I am the wife of a hunting and fishing guide but also the mother of 3 boys, ages ranging 4 to 14. The three boys keep me busy while my husband heads off at crazy hours in pursuit of a happy client and the next dinner. I have joined him on a few occasions to hunt pheasant, most often enjoying being the observer rather than the hunter. Well today was my day. We will be hunting ducks and geese off the shores of our beautiful state.
“Get up as early as possible”, I was told. My natural clock was only capable of waking me at 7:00am. “This is doable”, I was told, and from there I began getting layers and muck boots aligned for the foreseeable future. In the morning we got the children dressed and prepared for their adventures with their grandparents. It is a cold morning, but not seasonally cold. Almost 10 degrees warmer, somewhere in the 40′s. But the cold air smells salty and alive. The water is still blue, and happily so is the sky. The grass on the marsh is dormant but beautifully painted near the shore. It rests in thick patches that have been laid down by the wind, each taking direction from where the tide left it behind. It looks vibrant with its’ bright golden yellow color, for even on the dullest of days contrasting all that comes near.
My husband set some decoys out to hopefully attract some passerby’s, and positions the dogs at attention while we assent to the blind which, thankfully is facing the sun. After a few minutes we call the dogs to join us and sit on the opposite bench to peer out and join in on the beginning of our hunt. They sit silent and begin to look up and down the river intently.
The Rhode Island winter is usually dull, lack luster, and at times difficult. Minimal sunshine, cold, lifeless,…..wait, did I say lifeless? Winter doldrums lead to daydreaming of lush and long summer days. Maybe hibernation is what suits this season best? That is how I felt about Winter, until today….
Unless you go outside you will not see all that is there, and all that is there is very alive and beautiful despite the season. You will not see the intriguingly brilliant crows, the stealthy and majestic hawks, the geese, and many varieties of diver duck and sea birds taking formation in the sky. Perhaps you will see an occasional glimpse of a river otter, or if you’re lucky, a seal basking in the sunshine on a rock. The life cycle in our region is constantly changing and the food sources also change for those who visit in the winter and those that stay year round.
On this hunt we were joined by 2 of our 3 amazing retrievers. Dutch who’s 2, and his mother Tiller, who is only 4 years old. My passion for this sport begins with my amazement of the working dog. It is a thrill to see our Labradors looking to the sky as the geese fly over, with their ears and eyes alert. This is one of the many “birdie” signs that make denying this breed of its natural instinct seem neglectful. Their desire to be put to work, to hunt, and retrieve is so apparent. To let them do what they were bred to do is an amazing sight, and gift to both retriever and hunter. This day they did not behave as they do at home, goofily begging for some attention, or sitting on my feet. They steadily sat still, strong and very alert. There was no doubt they knew exactly what we were doing. They were all business and full of self control. I had a hard time at first looking away and trying to see if any birds were coming our way. They fascinated me. We were working together on the same team.
Another passion for the sport is my enjoyment of shooting guns. There is certainly a rush of excitement but, above all is what it provides for my family. Wild game is delicious if prepared properly. It is something on our plate that is local, organic, and fresh. An uncaged protein that is antibiotic free. A dinner that was harvested where little to no gas was burned or purchased to get to our plate. It did not travel by plane or truck. It was not loaded w/other produce and meats from some other country where regulations are unclear. It is simply locally harvested. It makes sense. This animal has breathed the same air and shared the same climate and environment as I. This is what makes sense and is most natural for the needs of our bodies.
My husband spotted the first flock coming our way, it was a half dozen or so of geese. I got excited and nervous and made some fast movements that may have alerted the flight to veer off just enough that it made for a difficult shot. Before I could actually do anything they were gone. Perhaps nerves got the best of me? These movements were brought to my attention and helped to make future movements more thoughtful. While waiting, I could hear the grunts of the swans and watched the hawks soar overhead. The second group that came our way were black ducks and this time they were a bit far but my enthusiasm would not be held back. I carefully made an attempt and shot. I had overwhelming feelings of fear and adrenaline each time I fired the shotgun. Sadly this group made it free from my dinner plate tonight. After the shots the dogs were looking to us eagerly, awaiting the call of command. They were definitely disappointed in my miss and so was I. We had only one more flight of birds pass by. An acrobatic flight of bufflehead. Their flight is so close to the surface of the water you would expect to see ripples as they pass. However, once again I missed.
At the end of the morning I did not want to leave the blind. I enjoyed each moment and I wanted another opportunity to shoot. But it was time to get warm and catch up with the kids. The day made me realize that my husband’s passion is not so easy. It requires more than just skill, time and patience. It requires more than the appreciation and knowledge of the hunted. It requires more than knowing the tides, temperatures, and wind direction. Preparation for the day is much more than just the clothing, gear and care for the equipment. It is knowing what the bird feeds on, when they may take flight, and when they’re most likely to rest. It is the year round time we put into training our dogs. And also the respect and understanding of state laws and regulations.
At the end of the day exhaustion came over me. I was fighting the desire to sleep in order to tend to the needs of my family. Thank god I don’t have to do this every day! I am however, looking forward to next weekend and maybe, just maybe I will put my dogs to work.
a short cruise to our spot and set the decoys (By the way, anyone who has set Sea Duck decoys knows how quickly everything can become a tangled mess!). Luckily (for Tommy) everything went perfectly smooth. We even had a few minutes before shooting light to settle in and enjoy a beautiful Narragansett Bay sunrise.
was a banded drake – we were ecstatic!! The next bird was a banded hen – then a few birds later another banded drake!! I had never seen a banded eider – I would never have dreamed we would pull three in one hunt!
steamed back to the launch. This was one of those hunts where everything just came together perfectly – a truly memorable day on the water.
