Old Duck Hunters Association

Gordon MacQuarrie was a Wisconsin native, who wrote short stories about hunting and fishing. Many of his stories were based around a semi-fictional group of guys known as The Old Duck Hunters Association inc. MacQuarrie lived and wrote from a small cabin on Middle Eau Claire lake in northwest Wisconsin. He was one of our first great outdoor writers.

I am an Old Duck hunter, and as of late have been feeling the pains of withdrawal from the most recent hunting season. I had been watching a flock of coots on the salt pond behind my office for a while now, but today they were gone. I guess that means the cooler weather is also gone as well.

Coots are a waterfowl, sluggish slow-flying black birds, members of the rail family that somewhat resemble ducks. In short coots are ugly, and usually do not create much excitement to duck hunters. I don't get to see many ducks down here on Bone Island, a few teal, here and there on loan from the Bahamas and coots. My flock of coots must have been the last hold outs for the long flight back up north for the summer. Now if only the snow birds would follow, but that is another story.

I was corresponding with my old Navy buddy Dave the other day. Dave lives up in Wisconsin, and is by all accounts the greatest ice fisherman of the north lands. I asked Dave if he had any good duck hunting spots. He said that the birds did not fly through his area much any more. I found that a little disappointing, so I read an old Gordon MacQuarrie story written about shooting blue bills. It gave me hope that the ducks will fly south again next fall, it's just up to us old duck hunters to figure out where they will pass through.

So Dave here to you! You Old Ice Fisherman, and I leave you with a favorite MacQuarrie quote, that I am sure can be related to ice fishing as well. "No sport calling for communion with the dawn can escape a certain air of romantic mystery".

Old Duck Huntin Chief Sends,