Intellectual Pursuits at the Unknown Duck Club

Sometimes it is good to think. Sometimes thinking is not so good. I guess it depends on who is thinking. At least, I think so. It is Saturday, June 14, 2003 and several of the members of the Unknown Duck Club are gathered on the property. And we are thinking. The thought of it is almost unprecedented.

We are meeting with the friendly neighborhood bulldozer man. And we are thinking of ways to improve the terrain at the Unknown. It is always a tricky thing to try and outwit Mother Nature. And that is the position into which we are all attempting to think our way.

We know that the property holds ducks. The trick is to make it hold even friendlier, lazier, non-suspicious ducks. And hold them where we think they need to be. This should be the opportune time to work on these issues. The towering cypress trees in the brake are still there. The verdant green of the fields and the willow flats is still lush and vibrant. The brown dirt of the fields has been freshly turned and awaits planting. The Unknown Duck Club is the same place as during duck season. But now the water is off, for the most part, and the only other thing missing is the ducks. This gives us a steamy green and brown canvas to work with to try and manipulate the ducks.

One of the most rewarding challenges in hunting is to use the terrain to make the ducks do what you want them to do. If you leave a button willow or two here, it keeps the ducks from landing in that spot. So, if we move some button willows from here to there, we can keep the ducks from landing THERE, thus opening up a spot for them to land HERE. And, after all, HERE is where we want them.

Another conundrum: We know that ducks don’t like to commit lower than the tallest timber around them until the final pass. We know the direction of the prevailing wind. So if we remove the taller stuff on the downwind side of the hole, and leave it on the upwind side of the hole, do we think that will make ducks work lower? Or will the taller stuff on the upwind side predominate and determine the behavior of the birds? And we think we need to open up another shooting lane. But, do we think we still should leave the cover? All this thinking is hurting my head. So, it’s got to be killing the friendly neighborhood bulldozer man!

Soon the dirt will be moving, and the various projects will be underway. And the bill will no doubt be moving our way, too. We are anxious to see how all of this will turn out. Will the birds do what we want them to do? Or will they just ignore the results of our carefully thought out strategies? Hopefully, the combined mental powers of the denizens of the Unknown Duck Club along with a little terra forming will reap tangible results. At least I think it will. And thinking is good, right……?