asked why I hunt, specifically, why I hunt waterfowl.
I love to hunt any game I have the opportunity to; however, waterfowl hunting has a place above all else.
From the moment of seeing my first spectacularly colorful sunrise on the water, to hearing for the first time those famous whistling wings of ducks overhead, and then adrenaline that pumped through my veins after feeling recoil from my first shot at a duck I was hooked.
I have experienced some of the best days waterfowl hunting has to offer and I have experienced the worst days it has to offer.
I still wouldn’t trade those bad days for any other memory. There are so many aspects about waterfowl hunting that very few others get the privilege of experiencing.
The sights-
A remarkable number of times sitting in the blind I have witnessed events I would not have be able to had I not been a hunter.
I have seen countless sunrises of mind boggling oranges, deep reds, pinks, bright yellows, purples, and blues.
The sky was one big masterpiece painted by a master artist.
Not only have I witnessed some of the most amazing sunrises known to man, but I have watched in awe as hundreds of thousands of waterfowl have flown above calling to each other.
Few events are able to get me more excited than having hundreds of ducks peering at the spread and deciding to commit.
The most rewarding sight my eyes have seen is seeing the face of a new hunter get their first bird.
That moment in history is priceless.
The smile on their face says it all.
They’re addicted from that time forward and with every bird harvested after that feeling from the first bird comes back.
The feelings-
Quickly after waking up on opening morning at 3:30, I can feel the anticipation for the day and the entire season to come.
No matter how tired I am at that moment, all I can think about are the future adrenaline rushes I’m shortly going to experience.
Walking to the blind I quickly start sweating and peeling off layers; but after setting up the spread the freezing cold temperatures start to grip me.
Days can be extremely frustrating when the birds just do not want to work. The feelings of frustration subside when the recoil from the shotgun is felt against my shoulder and the smell of burnt gun powder feels the air.
As the dog goes and retrieves the birds that have just fallen, I take a moment to thank God for another amazing day with my friends.
The feeling of brotherhood in that blind is like nothing else I have experienced.
As I help pack up after a successful day in the field, I feel a sense of accomplishment.
We will forever hear the stories of this day in the future.
The sounds-
Step into a blind and you never know what sounds you will hear that day.
Whistling wings, as the ducks fly at blazing speeds overhead and all around.
Quacking and honking by the ducks and geese.
Guns booming as a flock of birds decide to come into range.
Splashing of the dog as it chases the birds through the water.
Stories everyone tells.
Often times it’s hard to believe some of the stories we like to share while waiting for the next flock to give us a look.
When that next flock finally does decide to come within ear shot, the air is filled with calling in order to get the birds’ attention.
If they decide to commit the cycle starts over, and trust me, the cycle never gets old.
As you can tell waterfowl hunting can be a roller coaster of feelings and emotions.
I assume that is why I am so addicted to the pursuit of waterfowl I never know what I will experience on my next hunt!
The sights, the feelings, and the sounds of waterfowl hunting are like nothing else.
Waterfowl hunting is unique in the fact that it is so diverse.
From the number of different species available to hunt to the different habitats that the species are hunted in, all make waterfowl hunting so attractive to so many different people across the world.
It brings all of us together and unites us with one common passion, waterfowl hunting.
It’s the passion that drives us.
If you have that passion, then I would love it if you joined my email list!