Donald Oakes


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Posted by Donald Oakes on May 24, 1999 at 18:26:35:

I am a third generation duck hunter,my Grandfather shot birds for the market in the early teens and 1920'sand still shot up until his death at 74 years old, my father was in his prime in the 1950's-1960's until my mom shut him down! I have shot almost always out of a sneakfloat, I have owned atleast 10 -15 floats in my short life-(31)- From joppa flats-to merrymeeting bays to essex rivers to merrimacs rivers to great bay floats. I hunt on the Great Bay in New Hampshire with my scull boat partner Pete Witham, We have a 22 foot Eastern skiff that is the mother boat, we tow out out great south bay boats for layout shooting and the scullboats to keep thing moving. I own 32 acres of marsh in Ipswich Mass. that I scull on during the late season. I like my grandfather anf father carve my own decoys. we use pine and cedar not to much of the cork.(I get the pine and cedar for free!!) I shoot over a large male chessie named Obediah good dog retreived over 200 birds in his life time- Guns I shoot an old GHE grade Parker-12 bore on a # 1 frame, also a Charles Daly 20 bore over and under-A F.N. double 12, pre war game gun and in the late season I take my grandfathers old Parker trojan out-12 bore 26" tubes, full and fuller!! I love the old ways of shooting birds. I fell a kinship to market hunters-there style not there limits! If in Maine during season -give me a shout I will show you my style of gunning- vintage- only way to go!! Cheers Donald