life's lessons

[Gordie]

My son of 15 years had learnd the hard way about the balance you have in a duck boat.

We were faceing west went this wood duck sails in from the North directly above our heads so we stand up and my son is twisted off balance and fires and misses and I am looking at the bird and I shoot and the next thing I hear is SPLASH and I quickly look over and see my boys face with that deer in the headlights look as it goes under and all I see is his feet kicking and as a concerned father I was just about to jump in after him, When he surfaces and again that OH **&^$%^ look on his face and I asked him if he was alright he said yes and I said get in the boat so you can dry off as he grabs th e doggie dock he looks at me and I ask wheres my Gun ... Yep You guessed it and I really got that OH...Look from him and we pulled him in the boat. he stripped down and put on a dry coat and he said he wasnt hurt and how bad he felt about the gun.

I assured him the gun wasnt important but his saftey and My concern was for him. Then he said Dad I will jump back in and look for the gun I said no will find it with out that. I have a 10 ft piece of conduit with a bend thats about a foot long on one end and began probing for it it took about 10 min to come up with it. but it was retrived.

I ask Joey if he wanted to head in and he said No Im not cold at all and the ducks were still flying so we should stay for awhile yet.

He's a trooper and he never complained one bit.

He did say that I now understand what you mean by watch your balance in the boat when standing up

When we got back to the truck and all loaded up and pulling out I said to him ...sniff sniff something smells like swamp and I dont think its the dog smiled at him and said I love you in which he said I FELL IN THE SWAMP shacking his head..

Told him that every waterfowler at sometime or another has gone in the drink or fill the waders up and that you are not alone and WELCOME TO THE WONDERFULL WORLD OF DUCK HUNTING

I also told him he was lucky that it wasnt November yet cause thats when the water is really cold and I'm talking from experience

[lindy rig]

Congrats on a milestone for your son and a wonderful memory for you both

[TruthWalleyes]

That sounds like a fun day!

Glad to hear he handled it SO well. Memories for a lifetime!

I had a similar experience 3 years ago with a buddy. He climbed out of the canoe and sunk us...I wasn't as kind as you! I taught him a lesson. About 4 hours later i finally gave in to his shivvers and headed in He won't do it again i guarantee it!! (And this was Late LATE in the season)

[surewood]

Reminds me of one of my friends. Early season hunt we were setting out dekes. My brother and I in our canoe and him in his which I can't remember why, but he called his canoe the Harley Davidson. He ended up falling out losing his balance throwing out dekes. So we get set up on the shore no one spoke a word for about ten minutes and I said "hey Shawn, tip your hog?". My brother and I laughed, he wasn't so impressed.

[nobody05]

Last season brought some "new" hunting buddies out. They were not to smooth with the walking in the muck in waders nor hunting out of a canoe! So we put one expirenced guy with a newbie in each canoe. Well guess what happend I leaned one way he over corrected the other did a couple "rock the boat's" and off I went!! It happends but all in all Life's a dance ya learn as ya go!

[BrdHunter01]

Opening day this year, my cousin decided to stand up in the boat and move to the front to "prevent the motor from getting tangled in more weeds" needless to say he fell out f the boat going wide open and brought his gun w him! Haha I wasn't in the same bait but he almost capsized the whole boat. The look on his face was priceless as he was doing the doggy paddle until he realized it was only 2 feet deep. After about 10 mins of walking around trying to feel for the gun he did retrieve it. Just for the record they did overheat the motor on the way in because it got clogged w weeds and wasn't spitting water haha.

I also took a dip in the water in late November, i tripped over a stick whille setting out dekes. I decided to stick it out though cuz I could hear the mallards buzzing over head before shooting time. We had an 8 man limit of mallards in no time! Was the best duck hunting I've ever had! There were so many ducks and shooting going on i never once was cold, even though there was ice forming all around us! Memories that will last forever...

[Lipriper84]

Haha, these are great,

I brought my buddie out for his first time hunting in a canoe. I let him sit in front as we paddled through some rice. I told him I would paddle and he could jump shoot. well 3 mallard got up on his right side. he is a right hander and instead of waiting for them to come across the front of the canoe he shifted his weight to the side of the canoe so he could shoot. I seen this all happen in slow motion and started to brace myself. He got one shot off and we went right over. It's pretty hard to swim with wadders on and I though I was going to have to ditch the shotgun in my hands but we mannaged to get back to the canoe. I was more surprized that we were both able to get back in the canoe in the water without tipping over again. Pretty funny, but now everytime I go with him in a canoe I get a little nervous everytime he shifts his weight a little. haha.

[gurkster]

I'll play. My 69 year old dad took the canoe out to retrive a goose he shot Sunday morning, as I wasn't close by (usually I get his birds, because I wear waders and he doesn't). Anyways, he is out paddling in about 3 feet of water, and leans over to get his goose, and you guessed it over he went. Capsized the canoe, big splash, comes up wet and mad!! He got out ok and found the humor in it after a bit. One of the funniest things I have seen in a while. Moral of the story is young or old, newbie or veteran it can happen to any of us, and often does at some point.