Hoy7 Hunting Team: Founders Tour 2016-2017

The Altar

As you all know by now, the Founders Tour is a time when the OG's gather in the Idaho for a week of cilling pato and solving the world problems. This year when Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, picked me up at the airporto there was much promise in the air. Frigid temperatures, rain and snow were in the forecast. After getting our supplies in Spokane we head to the cabin to gather our gear, which Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, so graciously stores for me, for our next day slay. We head out to the Point for an OG slay day, it's chilly with no overcast and the harvest moon is bright. We set a great spread and settle in for the mass amount of ducks that are going to be dropping in any time now. The morning fly before cilling time was great, the world was waking up with a little frost on it's belly and wanting to warm up. There was a shot that brought down some feathers but that is it, as soon as it started it was over. We pack up our blocks and anticipation for the next day. Another fantastic day. On our way back to the cabin Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and I stop by our new digs to see what kind of provisions we will need for our three night stay. The cabin is perfectly stocked with everything we need.

Waiting For the Mass Amount of Ducks

The next day Clider joins us and we hunt the Blind. The water is up to levels that I have never seen before. Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and Clider built an A-1 blind complete with a bench that puts you right into the action. We unpack our Blocks and Anticipation with some promise of Fowl weather.

Definition of Fantastic Day-

A fantastic day is a day that you spend with your buddy watching mother nature, talking aboot world events and solving the world problems, and maybe seeing some ducks.

Bob Da Folder, Deucey Champion,
Taking the 5th

With another exciting pre morning fly behind us it is time to do what we came here for. The weather was cooperating, slight drizzle to full on rain with a mix of wind, perfect. Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, was the first to fold a drake widgeon, he's now tied for Expert status. Clider drops a drake widgeon. Clider is now the Expert! What a season un-Folding right before my very eyes, it's on! I get into the action and take a drake to pull me out of the negative and into even at "0". He was one tuff dude, I dropped him with a breast shot that spewed blood in slow motion. When he wen't down he had the energy of a man leaping over a small creek with a Mossberg in his hands wearing jeans. I put two more shots into him, no effect, swimming away. Clider was not going to have any of this disrespect, not in this Blind. Clider jumped out of Blind and was after him putting three more into him, finishing the job. The weather was perfect, it's looking like this week is going to be great. Many stories swapped a few walks taken, some shottens taken at Greenie and missed. Then out of nowhere a drake Teal flies in at mach speed and Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, drops it in its flight path! He's now tied for Expert status! This is unbelievable! But wait, the drakes woman is right behind him and Clider puts her with her man behind the bench, still tied at co-Experts. The day is getting long, with a warm 19th century pot belly stove stoked with white oak waiting for us, we decide to give it another 20 minutes. Well in that 20 minutes a made for t.v. National Geographic special on migration of ducks starts playing out in front of us on life's big screen. Ducks everywhere! Waiting for the most opportune time was key. A fat bottomed hen mallard drops in and with 2 3/4inches of ruffianly love she is down, easy-peasy retrieve for Peter the Butt. We pack up, Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and I head back to the deluxe cabin on the lake, to clean Clider's ducks. Clider heads back to the big city to sell his Ninja Turtles.

Widgeon Doing the 5K

Clider meets us at the parking lot in the morning to hunt the spacious blind at the Point. The morning weather brings us nothing special, where had all that ducky weather that we experienced yesterday gone? With the non- weather brought non-ducks. Another day of watching nature. We head home and head to the local drinking hole for some burgers, beers and foosball. After the delish lunch we drop off Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and head out for some scouting. We head out to Round lake and find five thousand wigeon feasting on the lakes offerings. What a sight, it was if the lake was boiling, the sound was deafening. We found the spot where we all shall take our limits tomorrow. We head back to the cabin and find Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, with Tom Foolery and have a night of good food, stories, and debauchery.

The next morning came early. After an easy hike in we put up make shift blinds and throw out a spread. Settle in and wait for the five thousand birds to fly over our spread to take our limits. Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and I sat in peace, nothing. Waiting for Clider to come back from another one of his epic walks Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and I decide to call it, we decide that it would be nicer to do and evening fly at the Blind. Lo and behold Clider makes it back to us, alive, with another drake widgeon, the new Expert. After giving Clider a respite from his epic journey we head back to deluxe cabin by the lake. We refuel, do some modest cleaning, pack the truck with our belongings, and head to the blind. We set out a minimal set of blocks and enjoyed a blue bird evening.

Bob DaFolder, Deucey Champion, and I make it home for some MNF, clean sheets and showers. We decide that we will take Tuesday off do some shooting at the dump, sightseeing and some junk shopping. I found many great deals on some vinyl. That evening we decided to play some Deucey and enjoy some delish sauce and ramble over the weeks events. Another great Founders Tour. I even made it to the airport 2 hours before my plane took off.