Winter Rituals

Every hunter has his own traditions and rituals. Secret spots, favorite haunts, and familiar tactics connect the seasons from year to year. Traditions can develop over time or, for those of us lucky to start spending time in the outdoors at a young age, they can be passed down. Take a glimpse into hunting along the Mississippi River and the passion that the hunting ritual inspires.

I grew up duck hunting, and I was hooked ever since the beginning. I enjoyed my first outing and I've enjoyed every outing since. Every day in the duckwoods is a great day. I'm always on time, I like to be on time. I don't want to miss one minute of action, and if I know shooting time starts at 6:30 in the morning, by God I'm gonna be there by 6:30 in the morning.

There's something special about ducks. In the timber, they do something like they don't do in fields. That eerie silence, the calm before the storm. Raise up and shoot, and then they drop in a tight hole, it's a great feeling. I don't even have to shoot at that point, that's it for me.

It does it for me every single time. There's not one person that has been duck hunting that's seen that and doesn't appreciate it like I do. It's just the sport and the chase. It's what drives me every day to do what I love to do.