The End

The last day of the year came unexpected.  After the Idaho chapter left I conceded that it was over.  Not having the obligations that I thought I had gave me a bonus day.  Cliffy text me the day before that he was going to be picking me up at 5:30.  5:30 turned into 6am due to Cliffy's bought with Salmonellosis.   The man was not looking well.  Water was at Cilling For the King level so we thought we'd head out to the blind we made there the first day.  You heard about John John so I won't bore you with the details, but it was pretty funny that some young whipper snapper was telling us about what it was like out there.  I get to the blind, turn around, and Cliffy is lagging far behind.  Flashbacks of Bob D. having a myocardial infraction ran through my head but with cilling time so close it was imperative that I hustle and get things set up.  I set the blocks and build the blind and Cliffy shows up and yacks.

This is how Cliffy's year ended

Many birds were flying in the pre dawn light.  Flocks of pinny's, mallards, mergansers, everything.  Was great to see.  Then nothing.  Sure a couple of birds here and there would fly through our spread but who's paying attention?  Apparently you need to be at the ready at all times with your gun in your hands, who knew?

Cliffy is floating chunks in the Columbia and I can't bear to see him suffer anymore.  So rather than shoot him and float him out on the river laying on top of the block bag I suggest that we call it.  But no he's up for more punishment, he wants to go all the way to 10.  I sit back close my eyes and start reminiscing in my mind of the crappy season I had.  Waders that leak, no numbers in the Idaho trip, my truck lighting itself on fire, gun that jams because apparently you need to clean it every once in awhile, the fact that I did't shotten three ducks with one shotten and so forth and so on.

Well after what seemed to be two minutes I open my eyes and a lone drake pintail is coming in with the gear down.  From my chair I raise my weapon and blast him to the earth.  Cliffy said that I needed to finish him off on the water but after close examination, as you could see from the pictures, he wasn't going anywhere.  I dun shotten him straight trough the breast, I even found a bb under the wing near the exit wound.  Waylon made an awesome retrieve. this drake doesn't count towards my totals this year, but…