Hello.  My mind turned to hunting for a few minutes this morning, so I clicked on the internet, and perused my way to the Outerbanks Waterfowl site.  I was reading through the weekly log, and came to this Feb. 17 entry and whaddayaknow?  Our hunt with Les is the first mentioned, and declared “best day south of Oregon Inlet”.  That’s alright by me, and pretty daggum neat to see. 

How's this for a day's total bag?

Best day south of Oregon Inlet: 1/22/10.

Six red heads, 3 drake pintail, six widgeon (one of which is a Eurasian widgeon), a blue bill, 2 big male American black scoters and 4 brant.  To top the day off, they're limited by noon and one of the brant has a band on each leg.

http://www.outerbankswaterfowl.com/weekly_updates.htm

The theme of that morning was “epic”, as it truly had all of the right ingredients for a hunt that will live in the minds of the hunters for years to come.  One that will be recalled as a day when all of the pieces of the waterfowling puzzle were aligned perfectly.  Les was made a hero that day, and I hope the time comes when we can share a blind again.  The wind had turned and was blowing hard, the blind was re-located perfectly, the decoy placement was precise and effective, and the birds came.  We rose in unison to knots of Pintail at first, then Widgeon, Scoter, Brant, Blackheads, and Redheads.   Without a word spoken, we picked our birds based on our position in the blind; the lead man always allowing the groups of decoying fowl to get those few extra yards to provide shot opportunities for all.  Then we capitalized, and I can say that very few shots missed the mark that morning.  Les even managed a true Scotch  double that we all agreed was a fitting ending, as it filled his limit (we, the fares, were happy to watch as our straps were already full).  Les’s decoy placement was spot-on, and the birds repeatedly were at 10-25 yards back-peddling into the rig, affording us the opportunity to choose the biggest bull Pintails, and take a bag that was heavy to drakes. 

Then, the redheads made their appearance.  A small group here, a little larger flock there, then came what seemed like every member of the clan that had made their way to the sound that winter.  Stretched out for half a mile came flock after flock of redheads.  That view of the skyline over the open water will be one that I can recall in my mind’s eye for years to come. 

As if the sheer numbers and scenery in sight from that bobbing float blind were not enough, the hunt rewarded us with certain rarities that further implant this experience in our memory.  One group of a dozen or so Widgeon decoyed, and at the bottom of the flock, separate from the American Widgeon was a bird that stood out with a red head and breast.  It was clear as a bell hanging below the main knot of birds, and drew my focus and shot.  It was and remains the only Eurasion Widgeon I have ever laid eyes and hands upon.  As if that bird was not enough of a rarity, we also managed to each bag a Brant, one just happened to be banded – on both legs!  Truly a hunt for the ages.

It was a season to remember for us last year, and this particular hunt was no small part of that.  A hunt that inspired a decoy.  My first and only attempt at carving a Redhead gunner.

The second morning in Oregon Inlet, was not as glamorous.  Our guide for the day, Matt, was not as fortunate with regards to weather conditions, and we wound up with a “meager” bag of two Redheads and two Widgeon to show for an all day effort.  The birds just weren’t moving as well, and the wind had died down.  Fortunately, that morning, the only miss was a Bufflehead that we never saw coming, but we all got to watch him leave after 8 shots clued him in to the presence of hunters.  That’s duck hunting, though, and the reason we come back to it year after year- to pick up where we left off, to try again and again, to get all the parts of the equation just so, in hopes that the day will yield memories that will survive the seasons ahead. 

We retreated back south to hunt the flooded cutovers and cypress swamps provided by the swollen rivers in our area to finish out the last week of the season gunning Wood Ducks dipping and dodging their way in through the canopies, but then again a half dozen Summer Ducks in 15 minutes of hunting has its place as well.

Good times!  Thanks again, all.

I thought, perhaps a photo may be of use to you.  I hope I haven’t bored you with my recollection and email, I just wanted to convey to you my appreciation and enjoyment resulting from our brief time spent with the guides at Outerbanks Watefowl.  I truly hope to spend another day in a blind with Les Toler, because when you take away all of the circumstance, the uncontrollable aspects of any duck hunt, he was a pleasure to hunt with and knew his game well.  He is an asset to your operation.

 (note from Ellen.  Could not get the pictures to copy!)

I look forward to reading more on your Alaska adventure.

Brett

Camden, SC

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