New blog / rails

jode hillman

jode hillman

Well-known member
My new website is just about finished.

I thought some of the Duck boat members might enjoy reading the blog I am writing.

Sometimes it is sales related, but most of the time it is just musings and stories I have experienced in the outdoors.

Hence the name "The Meadows Edge.

For those unawares the term "Meadows" is old New Jersey parlance For our grassy tidal estuaries, both on the bay and oceanside. Football fans may have heard of of "Meadowlands " stadium. There are still lots of ducks and pheasants there FYI!

Enjoy!

www.hillmandecoys.com

The Meadows Edge: Blog — HILLMAN DECOYS

Uniquely written Blog by outdoorsman Jode Hillman. Read updates about decoy carving, hunting and fishing pursuits, as well as other topics relevant to those interested in wildlife art, hunting, foraging, wild game cooking etc.
www.hillmandecoys.com www.hillmandecoys.com
 
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Very nice articles Jode. Funny how many of us love rail shooting. The decoys are super, especially the Knot. My dad loved to make and collect shorebirds. I always think of him when I see a nice shorebird.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Very nice articles Jode. Funny how many of us love rail shooting. The decoys are super, especially the Knot. My dad loved to make and collect shorebirds. I always think of him when I see a nice shorebird.
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Thanks! I love all our shorebirds, but the knots on the Delaware bay are spectacular in the spring.

On the rail front, The first good tides of the month should hit this week.
 
jode hillman said:
Thanks! I love all our shorebirds, but the knots on the Delaware bay are spectacular in the spring.

On the rail front, The first good tides of the month should hit this week.
Click to expand...
I've spent a bit of time along the river and in the Rehoboth area. My wife grew up across the bridge from you, just outside Wilmington. You guys have some awesome big marshes. The marshes here are miniscule by comparison.

The new skiff goes to the marsh tomorrow or Tuesday. My buddy has a rack on the bank of a creek where we hunt the rail. I'm hoping for an east wind, looks good for Tuesday.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
I've spent a bit of time along the river and in the Rehoboth area. My wife grew up across the bridge from you, just outside Wilmington. You guys have some awesome big marshes. The marshes here are miniscule by comparison.

The new skiff goes to the marsh tomorrow or Tuesday. My buddy has a rack on the bank of a creek where we hunt the rail. I'm hoping for an east wind, looks good for Tuesday.
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Awesome! Exciting and good luck
 
Good stuff. That Eakins picture seems familiar to me, but I don't recall seeing it since I picked up a shotgun ~20 years ago. I think I might have seen it at Boston Museum Of Fine Arts in a big travelling "American Paintings" show I went to on a high school field trip. I know I saw a bunch Eakins rowing paintings there.
 
jode hillman said:
My new website is just about finished.

I thought some of the Duck boat members might enjoy reading the blog I am writing.

Sometimes it is sales related, but most of the time it is just musings and stories I have experienced in the outdoors.

Hence the name "The Meadows Edge.

For those unawares the term "Meadows" is old New Jersey parlance For our grassy tidal estuaries, both on the bay and oceanside. Football fans may have heard of of "Meadowlands " stadium. There are still lots of ducks and pheasants there FYI!

Enjoy!

www.hillmandecoys.com

The Meadows Edge: Blog — HILLMAN DECOYS

Uniquely written Blog by outdoorsman Jode Hillman. Read updates about decoy carving, hunting and fishing pursuits, as well as other topics relevant to those interested in wildlife art, hunting, foraging, wild game cooking etc.
www.hillmandecoys.com www.hillmandecoys.com
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Jode~

I did not read this wonderful tale 'til just now - I was saving it because I wanted to savor it.

Thanks for giving us all a fine appreciation of this grand old sport. I do not have any rail art in my home - but Eakins' Whistling for Plover adorns our living room. Sadly, most Clapper Rails were gone from Great South Bay by the time I could pursue them.

I also have many memories of watching and photographing families of Soras on the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin back in '76. The refuge (NWR) had drawn the marsh down and the families would come right out onto the open mudflats - along with Common Snipe - whilst Northern Phalaropes spun around on the water behind them.

I also recall encountering one Sora within a yard of me in a western NY cattail swamp. I could clearly see the waxy look of that spectacular yellow bill. I do not know hat he thought of my beak....

See you in about 3 weeks!

SJS
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Good stuff. That Eakins picture seems familiar to me, but I don't recall seeing it since I picked up a shotgun ~20 years ago. I think I might have seen it at Boston Museum Of Fine Arts in a big travelling "American Paintings" show I went to on a high school field trip. I know I saw a bunch Eakins rowing paintings there.
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Jeff, that painting is probably my favorite of the ones Eakins has done depicting Rail hunting. The bright yellow of the meadow captures perfectly a field of yellow flower, ( beggar's tick.) That Rail love so much. The frequent it as much as Rice.

The original is at the Metropolitan in New York but I am sure it has probably traveled on display.
 
Steve Sanford said:
Jode~

I did not read this wonderful tale 'til just now - I was saving it because I wanted to savor it.

Thanks for giving us all a fine appreciation of this grand old sport. I do not have any rail art in my home - but Eakins' Whistling for Plover adorns our living room. Sadly, most Clapper Rails were gone from Great South Bay by the time I could pursue them.

I also have many memories of watching and photographing families of Soras on the Horicon Marsh in Wisconsin back in '76. The refuge (NWR) had drawn the marsh down and the families would come right out onto the open mudflats - along with Common Snipe - whilst Northern Phalaropes spun around on the water behind them.

I also recall encountering one Sora within a yard of me in a western NY cattail swamp. I could clearly see the waxy look of that spectacular yellow bill. I do not know hat he thought of my beak....

See you in about 3 weeks!

SJS
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Steve. Great memories! Have the clappers made any type of come back on great South Bay? They are extremely abundant around Tuckerton and all throughout the New Jersey coastal marshes. There are very few people who Chase them.

Sora are quite entertaining! And generally hard to see. I bet that was an enjoyable experience.

I have some friends that like to push and flush them take pictures and video Don't even shoot anymore! And that's OK with me.

Sora are like peanuts you, need a bunch before you're full.

See you soon!

Here's a fine picture my friend Joe took. The Rail lived to see another day
 

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