First hunt with my new thin blood

When I was about 14 we had a "dropper" a Brit-Setter mix. Specks was a bird finding magnet as long as you were hitting birds- but if you missed a few, she shut down. My boyhood pal and I went out on the opener, all day drizzle- we were soaked. About 4:00 PM she locked up on a huge rooster and I went in over her point and it got airborne- wingspan like a B-29, water spraying from its feathers-and I pumped out two hurried shots from my 20 M12 and never cut a feather- she turned and gave me a look like I'll never forget-

First week of our duck season, on the river near home and early Oct- I had the 12 M12 and steel No 4's- took two hen woodies (we are allowed 3 wood ducks/day( and then my first pintail ever in our flyway. I hope to shoot as they are flying upriver so they will (in theory) float back down to me. This one got by me in the current, I went after it and tripped over a rock I guess- Boom right face down into the drink- water inside my chest waders and the M12 got a bath-but i GOT THE DUCK.

Jack, we both know we owe it to the game we shoot to retrieve and try to shoot for a clean kill-best wishes for the new(er) VH 12..

[David Hamilton]

Jack, Those shots in the belly, There was an amusing moment-- I had to take those shots several times a day and just before going into the hospital I was invited for a "last meal" at an asian joint. On arriving at the shopping center where the restaurant was located I remembered that I needed one of those bruising shots. So- I reclined my car seat and asked my wife to administer it. We parked under a streetlight for better visibility. Me with my belt undone and fly open, shirt pulled up and wife leaning over when one of our friends walked by. Glad it wasn't a policeman. David