lsp267-duck hunting
Independently Speaking
Publication Date  10-7-99


     I went duck hunting this morning.
     Well, actually, I didn't.  I've discovered over the years that if
you go duck hunting,
sooner or later you kill a duck.  After you kill it, you have to wade
out into the cold water
to fetch it, carry it home, clean it, cook it, and then eat it while the
vegetarians in the
house stand around and hiss at you.  This has come to be far more work
than it's worth.
     Aside from all that the assortment of licenses you need adds up to
about $60.  I'm not
sure how many ducks I'd have to kill and eat to get my $60 worth, but
I'm pretty sure I'm
not that good a shot.
     I realize that sports and hobbies are supposed to be a waste of
money; that's is
probably the reason I've always been so bad at hobbies.  Hunting is
really the only sport
where there is some sort of actual return on investment.  I mean, just
think if I'd taken up
golf.  I'd have spent way more money over the years and all I'd have in
return is the
memory of wearing funny clothes while riding around in a goofy looking
go-cart.
       To make a long story short, I was out on our slough this morning
at sunrise, but I
wasn't actually carrying a gun.  I did have my camera along and I spent
the morning
wandering around taking pictures of the sunrise, the wildlife, and the
actual duck hunters.
     It was a very good morning on the old slough.   It wasn't such a
good day for duck
hunting.    One of the perverse parts of duck hunting is that the worst
weather imaginable
is usually the very best weather for duck hunting.  If you count the
numbers of ducks in
the bag as an indication of the quality of the hunt, a  cold day with
intermittent rain and a
hard wind out of the north is the perfect day for duck hunting.  Today
was nothing like
that.  It was cloudy and the forecast was for rain and blustery wind,
but  dawn was still
and peaceful, and even though there were clouds the sun rose red and
brilliant.  We live on
a big slough and there were three different groups of hunters out this
morning.  I've
always been fairly ruthless about who I give permission to hunt, this
slough is my front
yard after all,  and this morning was no exception.  There were two
father and son groups
and a couple of relatives.  I took a kind of goofy satisfaction in being
able to give them
this gift of mild pleasure.
     You know, that's what non-hunters usually miss.   A lot of people
who have never
hunted have this conception that the whole hunt is blood lust,
slaughter, and excitement.
Maybe for some people it is like that, but this morning on my slough it
was watching the
sun come up over an empty horizon, quiet conversation with people you
don't see enough
of  and the profound pleasure of sharing a hard-won skill with someone
younger.
     It was a great morning.  And I didn't even need to clean any ducks.

copyright 1999 Brent Olson

Several of Brent Olson's essays on life in the Midwest are collected in his new book: The Lay of the Land; A View from the Prairie, published by J&L lee Co., PO Box 5575, Lincoln NE 68505. ( 888-665-0999).

He enjoys feedback, and if the sows aren't farrowing or the beans don't need to be sprayed he may even respond. He can be reached at: bolson@infolink.morris.mn.us

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