doublegunshop.com - home Forums General Discussion DoubleGun BBS @ doublegunshop.com Duck clubs, have any stories?

I would say that they were concerned with the idea, and me being a guest and all.
Besides, I do as much loafing around as actual hunting.
I shoot ducks on my own place, so not much of a big deal either way.
I shot one duck last year - but could have filled my bag on many days. They just wing by, while I have coffee and bear claws.
The dogs are even bored with me!

Duck Hunting Clubs will have a hard time surviving in the future and not for reasons of money. Our Duck Hunting Club is as much about friends, the natural world, guns, dogs and the opportunity to kill wild ducks. Let me contrast it with what the future holds from my observations. A very rich shopping center developer bought up the marsh and 5000 acres to the north of our duck hunting club. The property was a small duck hunting club and a few large dairy farms. It didn’t take long for things to start changing in a big way. Up went the high fences; in came the whitetail and elk breeding stock. The tower shoot bird pens were next along with the pheasant pens. Next came the deer stands with heat and satellite TV. A giant resort club house with a walleye lake and an artificial trout stream. This guy and his friends are interested in big antlers and big bag limits, it’s all about the numbers. They want to hunt for a few hours, kill lots of stuff and get back to the office. Old time traditional duck hunts don’t/won’t appeal to this new generation. It’s like the difference between Gene Hill and American Hunter Magazine. In today’s world people want big and fast. Old time duck clubs were all about slowing the world down and enjoying friends etc. I think there will always be people who are interested in vintage guns and hunting in a more traditional manner, but they will be in the minority.

Craig, It is a sad prediction to be sure and one that is based on observation and jusified prediction. I am a member of a waterfowl fraternity, however I seem a little odd to the others. I paddle a canoe or row a boat when the wind is to high to safely paddle. I have avoided the mudmotors etc. so far but one day I may see the light of logic and spare myself some sore shoulders and late returns. I use a mixture of very old and I admit some modern decoys, shoot 100 year old doubles and load my own lp ammo. I rise early and make a good 6 to 8 hours each outing if my schedule permits. My freinds all shoot semi autos and keep track of how quick they can accumulate the limit. I pick and choose by species and drakes only if my eye sight serves me well. I love to watch my dog make incredible retrieves and get a kick out of getting birds to decoy to my set. I still build blinds and generally muck about in the marsh watching and listening and restoring my soul. I don't begrudge others their more efficient pursuits. The clubhouse is gone now but we may build another. We have been using a wall tent and stove for weekend outings but even that is changing with the guys bringing portable cots, gas heaters, barbeques etel. Most won't come out if it is below freezing, just too much work. Still it is a joy to be in the marsh on a wind blown day with birds with weather bred wind driving them past in the rain, sleet and snow. I did convert one member to my approach and he laughs most of the time at the fun he is having. My sons will join me this year ( or that is the plan ) and we will enjoy some old camp style comraderie some fun filled kidding and a pull at the oars in the predawn.

From what I can remember, our new Cabela's and it's huge parking lot may have paved it's way over some of the area's traditional duck and goose hunting grounds.
Times maybe changin', but it doesn't mean I have to!
Gotta get the most, from the duck seasons left to you.
Don't rush the seconds you have.

slate: Alberta is one of the last best places on earth in my opinion, the duck hunting is great but the people are even better. Alberta is the way my dad and grandfather remember my east coast home, trusting, friendly, down to earth folks. I hunted the Stettler area a few years back and smile every time I think of it. I am sure Alberta is changing fast with all the energy money and new Canadians. Lowell has it right times are a changin, but we don't have to.

Lowell,
For the last three years I've been privileged to hunt ducks on the Cache River in Arkansas with friends who own some land there. I take my HE Fox each year with three-inch Bismuth loads. We hunt a blind that is on a crook of the river that has been in place and hunted since the 1930's. We put the boat in at the public landing and pass right by a blind called Trapper's Island on the way in and out. Nash Buckingham killed ducks on this same spot with his big Foxes. Much tradition thereabouts. The boats and dekes look different than in Nash's day, but at least one gun, the swamp, the ducks and the some of the men are cut from the same cloth.

Thanks for starting the thread.

These are great stories about great places. My "duck club" is mostly devoted to fishing nowadays but "Ocean Pond Fishing and Hunting Club" has been around since the 1890s. The clubhouse was built in 1904. The water includes 5 natural lakes and marsh totaling some 750 acres. Most of the land has been sold over the years because it was too expensive to hold. The birds are mostly ringnecks or woodies, but I've shot some of about everything over the last 50 years I've hunted Ocean Pond.

The early members traveled from Macon and Valdosta by train to Lake Park and were ferried from the railroad station to the clubhouse by a small steam-yacht. There are pictures of the steam boat and the premises in the clubhouse. My grandfather bought his share in 1919 when he settled in Valdosta after returning from France after WW-1.

The clubhouse and it's cooks/caretakers are famous in Georgia for fine cuisine. Fishing is outstanding.

The main lake drained itself in 1993 when a sinkhole went out. I walked the lake bed while it was dry and found old sunken cypress plank boats in perfect shape, lots of arrowheads, tons of anchors, two old tackle boxes complete with old wooden lures, a dugout conoe dateing back to Indian days and numerous other Indian artifacts.

One of my sons needed a science project at the time and he and I went to one area where I had found the bottom covered with what I thought were Indian pottery shards. We picked up a bucket of pottery pieces for the science project and noticed that most of the pottery was glazed with a green finish on the inside. It turned out that this was Spanish Olive Jar instead of Indian pottery. I discussed the find with our local University archeologist and the find led to the rediscovery of a Spanish Mission which was known from Church archives in Spain but the location of which had been unknown. The mission dated from the 1500s but had been "lost" for 400 years.

Sorry for the long post, but I thought this might be of interest...Geo

My club was formed in 1923 by a small group from San Antonio and has been in continuous operation since that time. Located on the middle Texas coast in years when the prairie is dry and the cold fronts are frequent our shooting for Redheads, Pintails, Gadwall, Widgeon, and Teal can be "like the old days" . When I first hunted at St. Charles over 30 years ago the sought after strap was 10 Bull Sprig and many was the day that such straps where produced. Now i realize 10 ducks a day are too many and a full limit is not the primary goal. We are also blessed with fine fishing of Speckled Trout (Spotted Sea Trout) and Red Fish (Red Drum) not only in the off season but all through the year. During the season if the weather is not right for shooting it is likely that it is perfect for fishing. If you care to please visit our website: stcharlesbayclub.com

Duck hunting can be a rough on your constitution - wild game in wet places. One needs to ward off the elements with a comfy fire, and a dash o' something stonge in nice surroundings.
Btw, this lodge was just miles from downtown St. Louis - a short train ride and your outta the choking city and onto the ponds!