[MarketHunter]

Brian,

Don was having internet connection problems so wasn't able to post further reports while we were there. We had a tremendous week, pretty well limits all around every day for all involved.

I think the best morning for me was the last one. Don and I were on "The Pass" which is nothing but a lane in the trees on a literal duck pass between two marshes. He was shooting his Fox HE that formerly belonged to Marse Henry himself and I was shooting the big Parker as usual.

The birds were high and sporty but we were both dialed in with deadly precision after a full week of gunning. It didn't take too much time or too many cartridges till we had 11 mallards and one black on the ground to fill out our final days limit. Just the sort of situation for the big guns and heavy loads to really shine.

To ice the cake, when we got everything picked up, Don had a banded bird and I had two. I've seen multiple goose bands shot on the same outing but that was a first for me on ducks. Don already had another band from earlier in the week so the jewelry was certainly thick on that stretch of river this year.

We didn't take too many pictures this time, I think I've got a couple I'll try to post eventually. It was my fifth trip and Don's sixth so there wasn't much to take new photos of I guess.

We stay in a little 2nd story camp right on the channel, we sit on the porch and smoke cigars, the booze flows free of an evening, and we eat like kings. Don does all the cooking, I cleaned the ducks, and the Brothers McCormack took turns on cleanup duty. The camp runs like a well oiled machine. Always a pleasure to spend a week with gentlemen such as those.

We had an empty chair this year though, and I think we all found our eyes wandering to it often. It just wasn't the same without Russ Bickel.......



Regards,
Destry