Share the love: Enjoy the new Hunt Log!

Hey Guys,

We just completed a major change to the Hunt Log. We made these changes after considerable thought, and remembering that a real hunt log has two main reasons for being.

The second and far less important reason (that I'm afraid I've unintentionally encouraged to dominate) is to share duck numbers with all club members so that we feel we can make somewhat informed in making hunt selections. Sadly, these numbers can be pretty misleading due to some of our blinds that just haven't been given a decent chance to rack up the numbers they are capable of... These numbers are made even more misleading due to some folks who hardly ever seem to log their hunts. (YES, I'm complaining here!!)

The first and most important reason for having a hunt log is to record great memories. In recognition of this, next time you look at the Hunt Log, you'll see that hunt comments are being displayed in full. It made me happy to see the log entries where people really put some love into their hunt description... I hope more people will lean into their entries and help make this Hunt Log something that we'll each want to print out and keep at the end of each season.

I'll wrap this up with a few entries from my father's hunt log. Even though he's no longer with us, the memories he recorded in his hunt log still are. And they inspire me.

1-2-88: Todd (Lundy) & David went in extremely cold weather. While de-icing the decoys, David fell out of boat! Walked on water after doing a hand stand on the bottom! Found out about hypothermia. Good thing we had dry clothing & heat in our blind. In the process, he dropped the outboard overboard to be retrieved at a later date.

1-17-94: This has been a magnificent season. Not in terms only of ducks collected, though that has been of note, but mainly in terms of the people I’ve had the pleasure of hunting with.
... As always, my boys David, Jason, Hunter and Jay, have been a joy to me as I watch them partaking of God’s nature in the noble pursuit of ducks and geese. I enjoy their banter at an easy shot missed or a difficult shot made. Their fellowship with their aging father is much appreciated. While I can still keep up with them and, in certain cases, am still their master, I can sense a “changing of the guard.” They now do for me in a way that, in years past , I did for them. Simple things like allowing me to rest on the way home. Pushing the boat when it’s too shallow to float.
Their friends have become my friends and I have wonderful memories of John May shooting his first duck. Mike Johns getting his first banded duck and the dry observations of Mike True as he picks up and regurgitates every small detail in his own peculiar way. His story of John May shooting his own dead duck, will live on in infamy and will be retold many times, especially when John is around and in front of a new audience.

1-7-95: David and I left Memphis about 4:00 A.M. for a weekend at the Lucky 10. Going alone with David is always a special time, as we always have plenty to talk about and a treasury of memories that we share together. Also, I tell him stories of hunts that I’ve had in the past with buddies now gone and he shares with me about the hunts he goes on when I’m not there. He has a growing list of hunting pals and memories quite apart from me. David will be thirty this month and is truly “on his own.” It is my privilege to be a part of his memory making.

1-14-95: Hunter and I camped out in the new camper with the objective of shooting a few ducks and entertaining our sweeties on the last day. Spending alone time with a grown son (as man to man) is a special thing for a father and I am very thankful that I was determined to make this possible by making the investment of time many years ago. While it would have been fun to just hunt with the “Buds” instead of dragging along three boys who often fought and fussed at each other, thereby making many hunts miserable for me, the investment has paid off. As long as I’m able, I will have sons who love me and who love to hunt with me!

12-3-95: Another banner day. What made this one so very special, was my guest selection. Yesterday, Gates (Dad's first grandson) turned four. Today, he went on his first real duck hunt. He has often pretended to go, but this was his first time with “Dave, Dad or Grampee”, depending on what he is calling me at the time! Everyone said he was too young, but it was a warm day and he did great. Also took his dad, and Jay Cothran and Jim Dickenson, who has hunted very little. We shot very poorly and ended up with just 5 ducks. Had a great time and worked many flocks before it went cloudy and dark about 9:30. Honey hole was our blind. Hunter and Andy played cards all night at the Christmas Tree lot and decided to join us for hunt when they realized it was 3:00 A.M. and Pop was getting up.

Happy Hunting my friends!

moo