Challenge issued

[jobbershunting]

1) Sun rise over the marsh
2) Watching hunting dogs do their thing
3) The sound of a ringneck's wing cutting the air
4) Breaking ice
5) the first sip of coffee and puff of a cigar once the first light action dies down

[400bigbear]

1) Listening to my bud WHINING about my dog getting his truck seat wet after she retrieved our ducks all morning . Next time out he retrieved his own in his underwear . true story .
2) Seeing bro-inlaw flip the canoe .
3) Going around pond with the dog to retrieve what I thought were cripples on opening day yet nobody shot any ducks but dog found a limit hiding in the reeds and all were alive without a pellet in them .
4)Getting stalked by a bear in the tag alders retrieving a duck .
5) Having my daughter at age 2 working the dog to retrieve ducks downed .

TD

[duckslayer]

1) The look on my sons face when I tell him I just found us a field holding birds for the next morning
2) The anticipation on my sons face while we pack the gear for a weekend up at sinkers
3) Listening to the old man tell stories to the fellas while the action has slowed down
4) The sweet smell of a cap'n black red on the boat ride out at 0 dark 30
5) Enjoying a coffee and cap'n after the dekes are set and awaiting LST

[Buzz Killington]

hard to narrow it down to 5 John....

1) Every opening day in the blind with just me and my wife.
2) Florida Hunting Trip. Hands down one of the best hunting adventures I've ever had or ever will have.
3) Sharing the blind with good friends - John, Steve, Chris, Rugys...and the stories we talk about. This is time well spent.
4) Watching a new hunter that I've introduced to the sport drop their first bird with my old 870.
5) Duckmas Eve - Following the DR tradition.

SOOO much more to list but this is off the top of my head.

[oaknut]

1: My BILs first duck ever. A beautiful male wood duck. And more to the point him stripping down to his tightie brighties and braving the fifty five degree water to recover said duck. My brother and I sat on the hidden canoe and laughed our hind ends off.

2: the comraderie between our group. And the B.S. weve got it all from the cocky younglad to the joker and even an old timer.

3: the whoosh of wings in the dark prior to legal light.

4: As others have said the missing paddle, no boat or hole in the front of my brand new dingy that had just enough propulsion i couldnt paddle againgt it.

5: time spent with family and friends. We all deer hunt solo and the duck hunt lets us converse and have a good time while still getting a snack.

[Sinker]

1) The dark thirty boat ride
2) Sitting in the blind waiting for legal time, listening to birds flying over, while sipping on a hot coffee.
3) Watching the sun break the horizon
4) Letting a flock make several passes before calling the shot with feet down and wings locked
5) Hot breakfast in the boat blind.

S.

[bowj]

1) waking up to my alarm with no snooze button required. when that week I had hit it everyday for work...
2) canoe ride or walk out in the dark
3) sun rising where very few people get to take it in
4) the smell of gun powder on a fresh fall morning
5) the sounds of birds, either quacking, honking, flying or landing. add to this the sound of gunfire, and im in heaven.

basically I like the whole process, it takes a lot of work and commitment but its all worth it, and I anticipate it every year!!
good luck out there and play safe!!

[Gadwall]

3) Sharing the blind with good friends - John, Steve, Chris, Rugys...and the stories we talk about. This is time well spent.
.

The stories huh ... if I come up with a list here, it would have to include during a story I was telling when the mallard came around and into the decoys from behind, unnoticed to us, I shot it and sent the dog without even breaking my sentence, and kept right on with the story, didn't even get off my stool ... I don't even remember the story I was telling, but I remember the look on your face.

[Turkeyjohn]

5)Getting my 9 year old talked into joining Dad in the blind last fall.
4)Watching my 9 year old scoop that first duck out of the water.
3)Continue to watch my 9 year old as he strokes, pokes and otherwise inspect said duck.
2)Observe and listen to him attempt, better than Dad, at calling on the calls at a recent outdoor show.
1)Number 1 success, having him tell me this morning as we loaded the car to go skating, "Sorta like going hunting, but hunting's more fun, when are we going again?"

[tom gobble]

1) The smell of coffee and swamp water at the same time
2) Watching my buddy trip in the dark
3) The screech of a wood duck
4) Having ducks circle me for a landing
5) Having waterfowl fly over me when it has been dead all day as I'm eating or don't have a gun with me at that exact moment