Waterfowling Bucket List

J

Jeff Churan

Member
I occasionally check in on a couple waterfowling forums, including this one. On another one I saw a thread about Bucket Lists that had a number of interesting posts. I seldom respond, but this subject hit me dead center, so I posted up the following, that I thought might be of interest here:

In 2012 I finished writing my duck-hunting memoirs in a book I called "Duck Fever: Reflections on a Fifty-Year Addiction to Waterfowling." In the last chapter I articulated my "Bucket List" of the ten hunts I most wanted to make before I have to hang up my waders and rack my shotgun. I was 71 at the time. These hunts could be to shoot a previously unharvested specie, hunt at a famous duck club, gun in a classic waterfowling region, or hunt by a special method. Here is that list:

Species
-King Eider
-Black Brant
Clubs
-Claypool
-Wingmead
-Long Point Company
-Bear River Club
Regions
-Laguna Madre
-Illinois River
-Chesapeake Bay
Methods
-Sink Box

Well, not surprisingly I went for it and finished up with a great hunt for canvasbacks with my grandson on Chesapeake Bay in December 2017. I gave an account of all those hunts in a book I called "A Waterfowler's Bucket List: Ten Special Hunts."

Surprisingly, I'm still not done, and following successful spine surgery, and still getting around well for my age, I've listed ten more. Here they are:

Species
-Atlantic brant
-Emperor goose
-Pacific common eider
-Greater snow goose
Clubs
-Tally-Ho Club
Regions
-Great South Bay
-Mississippi River Delta
-Lower Columbia River
-North Platte River
Methods
-Scull boat

I have all the trips planned out and will be able to knock all but two off the list in the first two years. The tough one is going to be drawing a non-resident tag for an Emperor goose in Alaska. I have this book well started, detailing all the research, preparations, booking, etc. It will be called "Waterfowler's Bucket List II, More Special Hunts." I'll be going to Lake Saint Claire to gun from a scull boat in October, to Louisiana in early December, and Long Island and the eastern shore just before Christmas.

Wish me luck.

Jeff Churan
Chillicothe, MO
[strike][/strike]
I'll be hunting with a couple gentlemen that I contacted as a result of seeing their posts on this site...John Livoti and Lou Tisch.
 
I have a few hundred hours invested in trying to harvest a old squaw. Been very close but this year the pursuit continues.
 
Jeff,

Those are two great lists for bucket list hunting. Congratulations on completing your first bucket list. Good luck on the second! The books that you wrote, are those just published for you or do you also sell them? How did you go about getting them published?


But your bucket list made me think about my bird hunting bucket list. The lists half involve my dog/s and half involve me. And in some ways, they start over with new dogs.

My new setter:
First of EVERYTHING! She hasn't hunted before so I look forward to this fall and getting to see her point her first sage grouse and sharptail and maybe her first hun and forest grouse. I am not sure I will be able to see her first pheasant, but perhaps. And then her first quail and hopefully first woodcock. All of that will hopefully be accomplished this season.

When I get a new lab puppy, I will have grand plans for him: ducks and upland birds. And as many species and locations as I can get him on as well.

I look forward to hunting AZ for quail.
I would like to someday hunt from Alaska south, following the hunting seasons from north to south.
I would also like to just hunt Alaska for a few weeks.
Lower on my bucket list is an Oryx hunt in NM.
Chukar and Hun hunt in ID.
Black duck and brant hunt
Eider hunt

Those are what I can think of for now but they will keep me busy I am sure....
 
Dani,

I have used a couple of "print on demand" publishers for my books (seven of them). My favorite has been CreateSpace, a division of Amazon, that recently was merged into their Kindle Direct Publishing Company (KDP). I provide print ready files and can have small quantities printed at very reasonable cost.

My books are not intended for sale. Rather I give them to friends and family who ask for them. Due to KDP requirements, they are listed on Amazon, but at exorbitant prices to be sure no one buys copies.

Good luck on your list.
 
Jeff-

I too have a bucket list but won?t hijack your post. Clearly you?ve accomplished an extraordinary amount in your waterfowling career and I hope to have your enthusiasm still when I reach your age!
 
That's incredible Jeff!

Whereabouts will you be hunting in Louisiana in December? I hunt almost exclusively in the Gulf marsh of SE Louisiana.

Also, what would I have to do to get a copy of your book(s)? Thanks, Paul
 
Paul,

I will be hunting first out of the Tally-Ho Club with a friend and then hunting the Delta south of Venice with an outfitter.

If you will give me your mailing address, I?ll send you a couple books.

Jeff
 
Very neat list. Well done on all your life's adventures and good luck on those that you have yet to get to. I have a feeling every time you check one off a new one is found to be added.

I don't really do the list thing since I change my mind so often and am not the best planner. I commend you for sticking to your goals.

Tim
 
Jeff Churan said:
Paul,

I will be hunting first out of the Tally-Ho Club with a friend and then hunting the Delta south of Venice with an outfitter.

If you will give me your mailing address, I?ll send you a couple books.

Jeff
Click to expand...

That sounds awesome!!! You'll have to keep me posted when you'll be in Venice, our camp is 20 miles downriver from there. I'll PM you my address too and send you $ for shipping! Thank you!
 
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