Posted by Ken OR on March 20, 2001 at 10:28:20 p.m.:
I learned to hunt ducks as a kid in southwest Oregon. Dad taught me how to jump hunt ducks along creeks and ditches in the Rogue Valley, and dad's friend Ed, (from Lake Charles, LA) took us to hunt in the Klamath marsh. I have since suffered through college, the early years of working, lack of hunting access, and the lack of a dog, all of which kept me from hunting ducks. The first two issues are now long since past, and the last has been eliminated by the addition to a yellow pup just over a year ago. My efforts to hunt ducks the last two seasons were fruitless, but at least I got out and saw a few, even if at great yardage. Just darned few ducks here this year, until about the end of the season. The dog was ready, but I didn't even manage one retrieve for her. For her sake, and for the sake of my sanity, I have determined to go to the ducks next year whereever they may be (assuming we get some rain before January next season).
I have been in the mid-Willamette Valley now for two years. I have access to a few ponds (I'm working to improve their appeal to our feathered friends) and creeks on local farms. There are also publicly owned wetlands, sloughs on the Willamette River, and there is always the option of a road trip to the Klamath Marsh. For each of these, a boat is almost essential. Therefore, I've started on some needed repairs to the "old pink canoe". (Actually it is oxidized red; I wouldn't want some of you good old boys thinkin I'd actually own a pink canoe.) My dad and I used the old pink canoe to get around in the marsh for several years, but making it invisible to ducks required lots of burlap, patience, and time. Since it was red, we had to totally cover it up when we got out to sit on our buckets in the bull rush. If we decided to move our set, or to paddle around and jump hunt when the ducks were not flying, then we had more hassles. I decided to cammo paint the canoe to reduce the effort to conceal it. A web search brought me to this site. The info and pics here have been so valuable. It has inspired me to build a boat. A larger one could handle the Willamette and Columbia rivers, which I someday hope to hunt. But, I will likely start with something like a marsh boat or scull boat.
I did not check out the forum until it was to be shut down. Happened to check back several weeks later and was pleased to find it up and running. I have been lurking a few times since, and it is probably about time that I sign in. I am trying not to get bit by the decoy bug. The pics posted here make me want to try that too, but I'm resisting for now. Some other interests include my wife and boys (3 & 5), retriever training (hunt trials this summer), mtn biking, wetlands conservation/enhancement/regulation, and house/yard work. The latter are not really interests, but they consume a lot of my time. Other quary I pursue include black-tail deer, Roosevelt and Rocky Mtn elk, upland birds, and Geese. Usually I get bear and cougar tags, just in case. I aspire to hunt turkey, and pronghorn antelope, but that would require additional artillary. So many species ... so little time.
Thanks to Eric and the other contributors to this site!