We hunted with Bust-A-Duck guide service, close to Des Ark, Arkansas and they couldn't have been any nicer. The accomodations were fine, the guide worked hard for us, and we had blast! We only killed 10 ducks in 3 days but my son bagged 2 and is hooked for life! We didn't fill the freezer but we got to see 3 beautiful sunrises, see some ducks, work some ducks, shoot at some ducks, see a lot of geese, help arrange decoys, catch a mouse in a pit blind, go to Macks in Stuttgart, see some deer, see a million stars at night, play a little playstation, grill some duck wrapped with bacon, grill a couple of ribeyes, laugh 'til our stomachs hurt, and have some genuine one on one coversation. You get to know your kid a little better when you spend 16 hours in a vehicle alone with them.
He was the consumate gentleman and the guide was especially impressed with his manners and his gun safety. Never once did I have to reprimand him. His chamber was always open and safety was always on when I did the spot check. You know you did the right thing when your son can't stop hugging you and thanking you for taking him on a trip like this. I swear I teared up that last night in camp, I just hated that it had to end.
As in most trips, the unexpected usually happens so gentlemen, take heed of the following event:
While standing in a pit blind in a flooded rice field, I happend to glance down at my shotgun that was leaning in the corner. I saw something in end of my barrel that sent my stomach to my feet. Worse than mud. The one thing no duck hunter ever wants to see at the end of his gun barrel....THREADS!!!! DAMMIT!!!! After carefully packing everything we would need for hunting plus everything we would need if the world happend to end while were were in a duck blind, being loaded up 4 days prior to our departure, having about 30 years of hunting behind me, AND considering myself a pretty decent hunter, I, yes I forgot to screw in the damn choke tube in my shotgun!!! That was just great to find out after driving 8 hours (one way) and 2 days into a 3 day hunt! You think Dr. B was a little ticked? Ah, "yeah" would be an understatement.
The guide came through though with a classic one-liner..."Well Doc, I guess that's one for the yearbook." We all cracked up and headed out. Thank goodness I wasn't sending 3 shells of hevishot out everytime I emptied the gun. And yes, the gun was fine. I screwed in the choke within in 10 minutes of arriving home!
As it turns out, my son is begging to go back to shoot a greenhead when they really start coming in. He couldn't care what the weather is, he just wants to shoot some more ducks! I think the boy is gonna turn out alright!
Enjoy the pics. They may be a little large but I'm an optometrist, not a computer genuis! My favorite is the one with the decoys and sunrise in the background.
Dr. B
Montgomery
Nice pictures and story......thanks for sharing it with us. 
