# Remember when...



## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

... all that hunting meant was getting up and not being able to leave the house until you ate breakfast... as your butt was always half off your seat and your dad gave a smirk from across the table as he enjoyed his coffee and watching you squirm with anxiousness. Then almost with a wink said "let's get going then". From which you sprinted to the front door where you had very carefully the night before laid out all of your gear... an old model 12 winchester for dad and a old 20 gauge savage for you along with an old shoe shine box that held the shells that you dumped out atleast 3-4 times the night before just so you could put them back... and last but not least a thermos of coffee.

Somehow, we still shot our ducks... and it all seemed a whole lot simpler. This weekend I get to take my nephew out for his first duck hunt up at the farm and it really makes you think back to how it all started.

Have a great weekend and take a kid hunting.


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## Omann_12 (Aug 17, 2010)

Great post.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

No reason it can't still be this way, especially if people thought a bit more about the time spent outdoors, and lot less about one-upping the "other guy" or bagging a limit of birds.

Since when did waterfowling become some dang competitive?!

I, for one, am simplifying everything this year. A dozen floaters, my dog, calls, coffee, waders and a gun. That's it. Then waiting for the sun to rise and the birds to fly. No scouting for 5 hours to find a field holding 300+ birds. No stressing out about getting beat to "my spot." No waking up at 3 a.m. to get to the field 2 hours early because I couldn't take it anymore. No more feeling disappointed about being a few birds shy of a 5-man limit.

I mean, I grew up in Minnesota for crying out loud. I still remember during high school, how much sweat and toil my friends and I would put in to bag a couple teal and a wood duck. Good grief. Since coming here I've been dang spoiled. My whole perception about hunting has changed. I honestly feel a little sick to my stomach...

I don't care about shooting nothing but greenheads. In fact, I think I'm going to shoot strictly teal until they wisen up and head south. I might even slam a spoony for old-time's sake.

I miss the smell of slough. I miss cattail fuzz. I actually, honestly miss standing uncomfortably for hours on end because I forgot the stool back in the truck and am too lazy and tired to walk back and get it.

Don't get me wrong, field hunting is fun. But it's hard to think of waterfowl without "water."

I don't know, maybe this is all preseason perception and my mind will change when the time comes. But dang it all, I'm done with this new-era waterfowling. This year, I'm hunting like grandpa did, and if that means less birds in the freezer, so be it. Maybe I'll appreciate the other things a little more without having so much other crap to worry about.


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## drduck (Mar 14, 2009)

If my dad could bum 3 shells from his dad or uncle he would go hunting before school. Always taught me to make the first shot count. When he died he gave each of his children $1000 to do something to memorialize him. Bought an over/under as why would you ever need more than 2 shots.

Already had my niece out shooting twice this summer. Will meet again this weekend and she will join us again in ND.

Had to stop shooting my model 12 (14th birthday present in our family) when finally sorted out I was left eye dominant but a marvelous gun to shoot and maintain.

Thanks for the post!


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## northdakotakid (May 12, 2004)

Well, I took my nephew out this weekend and what an experience... a lot of good ol'times written all over it. He shot his first honker and 2 ducks with a single shot 20 gauge... then said that three was enough and we watched the ducks land in the decoys and the honkers set over them for another hour. Pretty cool when he said he thought 3 birds was enough... it kind of set the tone for me this year.


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## deacon (Sep 12, 2003)

Duckslayer100 said:


> No reason it can't still be this way, especially if people thought a bit more about the time spent outdoors, and lot less about one-upping the "other guy" or bagging a limit of birds.
> 
> A dozen floaters, my dog, calls, coffee, waders and a gun. That's it. Then waiting for the sun to rise and the birds to fly.
> I don't care about shooting nothing but greenheads. In fact, I think I'm going to shoot strictly teal until they wisen up and head south. I might even slam a spoony for old-time's sake.
> ...


Great thoughts. Extactly how it should be simple and enjoying the outdoors, not just about being in perfect spot!

Keep'em coming guys.


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

I dislike the current competitive trend as much as the next guy but I miss nothing about being soaking wet, uncomfortable, exhausted, and having mediocre decoying action.

You miss cat tail fuzz.. You're insane, nobody misses cattail fuzz.


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## Gillbilly (Mar 21, 2007)

I think what I remember most was wearing hand me down clothes,some of which my kids wore.Something about it being gramps coat,hat or gun that makes it better.Ya it wasnt as high tech but alot of it worked damn good.I also really miss everything being "new" or an adventure nothing like being 12 stepping into a beaver pond way back in the northwoods.Now as I get older things seem more like work.Idont mind settin or picken up decoys but the preparation for a weekend in the camper every weekend is gettin to be a bit much.I also remember how big the areas seemed and how it felt like you were the first person to ever be in that spot and then along came gps and you realized the spot that took an hour to get to was only 15mins from a different road.I also remember no mud motors,spinning wing decoys or people willing to pay top dollar to shoot a few birds.I will hold these memories close and hopefully get the chance to share a few with grandkids.Talk to an old guy sometime,you may be surprised and learn something new.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

USAlx50 said:


> You miss cat tail fuzz.. You're insane, nobody misses cattail fuzz.


Come on, you never sat and peeled a cattail apart when nothing was flying? :thumb:

I miss when you could count on serious numbers of snow geese being in ND by the opener, the trips to NW ND when I was a kid were priceless for opener. I miss when spending $200 on decoys seemed like a lot. I don't miss laying on the ground and using a shell box for a headrest. I miss the early 90's when $5 could be the scouting fee for the night. I miss hunting real quick before my first class in high school...and coming to class with bloody hands.

I also kind of miss when it was okay to post a picture here without 10 smartazz comments to follow. oke: :thumb: :bop:


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## Acemallard (Sep 30, 2003)

:withstupid:


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## shadow (Mar 5, 2003)

I miss when more people were just nice!


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

Chris Hustad said:


> I also kind of miss when it was okay to post a picture here without 10 smartazz comments to follow. oke: :thumb: :bop:


A-FREAKING-MEN!!!


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## texcl (Oct 6, 2007)

Yup, I remember when you wouldn't travel 30 minutes to shoot birds unless it was at your grandma's house for a family get together. I also never had any real camo until I was in college, and I shot the heck out of the ducks. Started off hunting with a .410 single shot and moved up to a 12ga pump. You can't even effectively use a .410 on ducks now unless you want to pay out the wazoo for bismith, back then I'd used number 6 lead in 3" .410 shells and I rarely missed because I only took good shots since my dad would only buy me one box of shells. I still remember the smell those old fiber wad shells made when they went off, it was the smell of fall.


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## dakotashooter2 (Oct 31, 2003)

God............ you guys are making me feel old. My hunting was mostly with my grandfathers. Mostly pass shooting then when they would let me go on my own jump shooting duck. I also started with a single shot 410 and quite honesty never felt handicapped on jumping or decoying ducks. Geese where the only thing that made me desire a bigger gun. My grandfathers farm was surrounded by sloughs. I would leave the house before first light walking from slough to slough and stay out till I had a limit or ran out of shells. It was not unusal to find a hunter/hunters in almost every slough yet there was still plenty of shooting all around.


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