SELA Style attn: Mr Al Hansen

Paul Taylor

Active member
My son's and I made an incredible weeklong trip to a place that's really special in my heart, the Southeast Louisiana Gulf marsh. I have made this drive for nearly 21 years now and after getting in at 1:30 Friday morning, both my son's texted me yesterday and said they're ready to go back. There is something more to these trips than merely duck hunting, we come to "unplug" from society which, given the current events in America, was sorely needed. I am not the story teller like many of the fine folks on this site. I am a picture taker and I take lots of them because to me when memories begin to fade I want to be reminded of times such as these.

We make a 750 mile drive from SC to La with my boat(s) in tow and attract some unusual looks from folks who probably think we're a Cajun version of the Beverly Hillbilly's.View attachment IMG_E1521.JPG

I have this trip timed pretty well after all these years so we can fuel up and launch around safe light to head to camp which is approximately 18 miles away by water. (provided wind, rain, fog or a combination of the three don't delay our travel on the water) My son's and I are "zipped and clipped" as we leave the launch!
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We have to pack enough fuel, water and ice for a week downriver to run the generator and boat and as I have always told my son's "it's better to have too much fuel and not need it than to need fuel and not have it!" Actually, due to the unusual high temps, for the first time on a trip we ran low on drinking water and thankfully a fella in another camp made a run back upriver so we scored another 2 cases!
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I typically avoid opening weekend due to the respect for my local Cajun brothers and sisters as this is their time to enjoy the marsh and everything it has to offer without added pressure from an out of state hunters. "Life" has thrown a curve at most of my buddies in the deep South and unfortunately many couldn't even make it to hunt opening day. It also worked out perfectly this past week for both of my son's to come down with me!


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The beauty of these trips is the diversity of waterfowl, fish and wildlife. I hear so many talk about how disappointing their duck hunting trip was because the ducks "just didn't show up", "hadn't migrated down yet" or "everything was frozen over and the birds pushed on through". Our motto is "just take what the place gives you, nothing is guaranteed". We save gizzards and hearts from our ducks and coots and use the gizzards to run trotlines, catch fish and then set crab pots with fish carcasses.



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The end result is an INCREDIBLE crab feast the last night of our trip.



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We had to take an extra cooler to get the remaining boiled crabs home to split with a friend and my son picked his half and still harvested 3 + lbs of crab meat!
 
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I can't make this post without sharing how incredible our retriever did! "Cooper" is a beast and this is his 3rd hunting season. He did a phenomenal job holding while ducks were working, not "talking" when they landed in the decoys and staying steady after the shot! He has come a long way since his first season! I was concerned about the warmer temps due to alligators so we hunted very shallow flats on most hunts. It's a terrifying thought of losing a retriever to a gator which is why I don't bring Cooper on early season teal hunts.

These pictures speak for themselves!


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I started taking my boys to SE La when they were 6 and 9 years old. We used to tent camp for a week downriver back in the day of pre-paid phone cards. I would call my bride and tell her we were heading out when we left the launch. She wouldn't hear from us for a week. Talk about a trusting bride!
 
Paul

Sounds and looks like you've worked your way into a sweet hunting local and get to enjoy it with friends and family. Job well done!

Eric
 
That's a hunting trip anyone would enjoy.

Waterfowl and seafood all along side family and a great dog. What could make it much better.
 
I couldn't help but smile as I read this wonderful story about your Cajun annual trip with your sons. Thank you so much, Paul. It was truly appreciated. At one time it made me think of a time back in the 60s of running to Homer, AK,, finding a crab boat that had just docked and being told by the captain, "Take your pick of how many you want, they are $5.00 each." I was looking at some monster king crabs and we took 3 of them. Got out to the beach with our barrels,picked up drift wood, boiled some sea water, melted butter and enjoyed a feast. Back then there was an ad for Old Milwaukee Beer that said something like, "It can't get any better than this." That is what I thought of your story, Paul. It just coudln't get any better than that.
Al
 
My sons and I share the exact same sentiment! "It doesn't get any better than this.".....but then somehow it does! Folks that have never experienced a true shoreline lunch of fresh catch or fresh harvest can't even relate to what many of us are blessed to experience.
 
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