Unless Anyone Responds To This Post....................

this is how I will do my Blog updates from here on out.  If you miss the story telling, tips on how not to be hunting ducks, great timely updates on my hunting follies and wonderful pictures to go along with the story then just sit there and do nothing.  If however, you like the Blog, and want to see it go on in its current path, then all you have to do is comment in the comment section and tell me why you love it.  You can even remain anonymous.  If you are Fred G., Clider or Cliffy then I'm not buying it.  You must post.
Here goes:

So for this season I hunted with Clider for a day, Fred G. for a couple and by myself for a couple more.  I shot some things and I missed a lot.

Just When Clider Thought He Was That Good.

Recently uncovered proof that Clider was not the first.  This does not bode well for him as he is now going to be hunting less than ever before.  So sad.  Good luck at your new job bike boy.

Clyde McKinley Campbell.  O.G. Expert.

Nick, the dog.  Ethel, my Grandmother.

The Build of 'The Blind' Two Thousand and Eighteen.

As Found

Clider was unable to help me build up 'The Blind' this year due to his recently being fired from his job. So, this morning, I went it alone.  I'm fairly sure I just built the best blind ever.  When I showed up only 3 wooden stakes remained from all that we have built in the past and those were all backboard stakes. 

Meet Mike Singletary

I moved a floating mass of aquatic weeds and debris from out of the space 'The Blind' would occupy and got to work.  Unfortunately this fall the H7HT only had $4.86 in the kitty to spend on construction and I had to re-purpose things from my yard as the bench and posts to support it.  I used the old 2x6s that my kayak sat on top of from the little trailer that went to California this summer after the Jeep was sold.  It's now only big enough for 2 1/2 hunters and kind of rickety with the posts underneath being just old 2x4s nailed together.  I figure the combined weight of all the Greenies I shoot resting on the bench will be enough to sink them further down and solidify the bench in the mucky bottom.  Also, knowing full well that we needed more space I constructed Mike Singletary, a small stand alone blind off to the right of 'The Blind' where an extra hunter can sit.  Much like the Chicago Bears vaunted star defensive player by the same name, any hunter sitting there will have their eyes bugged out by all the ducks flying from the left.  Something we sorely missed with the old construction.

Can't even see it, can ya?

Not having Clider around to cut massive quantities of brush was a downer but somehow I was able to cut enough to cover the set-up and get it to blend in with the surroundings.  We must remember to bring out some shears to cut grasses that are fresh when the season starts in 2 weeks.  What is there now will surely be browned out, but it's a good start.  All the mucky floating mass of aquatic debris was put right back where it belonged up against the fresh cover.  As I pulled out and looked back I could barely even tell where the new cilin' spot was.  Nice job Bob D!

As reward for my efforts on the way home I channeled my inner Crazy Andy Bykowski and called in to KPND for a radio contest they were having.  Lo and behold I was caller #9 and won myself a download of the new Tom Petty box set retrospective that's not even in the stores yet. Sweet!  Unfortunately for me I have no idea what a download box set of music requires but I'm going to try my best. After all, I believe it was Tom Petty who sang Breakdown, a song clearly about what will happen to other H7HT members after seeing the massive quantities of Greenies I shoot this year.
GBCH

Our First Ever Video. It's A good One.

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UR4Lc64RimA

Nice Haircut Dork.

Remember this guy?  He was a fresh faced kid from P-Town who just moved to North Idaho.  This guy worked for Dave Smith Motors, the Worlds Largest blah blah blah etc, and he dreamed of one day finding great spots to go hunting for ducks.  He went to the D.U. dinner in hopes of meeting other hunters and learning the ropes of the great lands of the North.  Heck, this guy even won a rifle that day!  Man, he was so full of potential.

Then he met Clider, introduced him to hunting and was never 'The Expert' again.

Well as Stephen King once said, "Sooner or later, everything old is new again."  Bob D. is back in contention as the greatest duck hunter to walk the face of the earth*.  Clider will undoubtedly be working way too much to hunt and Fred G. still lives in P-Town.  Cliffy is a giant question mark and Andee is an even greater enigma.  Remember this face.  It's the look of potential, and I got it!
GBCH


*Only H7HT hunters walk the earth. All others crawl.

