6th Prize
Hunting Journal with Weatherby Logo (100 awarded)
David Godsey, Indiana
“Lying in bed with my travel alarm clock by my side, awaiting the slight click it makes just before it goes off. The night has been spent in a state of euphoria just like that of a child, trying to get to sleep on Christmas Eve. You fade in and out of slumber, dreaming and thinking about the events of the day to come. Your mind wonders with thoughts of spectacular wing shots, watching your black lab work what seems to be magic. Her eyes scan the sky. Suddenly see stops, fixed on a group of wings working through the clouds. The decoys are placed with great care to attract the birds and put them into a specific field of fire. You take to your call and begin to sing them into a state of false comfort. Finally they commit and begin to cup their wings. With one sweeping motion you raise your gun, lead a bird and pull the trigger. The smell of gunpowder fills your nostrils and, your dog is still at heal but can hardly control herself. She is overwhelmed with excitement and awaiting your command. ‘BACK’ you say and she bounds from the boot quicker than the shot leaving your gun.
You jump from your rack with the chiming of the alarm clock. The big day has arrived. You have only managed a few hours of sleep but a feeling of energy overcomes you and you arise and put on the coffee. As you dawn your gear and make a last minute inventory of your effects, you sip the morning’s cup of Joe. A quick light snack as you head out the door. The ground is covered in a heavy frost as you walk to the truck. You think to yourself, this is going to be a great day.
Sitting at the edge of Nature and taking a moment to enjoy the simple pleasures of ‘just being.’ This is the true meaning of ‘living.’ Nothing can compare to the feeling one gets when sitting in a duck blind at the crack of dawn on a cold winter morning and watching a group of birds cupped and committed to your decoys. With your faithful labrador by your side and both of your hearts beating so hard with excitement that they can be heard over the stillness of the new day as it dawns. The air so crisp, your breath seems to freeze every time you exhale. People often ask, ‘Why would anyone want to do that?’ If you have to ask, I guess you will never understand. It’s like fresh air, the smell of dirt in the air after a field was freshly plowed, a star filled sky uncorrupted by big city lights, the smell of wheat and alfalfa in the air, the sounds of a country night. Nothing can take the place of moments like these.
My Dream Hunt is to hunt the Mississippi Flyway with my dear friend Dave Woods and My faithful dog, Darby. Dave is 65 and has spent many hours as my confidant and friend, he and I both share a love for waterfowl and labradors. Our adventure to the Boundary Waters Canoe Area drew us closer. My father passed away in 1994 and my brother, 12 years older than me, in 1985. Since that time, I have been the only male in my family. Countless times I have needed the advice and wisdom of an elder male and I have found such a friend in Mr. Woods. Dave is always there to lend an ear as well as sound and wise advice. He is truly a great man and I think dearly of him.
My duck and goose hunting opportunities have been limited to only Indiana. I have longed for the opportunity to hunt a major flyway but, being financially responsible for two teen age daughters and a wife of over twenty years, I have never had the financial means to take part in such an adventure and have been resigned to only dreaming of such a hunt. Living in Indiana is not exactly a waterfowl hunters choice of locations but this has not diminished my passion for the sport. If I am selected, I would choose to hunt Southwest Illinois in the regular season or Canada in the early season. Stuttgart, Arkansas would make an excellent choice for late season birds and would be the dream of a lifetime. With a heritage rich in waterfowl tradition, this would be like a little slice of heaven.”