The Postman Always Quacks Twice.....

[Destry L. Hoffard]

This is one of those "you know you're from a small town when" stories:

Went duck hunting with a couple friends on Christmas Eve despite it being warmish and rainy. Just figured we'd might as well go and we did actually have some fair success. We hunted till about 10am and killed five mallards, a nice little holiday hunt even if we did get a little dampish.

I'd just pulled up into my folks driveway and was unloading my gear. The postman was driving up the other side of the street and must have noticed me getting out duck equipment. He pulled over and walked up into the yard, me thinking maybe he was delivering a last minute Christmas package or something. He kind of sheepishly asked if I'd been duck hunting, I was pulling out a sack of decoys at the time so it was fairly clear. I said yes, just went for a little while. His next question was had I done any good? I replied in the positive and showed the three big mallards I had inside the decoy sack. He then says kind of sheepishly: "Well Sir do you want all those ducks? I sure would like a couple to cook tomorrow. I've not been able to hunt much myself this season and would taste awful good for Christmas." I've got plenty in the freezer at home so happily handed all three over to him and wished him a Merry Christmas. He laid them in the back of the postal truck next to all the mail and drove off smiling.

Only in a small town would the postman stop and ask if you'd let him have some wild ducks to cook. It actually kind of made my day, seemed almost like the subject of a Norman Rockwell painting.

He was a young fella, called me Sir and was particularly respectful. I've got an idea he was a veteran, being so young, well spoken, and in a government job like that. I hope he was, that would make me feel even better about it.

Anyway, just thought you boys might get a kick out of that.

Merry Christmas!

[John Dallas]

We've got a mail lady who puts up with our frequent mail holds and redirections without a murmur. Last year I gave a bit of a tip, and a pan of my homemade cinnamon rolls. She was appreciative, but told me she wasn't able to eat them because she is diabetic, so this year she got a loaf of my English Muffin Bread. Always want to say "Thanks" to the good ones.

[charlie cleveland]

loved the storey for sure...charlie

[Marty Kohler]

When I first moved into my "little town 20 years ago a fella walked into the little grocery store with a big gobbler he had taken that morning and he wanted to show the two brothers who owned the store,.. not to boast but just to share the story....I stood there thinking "boy am I in the right place now" after so many years in a suburban City....But alas after a short twenty years, subdivisions and over a 1000 new homes no one would even dare do this as the brothers are gone and most of the "new" people would be shocked....I also remember sitting up in bed, in mid April... at first light, and hearing 3 or 4 different turkeys,... but no more......I sincerely hope that most of you have not experienced this kind of progress......:(

[Marty Kohler]

By the way Destry ..thanks for sharing that story..... especially on Christmas day

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Off to visit the Reverend Droge in the morning then meeting my old Father and Mr. Russell for an evening hunt in the Cook Shack Blind. Always something to do when visiting here in Southern Illinois, particularly in the wintertime.

[chris dawe]

Boys those stories seem to ring true for all of us ,my postman got a chip carved sign for his front gate with the family name on it ...I always thought anyone who takes the time to do a good job needs to be thanked.

And development we can never escape it it seems ,even waaay up here in Newfoundland,everything is changing,grouse spots that I can't shoot in no more because of the new homes popping up ,the beach just a 10 min walk from my house where I could shoot at passing ducks now has a walking trail where no hunting signs will be posted ,I've been working on a hunting cabin for the past 6 years ,in a remote area of the province ,we need to cut a 1 km trail in to get the job done ,but I fear as soon as I do there will be others behind me staking out property on my sweat .

The promise of prosperity with the oil money on this little rock in the Atlantic didn't turn out the way I had hoped for sure .

Great story Destry,as always

[Dave Suponski]

Destry,That is a great story. I applaud your Christmas spirit. Well done....Very well done.

[Gary Carmichael Sr]

Chris, I know what you mean, I cleared several miles of 4 wheel trails over the years, never saw anybody, then all of a sudden seems as if everybody had discovered the new trails, well I do not mind if they ride just help keep it passable, that did not happen so I just let them grow over with fallen trees etc, nobody rides any more to damn lazy to cut a fallen tree. It is better this way, since we only have one stoplight in the county, and my nearest neighbor is a long ways away, nothing bothers the turkeys and bear that walk thru the yard all the time, my profile picture was taken in my front yard, have a great New Year and I hope we will see the finished result of the Mattie gun, Gary

[Brad Boyer]

Destry..From one Southern Illinois boy to another...your words painted a picture that helped me recall my youth back home in West Frankfort just a short trip up old Rt. 37. Reminded me of killing my first quail as a teenager with Grandads B Grade with the 30 full chokes.. Was with my friend John Dimmick and we gathered enough that year, if we pooled our hunts, for his Mom to to fry up a wild quail dinner with biscuits and gravy...Best I ever had.....Keep the stories comin..I always look to see if you have posted anything new! Best Regards Brad Boyer

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Did you boys have a decent season Brad?

[Brad Boyer]

Well..I don't live in SI anymore....but as you know the wild quail in Illinois are just about a thing of the past. Live in South Carolina now and the only quail that I get to shoot are on the preserves here in SC, AL, and GA. Hunt with a doctor buddy who has become interested in quail and I tell him that hopefully someday we can get into some wild birds as they are completely different. Nothing like being in the middle of a wild covey that gets up around your feet!! And you didn't even know they were there...So Yes we have had a pretty good season so far..considering rain and warm weather...

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Oh yeah Brad, I knew you'd left there a long time ago. Just curious if you boys had any kind of a shooting season where you're at now.

I'm dying a thousand deaths today. Duck season in Ontario goes out Sunday, we're just getting into the ice stage that will turn the diver shooting on big time. But I don't know if we've got enough time for things to freeze like they need to for it to happen. Crossing my fingers and saying my prayers......

DLH

[Brad Boyer]

Hey Destry...Always good to hear from you....Pretty rainy and warm until today...Been a little slow with quail...Big hunt meeting with physicians coming up in Eufala Alabama. in Feb .Pretty good hunting at a 19th Century plantation....Stay in old plantation home..Old Spring Hill...

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Well they froze like they need to and the ducks are in the river. Only problem is it's a hard west wind every day till the close which makes the river unhuntable. Its over.....

[Phil Yearout]

The home town hardware store in our little suburban town was bought out by an Ace Hardware store from the nearby city. I wasn't real excited about it until I walked in for the first time under the new ownership; right up behind the front counter was a modest array of shotgun and rifle shells, and among them several boxes of 16's! I didn't need any but I bought a couple boxes just because I could.

The store now has a small gun department, a tack shop, and a small selection of fishing gear. They offer handmade duck calls by a local artisan, and they have a sign that says "your dog is welcome here." This store has become one of my happy places :)!

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Does my heart good to hear that!

My hometown hardware never sold guns or ammo in my lifetime but they were "the" spot to buy Case pocket knives. Drawers full of old stock stuff, you had to know the owner pretty well for him to let you look.

Wish I'd have bought more when I was younger, they're all long gone now. I did get a few though.....

DLH

[Phil Yearout]

Yeah; they do have the obligatory knife display too; Cases and Bucks as I recall. Haven't patronized that yet.