Bob D. looking Good With the Old Winchester.

But Fred G. Looking Tired.

H7HT, The Old Days.

Dallas.  Not really a member, but certainly a client.  He could throw a baseball real far.

Money Well Spent?

Is it coincidence that the new boat I just boughten for my Sweetie could also be used as a duck murdering machine?  Only time will tell.  Say hello to the Tamarack Angler by Lifetime kayaks.  It's a 10' kayak with just enough room to be overloaded by a few dozen decoys, some wikki and an old Remington 870.  And it's even the right color too.  There were others that are bright neon green but this one is a nice shade of dark water green that will disappear nicely into the background.  Get ready to do some paddlin' if you're coming to my neighborhood!*
GBCH


*hardly anyone ever comes to my neighborhood anyway

H7HT The Old Days. A Retrospective.

The First

Happy Birthday Former 'Expert'.

soon

In The Interest Of Posting Things. Shooting by Old Guys.

Shooting better than all others

Behold C. 'Deep Freeze' DaFolder. H7HT member and my brother.  Here he is visiting our local shooting range on vacation last year.  Not only did he shoot better with my own youthful gun than I did, he also showed his son how old men take their time and pull the trigger smoothly. Maybe, just maybe, he will visit again and shoot at least one duck for old times sake.

This may be the first in a series of me posting just for the sake of posting.  Last year was despicable.

Does These Look Like Men That Have Something To Share?????

I thought so too.

Bob D. Fishing 'Expert"

Well it's been a long time coming but I was finally able to get out on the water today.  Tweaking my back playing golf did not help my state of mind when coupled with working a lot and still having chores to do around the DaFolder cabin.  So finally I was able to get to the river.

I sold the Jeep to a nice guy who wanted to lift it and give it to his daughter.  I was glad to see it go which was funny considering I really liked the Jeep.  The trailer went days later and funded a new rear bar attachment to the Escalanche which allows me to carry my kayak without having to reconfigure the back of the thing.  If you remember when I last went to the water having the back of the Escalanche open gave me a nice dirt bath on the way home.  Now the only stuff that goes in the back 'trunk' is enclosed in complete waterproof security.  Not only that, but I have now made the worlds ugliest pick up truck even more ungainly.  It looks like a Cadillac origami done by Homer Simpson after building a tree fort.

I set out this morning on a much needed trip to the water believing I was going into work later today to cover for an employee who failed me by getting arrested.  Now, it's not the getting arrested that bothers me, I don't trust anyone who hasn't done time, it's that I had to cover for him.  lo and behold he called to tell me he's out of the klink and ready to work.  He also was looking to tell me why he was unjustly targeted by 'The Man'.  I didn't care.  I hate when 'The Man' keeps you down.  All I care about is that I didn't have to go in and cover his shift.  I'm a cool boss like that I guess.

So off to the Rose Lake turnoff I went.  Put in by the palatial estate of Ken Smith, largest Dodge dealer in the blah blah blah, and upriver I went.  It didn't take long to realize that I was paddling with the wind and if you know anything about the H7HT you know we are a learning machine.  Last time the wind blew me back upriver so......  I turned around.  A good hour of paddling downriver and then a perfect hour of floating back up.  I fished and caught my 3rd and 4th fish of the year.  The fish were so big that taking a picture was impossible.  They were swamping my boat just by being in it.  I had to struggle to get them off the Dock Demon and get them back into the water before the Guinness Book of World Records got wind of my catch.  After getting the kayak back on the truck I was off to work.

Kingston area my phone finally returns to life and alerts me to the fact that I have a voicemail from my scofflaw employee.  He's out, he's back, he's looking good and ready to work.  Now who am I to deny a man his chance to glad-hand golfers and sit in a gravel parking lot reading books while getting paid a princely sum?  Not me.  I pulled into the Cataldo boat launch, borrowed some sunscreen from an apple maggot (person from Washington State recreating in Idaho) and back into the river I went.  I then  proceeded to catch two more monster fish and spend another 3 hours in the river.  Good times.

Back at home I'm now breaking off pieces of my aloe vera plant and hoping that I can sleep tonight between roasting and freezing under and out from under the covers.  My skin is red but my brain is happy.  Thanks kayak.  Can't wait to put you to some 'real' good use.

