Wind was supposed to blow pretty good in the afternoon and I was keen to make a hunt but hadn't been able to hook anything up. Then Jim called last minute asking if I could get away for a trip to The St. Anne's Club on Walpole Island. I was already packed up so it wasn't a hard decision to make I can assure you.
We met at the dock around 2:30pm and hit the canal at high speed headed for the marsh. Our indian guide was a boy named Cody who I'd never hunted with before, he ended up being a hellava nice fella.
We'd barely got set and the greenwing teal started buzzing the hole like bees around a hive and we did good quick work on them. I was having one of those days where I just couldn't seem to pull the trigger without killing a bird. Had three back to back clean doubles on teal for my limit and was awash with joy. Was using the Swamp Angel of course, loads of Federal Tungsten Matrix #6 which are deadly on teal.
We'd knocked down a wood duck early in the shoot right into the edge of the cane but couldn't find it. It had fallen dead as a wedge but the cover was tough. They'd done a big wood duck banding over there in the summer and lots of bands have been being killed so I was keen to get a look at it. I had the guide pull the boat over into the edge of the marsh when we were done shooting so I could get in there and look a little harder.
The marsh over there is glacial, about 8 inches of water in the grass / cane but the ponds drop off straight off to about 5 feet like they've been dug that way on purpose. I jumped off the front of the boat onto hard ground and should have just started walking but made the mistake of taking a half step back towards the boat so I could grab a push paddle to break a path with. That half step was about a half step too much unfortunately. I hit the drop off just perfect and went straight backwards ass over teacup in a perfect swan dive. Completely submerging myself clear under water, and that water was mighty chilly I can assure you.
I stood up quickly, literally top of my shoulders and head only sticking out of the water. Turned around and started out into the pond flailing the water looking for my precious Jones Cap which had come off as I hit the drink. Jim, being the good friend he is, and knowing how much the hat means to me, hollered "I've got your damn hat, get out of the water!". Knowning my headwear was secure, I mushed over to the edge of the cane and hauled myself out onto semi dry land without any great damage done other than great dampness and a strong chill.
I rustled around in the cane a bit without locating said duck and crawled back into the boat dripping but laughing hard. We made it back to the dock in record time where I sat down to kick off my hip boots and wring out as best I could.
Dry clothes in the truck and even a towel to make things a little more palatable. I laughingly told Jim that if he'd ever suggested I'd be standing buck naked in the St. Anne's parking lot in the pitch dark toweling myself off after a cooling October swim I'd have called him insane.
On a positive note, our shoot was tremendous and if I was going to fall in I couldn't have had better luck. My gun was in the boat, I didn't lose my hat, and I didn't even have pocket watch / billfold / or telephone in my pocket at the time.
Stopped in Wallaceburg for a sandwich and coffee before hitting the river ferry for an easy crossing back into the USA and am no worse for wear this morning. I was so beat when I finally got home I just crawled into bed without even a shower. I got another laugh this morning after I took one when I was cleaning out my ears. The corner of the towel was literally black with mud that had drifted into them during my swim.
One of those hunts I'll remember for a long time I assure you.
DLH
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I was as virtuously given as a gentleman need to be; virtuous enough; swore little; diced not above seven times a week; went to a bawdy-house once in a quarter--of an hour; paid money that I borrowed, three of four times; lived well and in good compass: and now I live out of all order, out of all compass. Falstaff - Henry IV
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10-09-2014, 01:06 PM
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