Ministerial Tour......
 

I will be leaving Thursday for a ministerial tour of the Bismark area of North Dakota. The Reverend Jeff Pelayo and I will be conducting outdoor sermons both morning and evening, Friday through Sunday. We hope to attract a large flock and will do our best to make sure several souls are sent on to heaven. I will give a full report of our activities upon my return and will do my best to update the faithful periodically during the excursion.


Best Regards,
The Reverend Destry L. Hoffard

That's making those little green rockets want to fly out of my pockets, Reverand.

Hope you give religion to lots of them Destry

Looking forward to a full report, shoot straight and have a safe drive.

Would you two eight gauge fanatics be shooting your eight gauges on this trip?

Nah, I'm taking the magnum 10 gauge and Jeff is a straight up A-5 Browning man in the field.

Ask Jeff about his eight gauge collection and tell him "Hi" for me. I would love to shoot with Jeff if I can get a travelling companion. I can't wait to hear about the trip.

I know he's got a couple good ones, and I believe a punt gun as well. I'm sure we'll have big gun talk while I'm there. If I can just fill this swan tag I'll be a happy man, one shot is all I need to make the trip a winner.

DLH

good luck reverand...charlie

The sermon has begun......

nice pulpit

Bull Can falls to the Swamp Angel.

Awesome

looks like the swamp angel came thru again..really nice bird...i ve got mine to get yet...charlie

Now what about that swan.....:corn:

Flat calm but still have three down already. Gorgeous prairie sunrise......

Tough conditions, pushing 70 degrees and almost no wind. We couldn't be too picky about species considering what we're dealing with but at least we're getting ducks. Two to go.....

Yesterday at sunset.....

mighty nice photo s and looks like the swamp angel is still on target...that sundown picture is great....charlie

More cool photos.

Canvasback and redhead followed by swan steaks. Not my swan sadly, but I've still got another day.

Looks like fun. Not quite a month left for us

Pan fried swan steaks

Change in the weather tomorrow! Cloudy, colder, and winds 15 to 18! Sadly out of exactly the wrong direction for Jeff's main blind so we'll have to move the rig. Could be a game changer, keeping my fingers crossed.

Wind howling at about 20mph, figured we were going to have a grand day. Not seen much yet though. I killed a mallard drake early and knocked out two buffleheads in one shot. We'll just have to see what the day brings....

The swan curse continues. Just had a group of seven get about 45 yards, fighting the wind, trying to decoy. I hesitated for a split second thinking they were going to get a little closer and with one flip of those huge wings they were gone........

Did I mention the wind is blowing about 30 mph now.....

Hallelujiah and Amen, Brother!!

Last sunset on the prairie....

is the curse still on you..great sundown...charlie

Yup the curse still lingers. Shouldn't have held fire today, I had my chance.

Not a curse just another adventure to live for.

I'm going off on another potential curse breaking hunt a week from today. Heading to Jersey to try for brant again, this will be the the third time.

The weather is only supposed to be in the 60's and raining, that's just perfect.......

now ya done it

the brant are forewarned

I keep going back to those frying pan pics. Maybe the curse will be lifted if you share the recipe.

Congrats Destry. In my book those canvasbacks are THE trophy of the waterfowl world.
Best Fishes,
Steve Kleist Ely, MN

My son and I are going to Currituck later this year and I hope to get a Canvasback. We only see Teal and Woodies down here, mostly

They're the King of Ducks as far as in concerned. I'd rather shoot a pair of cans than a dozen mallards.