H7HT OR Chapter gonna be high tech!!

Oregon Fish and Wildlife switching to smartphones for licenses, tags

Updated 6:39 PM; Posted 5:34 PM

In this 2006 file photo, a fly fishing instructor leads a class at West Linn Adult Community Center.(James W. Prichard)

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By The Associated Press

MEDFORD — The Oregon Department of Fish and Wildlife plans to use an electronic licensing system that will allow hunters and anglers to buy licenses and tags online.

The Mail Tribune reports hunters and anglers also will be able to download an app that will allow them to use their smartphones to tag their salmon, steelhead, halibut, deer and other species that require tagging.

The new system is scheduled to go live in December, when the agency begins selling licenses and tags for 2019.

Fish and Wildlife says the change will save the agency about $1.4 million a year, in part because the licenses and tags won't be printed on special paper.

Those who want to carry paper licenses and tags can print them out themselves, according to ODFW in The Mail Tribune report.

Those without access to a computer and printer can still go to any license agent to get licenses and tags over their computers, ODFW spokeswoman Michelle Dennehy said.

The current point-of-sale system handles about 2.2 million transactions each year.

-- The Associated Pr

Sad News Out of New Hampshire

I received some sad news from New Hampshire redneck and man that only owns one hat, Jenny X.  Seems that H7HT O.G. canine pioneer Ruger has passed on.  He was the first of the great hunting dogs to grace the H7HT members with their fine retrieving skills.  I will always remember fondly the way he let me pet him and how he was able to casually lounge with Jenny and myself and watch westerns on tv after our big day of hunting.  Although I only met him once we were still able to visit with him over the years through the magic of photos, many of which are here on the back pages of this very blog.

To Ed and Paula we want to let you know how sorry we are for the loss of your best boy Ruger.  If there is any justice he and Peat and Charlie are all chasing squirrels and eating straight from the dinner table right now.
GBCH

The Windy River

Springtime is a lot of work here in North Idaho.  A quick switch from one job to another keeps me on my toes and changing gears from ski to golf mode can be interesting.  This year I also have deal with the lack of good employees and that puts a little more pressure on me to work longer hours to make up for that.  So, you can imagine how happy I was to get out of  town for the first time in a long time.  I loaded up the boat in the back of the new Escalanche and headed to the lake to try my luck at my new pastime, fishing.

Smaller than actual size by a factor of 100

Now before you start saying 'Bob D, you aren't really much of a fisherman.  Didn't you bring a kids spinning rod and reel to the last Deschutes river trip you were on?' The answer is yes. Yes I did.  In fact I think that's why I've never been on another one. But this is different.  I bought a fishing license so I could entertain myself on the float back to where I started.  Here's how it goes: you start by paddling up the river until you are tired, then you float back to the starting point while you have a tasty refreshing beverage as a reward for all the furious paddling you just did.  Dropping a line in the river just seemed like a good idea.  Last year I played B.T.P. and brought my Dock Demon along with me just to try out,

and I actually caught a fish almost without effort.  This year I'm legit and ready to slay massive bass or pike or salmon or whatever kind of fish we have here.  I asked the guy at the license desk what lure to use and he recommended one saying it was all I need to destroy the local fish population.  I had to trust him, he was overweight and goofy looking.  The only better person to get fishing advice from would be the methy guy on a BMX bike living down by the river near the self storage units.

So off I went.  Cooler full of Rocks and a bottle of suntan lotion in the boat I crossed the lake and found the river to be at almost normal levels.  I gave myself a nice upper body workout going upriver for about an hour.  By the time I turned around the wind had picked up to the point where I was being blown in the wrong direction. Sweet.  Now I had to paddle downriver just to get back to the lake.  I was able to refresh myself along the way but my fishing had to wait until I was back in the lake.  I decided on the spot where I ripped my new waders many years ago as the point to start the grand adventure of being a fisherman.  It took longer than I expected to figure out how to cast the amazingly complex Dock Demon but once I got the hang of it I was pro in no time.  The monster you see here took me hours to bring in.  The fight was incredible and after hauling the fresh water behemoth into the boat and taking the photo I let him return to the deep to fight another day.  I did my best Santiago impression when I got back to the Escalanche and loaded up to head home, happy and satisfied at my new 'Expert' status.  (really, have any of you caught more fish this year?  Thought so.)

