Season of Challenges Ends in Triumph

by
posted on January 30, 2014
** When you buy products through the links on our site, we may earn a commission that supports NRA's mission to protect, preserve and defend the Second Amendment. **
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (5)

On paper the 2013-2014 waterfowl season was primed to my best ever. My friends had secured permission for us on two great new properties. Duck population statuses were looking solid. I had some good hunting trips lined up to supplement my local pursuits. And by early October we were already getting the right kind of weather to move the first migrators.

Then on October 12, I tore my achilles. Three days later I was looking at an MRI as the surgeon delivered sobering news: "No duck hunting for you this year."

Long story short, the surgeon was wrong.

Thanks to my hunting buddies—who drove nearly an hour out of their way to pick me up and essentially carried me into the field—I shot two local mallards within days of my injury. Thank you Tyler, Nick, Ben, and Jake—there's honestly no words to express my gratitude.

Then came surgery. And once again in defiance of medical advice, I was crutching afield. However, I spent most of it admiring sunrises rather than shooting ducks. Which wasn't truly all that bad, especially considering my only alternative was sitting on the couch.

I even found that sitting on your rear end with your leg in a splint has certain advantages. For instance, it was a convenient excuse to kick back and relax while others put out decoys.

It certainly isn't conducive to good shooting, but I did have opportunity to watch others shoot ducks.

Then on December 12 I took my first limp-tastic, crutch-free steps. It's no coincidence that within 72 hours I was Maryland-bound to hunt with a guide who "always" puts me onto ducks. Over the next three days, I shot this mallard—and nothing else.

Not exactly as many ducks as we had hoped for, but a fun trip nonetheless. And I had a hunt planned 10 days later at Mississippi's famed Beaver Dam—but after a winter storm hit, Delta Airlines informed me I'd be able to arrive in camp on approximately the day I was scheduled to leave. Twelve hours later I received the dreaded text: All hunters in camp shot limits of mallards and pintails. They did so again on days two and three.

I was convinced I was snakebitten. Maybe I just wasn't supposed to shoot any ducks this year. But then a call came in from my buddy Erinn Otterson, who reported that a January cold snap had driven thousands of canvasbacks to the Virginia Beach area. As I've detailed on this blog, the canvasback is my white whale. And, while it seemed my odds of shooting so much as a merganser weren't looking strong, I figured there was little to lose.

So, I packed up my shotgun ... and spent two days shooting canvasbacks. I bagged not only my first bull canvasback—after three decades of trying—but my second and third as well.

And this photo of Tyler Coleman's first can is easily my favorite on the year.

We ate some of the cans (save the one I intend to mount) later that evening, grilled to medium rare perfection, along with fresh oysters and bluebill wontons. Without question it was the best meal I've ever had. And, despite this season's hardships, shooting my first canvasback allows me to look back on the year with complete satisfaction.

Latest

2025 NRA World Shooting Championship
2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

KelTec Named Official Stage Sponsor for 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship

The National Rifle Association of America (NRA) is proud to announce KelTec as an official sponsor of the 2025 NRA World Shooting Championship, returning to Camp Atterbury, Ind., from September 30 to October 4, 2025.

Thompson/Center Arms Celebrating 60th Anniversary

Thompson/Center Arms is celebrating its 60th anniversary in 2025. Since 1965, T/C Arms has built a legacy rooted in the pioneering spirit of American hunters.

Federal Ammunition Awards 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships

Federal Ammunition recently awarded the 2025 Tom Knapp Memorial Scholarships to two 4-H shooting sports teen ambassadors: Lucy Evans from Georgia and John Bruner from Pennsylvania.

Head to Head: 7x57mm Mauser vs. .30-06 Springfield

I’ve had more than a few requests for this Head to Head, so I figured it was high time to pit two of the early 20th century’s most popular military cartridges against one another. Let's dive into the 7x57mm Mauser vs. the .30-06 Springfield.

NRA Hunter Education FREE Online Course Now Available in Louisiana

The National Rifle Association of America’s award-winning free Hunter Education online course is now available in the State of Louisiana, the latest addition as NRA works to make the course available to hunters in all 50 states.

Moultrie Updates Line of Game Feeders

Moultrie has expanded the capacity of its line of feeders, and bettered the cameras' integration with the company's connected technology to streamline the feeding process.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.