Posted by Michael Petitto on September 03, 1999 at 15:50:02:
Hi my name is Michael Petitto, I am a 37 year old life long resident of West Virginia and avid waterfowl hunter. I cut my eye teeth duck hunting on North Carolina’s Currituck Sound using a Model 12 20 gauge. My dad, brothers and I made a yearly pilgrimage to this famous gunning waters until the mid 80`s. Around about `78 or `79 I started using a model 1100 and I still shoot the same gun today. While WV is mot a waterfowlers Mecca it does offer great hunting to those willing to put forth the effort. My duck and goose hunting covers everything from hunting over blocks on reservoirs and the Ohio River, jump hunting small streams and rivers to hiking and camping while gunning beaver ponds along the Blackwater river in Canaan Valley.
I am fortunate to have a enthusiastic hunting partner named Hannah the Lab, she is a six year old 89 lb black lab that is a fantastic game dog as well a privileged member of our family and my constant pal. Hannah is the second lab that I have trained with the help of the late Richard Wolters.
I am a lover of duck boats ( my wife refers to it as “the sickness”) which is how I found this forum. I Have a 12’ simi vee, a 14’ canoe, a 14’ jon, and I am in the process of glassing a Pirogue that I have built from a kit from http://www.unclejohns.com/boat/ . While the pee row is not a “real” boat it has been a great starter project to get a little experience using epoxy and fiber glass.
When not waterfowl hunting I can be found pursuing Ruffed Grouse, doves, small game, and deer with a muzzle loader. From the close of waterfowl in Jan. to early summer I chase trout with a fly rod then it is crappie and cats through summer.
Greetings and good hunting, Michael