Driving out of Killarney with the wind at my back I discovered a problem with the Escalanche and loading a 12 foot boat in the fold down pickup bed.  All the dust I kicked up with my 5,000 lbs of American rolling iron blew straight into the cab with me.  By the time I reached the end of the road I was spitting dust and I had to swipe my dashboard in order to read the gauges.  What a mess but it was all worth it to get away and start my new life chapter as the greatest Dock Demon fisherman you know.

GBCH

I Have a New Puppy!

Is what I would be saying if this was, in fact, my puppy.  And you would believe me because the person who owns this cute little retrieving machine never seems to update you on all the important things hunting related. But sadly this is not my puppy.  This is June. She is Cliders new puppy and she is the future of  the Idaho chapters retrieving duties.  I hope to shoot many ducks so that she may go out in the cold water and get them for me. Maybe even fat banded greenies because I certainly plan to shoot a lot of them this year.  Hopefully Clider will give you updates on the progress June makes this summer.

As for my plans I have recently boughten a fishing license and will take my kayak out to the same waters we hunt to try my luck.  Many of you know I'm not much of a fisherman, certainly no match for Cliffy, but I do like to drink beer and float.  On our rivers and lakes you can do just that.  The water is way too high right now for paddling upriver and floating back while fishing but I can certainly go out to the lakes.  I'm looking forward to Rose lake especially.  There aren't really ducks there but I hear the fishing is great.  In fact I was going to go today, but after 2 weeks of sunshine and working days the rain has returned for my day off.  Stay tuned.
GBCH

Meet The Escalanche.

With a pocket full of no money, and a connection in Montana, it was clearly time to upgrade to a fancy new ride.  Meet the Escalanche.  The first time I saw the ridiculous excuse for a vehicle called the Avalanche, I thought General Motors had created the worst looking truck of all time.  After years of seeing them on the road I came to think that my first impression was correct. They are hideous. Now I own one.  Here's why.

It has a huge waterproof lockable trunk that turns easily into a pickup.
It was cheap.

I'm looking forward to hauling all of my hunting gear in the back.  Muddy soaking wet gear and stinky waders no longer will pollute the inside of my car space.  Duck blood on the trunk carpet is a thing of the past.  Bags of decoys will not freeze solid on the ride home.  Is this the perfect vehicle?  Only time will tell.  Oh, and the heated seats of course work great, it's a Caddy!

Who Authorized This?

Water Water Water

I'm standing here in water.

The water that was just at my feet.

But now...

It's up to my waist.

It's gotten deeper.

It keeps getting deeper.

I'm standing waist deep in the water.

Wondering if will ever go out.

No matter where I go, 

Or where I turn, 

I never seem to get out of this water.

I hope my waders do not leak

It sucks my expertise 

It never seems to end.

I will hunt in it or drown in it

Waist high in the water, 

I know what will happen.

The water will get deeper.

Deeper until I drown my expert status, 

Greenie will drown with it.

When the water leaves, 

Out will it go with me.

It's only waist deep, 

For now I am still afraid.

RIP Bob DaFolder

Can't Believe Bob DaFolder is gone*  GBCH
Cillin for the King won't be the same.

Cillin for the K, old timers day

Bigly Bob D.

What!? Bob D is gone?

No more ducks for me

* A season wasted

The last Day of Hunting......... Ever.

I don't get to hunt anymore.
With the season drawing to a close I don't have any opportunity to go out and become 'The Expert' at all. See, I broke two of my fifty eight ribs in a work related accident.  As a matter of fact I don't even get to do my new found job of making snow safe for beginner skiers either, but that's a story for another day. Broken ribs are painful, annoying and just plain stupid.  Maybe the worst part of this terrible ending is that even if I wanted to, (and I do) I can't participate in this years Killin' for The King ceremonies. A time for Bob D. to travel to P-Town and see all my old haunts and shoot Greenies hanging in mid air.  Right in front of me. With a gun that works. It's just plain sad.

