by Kyle Wintersteen - Monday, December 16, 2013
Now here's a parade float we can all appreciate. Nicknamed "Duck the Halls" by its creators, the waterfowl/hunting/Duck Dynasty-themed float was on display at the Chesapeake, Va., Christmas parade.
"Just a few years ago only hunters would've appreciated our handiwork," said Erinn Otterson. (Name sound familiar? You've read about his other antics here.) "But thanks to the popularity of Duck Dynasty, a lot of people cheered the float. It was a big hit, really funny."
Otterson—who's dressed in the photo below as either Uncle Si or Aging Hippie Duck Hunter—built the float with Chris Mowery and Brett Wayman, all of whom are employees of Chesapeake Bay Tree Incorporated.
"We wrapped chicken wire around Chris' duck boat [a 20-foot scissor rig] and brushed it up," Otterson explained. "Then we added Christmas ornaments, lights, twelve full-body decoys, a MOJO teal and a MOJO mallard. We put Santa hats on the decoys, too—I think that was a nice touch."
Otterson's wife, Jody, and Mowery's wife and kids tossed candy to spectators while Otterson, Mowery and Wayman blew duck calls.
Perhaps best of all, the men hunt a river nearby.
"Once we were done, Chris ripped the chicken wire off his boat and went scouting that afternoon," Otterson said. "A couple days later we shot bluebills, scoters and a gadwall about four miles from the parade route."