What's maybe more sad is my last day out was totally uneventful.  Not a problem at the time but I really thought that I would have another month to slay birds. I went in the kayak out to The Tip and sat at a blind that other hunters made.  It was huge.  I actually showed up early enough to watch them pull up to the parking spot in front of the bridge and spotlight me with their headlamps.  I'm sure they were thinking that they were going to the new blind but they arrived in time only to see me setting up.  I even shined my incredibly powerful headlamp at them a time or two just to let them know I was there, and they were not.  Bitches.

Nothing happened at all.  But it was a beautiful day and I never even considered it would be my last.  If only I had known.  I'm also including a picture of Clider after shooting a fat goose from my 2nd to last day of hunting.  Turns out that he has lost all confidence in himself after my accident.  He's like a child devoid of ability and will.  You can tell he hasn't done anything like hunting because he would certainly have posted a story or two if he had.  So sad that he needs me to show him the way. You would think that a weepy weak adolescent boy that had been 'The Expert' so many times could get his shit together enough to go out by himself.  Maybe next year Clider, maybe next year.

So at this point I realize that my ribs will not heal enough to let me get in one more day for the season and that makes me sad.  I love my time in the blind. It's a kind of therapy for me but unfortunately not a therapy for broken bones.  Enjoy it while you can cause you never know when you can't.
GBCH

A Post By Fred G.

Opportunity knocked today.  My first day off with nothing to do but enjoy a day of hunting.  I check the weather the night before.  Strong east wind averaging 30 mph with gusts up to 50 mph.  30 degrees with a windchill of 24 degrees.  Water at the 7 foot level.  Sounds great right?  I am hesitant with the wind being so strong but I had to find out.  I'm thinking the back side of the cove so to be out of the wind.  

Thinking that I will have the place to myself I wake at a reasonable 5:45. That will put me at the water around 6:30 and with cilling time at 7:20 that gives me a nice settle.  Well I wake at said time but the wind at my house is whipping and it's freezing cold.  I think that it has to be 10x worse out in Troutdale, I'm dragging my feet and having second thoughts.  I already have the car packed and a guy like me deserves a party after a long two weeks.  I make it to the lot and there are four trucks already there!  What the hell!  I head out and I have to crab walk out there due to the stiff in my face, brutal.  Second guessing again.  

I make it to the water and I don't see anyone close by so I'm thinking that they all must be set up around the corner and probably in the cove, so I find a nice spot.  I throw out 7 blocks, make a nice standup blind and have only 1 minute settle time.  The wind is ripping from behind me.  I think I'm looking pretty good.  I have 4 blocks in front of me in the river and  3 blocks to my right in some shallow water looking very comfortable out of the wind.  

Ducks are flying.  Ducks are flying at mach 10.  Three greenies are stalled to my left but my gun is not in my hands and by the time I retrieved it they were gone.  Lost opportunity.  Widgeon are dumping everywhere.  A lone greenie flies through my spread, I don't take a shot due to the wind thinking that if a wing it the wind is going to take him where I can't go.  Lost opportunity.  More widgeon.  3 fat greenies fly in perfectly, stalled, literally stalled right over me.  I pull the trigger missing because I'm leading it but it didn't't need any leading it just needed to be shotten.  I pull the trigger again with a follow up shot, CLICK!

I try reloading my gun and get a shell completely stuck.  Jammed it is.  I need to disassemble my gun to fix it.  I am able to get all the shells out of it but I am only able to put one shell in.  Dumb gun, I am missing the 870 now.  Well I think now I'm Mitch.  Single shot.  It's all I need right?  I have been the Expert many times, one shot is all I need.  Four more fat greenies come in again.  Again completely stalled in the wind right over my three block to my right over ankle high water.  Pull the trigger.  Click!  lost opportunity.  Take the SBE apart again, reassemble, reload, try putting off a round, CLICK!

I'm walking out with the thoughts of what could have been.  Then I notice a pile of dead seagulls.  Someone shotten three gulls and left them in a pile.  Then I realize that on the walk out the wind will be at my back and carry me back to the lot.  All in all a nice morning.  An awesome sunrise over Mt. Hood, and some nice looks at ducks all before 9 am.  Maybe I'll clean my gun and go back out again some day, maybe not.

GBCH

R.I.P PTD