# new hunters/duckcommander wanna be's



## john warren (Jan 25, 2005)

i have seen in several posts this reference to new hunters and duck commander . clearly not meant as a compliment.

so first a little of my history. 
in the late 60's hunted a little with my dad for ducks,,, as he tended to hand me his old bolt action stevens ten gauge,,,it wasn't much fun and i stopped going with him.
i did try after i got out of the army a once with another friend, we hunted one year, then he passed away, and ducks got forgotten as it was our thing, and i couldn't see myself huunt without him.
then about 8 years ago, an old hunting buddy who was an avid duck hunter got me interested again. i started watching for gear to get set up, and got a nice winchester 1300 ducks unlimited model. waders. and a three way parka in wetland camo pattern . found a few decoys at yard sales. we went out a few times, but again a tragedy struck as he came down with cancer. he fought it for 4 years and finaly passed away.
last year i decided would be my last deer season, and i decided i would stick with squirrel, my passion, turkey, and ducks . these i can hunt alone, and not break my back hauling them out of the woods. so, i have added some more gear and have set up for duck hunting which i am now learning to do.
this story is to point out that while i laugh at and enjoy duck dynasty. they are a small part of the reason i am a fairly new duck hunter.
now as to my point. 
do those of you who disparrage "duck commander wanna be's" believe bringing new blood into the sport is a bad thing? or only if they enter the sport a different way then you did? or for different reasons?
when you say things like that it makes you seem like an elitist that feels others should stay away from "your" sport. simular to what some fly fisherman behave like.
personaly i have found new blood , for what every reason they join in is almost always historicly proven to be a good thing.
as an example,,,i started bow hunting back when you had to pretty much make your own gear. very little was out there to buy. certainly limited options. then the compound came on the scene. all the older guys said it would ruin the sport, the machine bow guys were too lazy and looking for shortcuts. and of course the recent crossbow flaps showed the same mentality. in both of these situations, i think we have seen benifit and growth in a positive way.
now i don't really expect this dislike of new duck hunters to change. it's clearly to ingrained in some. 
but if you have ever uttered this phrase , you might want to consider what the results of no new people entering duck hunting would be.
and we can start with a drying up of funds that support duck hunting.
i would guess,,, ducks unlimited has most likely seen a substantial increase in new members, and the funds that come along with them, since duck dynasty has been on. it would be interesting to know the numbers on that. 
so becarefull what you wish for, no new hunters would undo much of the work thats been done on behalf of hunters. i would sugjest that instead of looking down on those folks,,,you choose instead to mentor them. to help them become the guy you would like in the next blind over.
additionaly, this is one of the reasons i choose to hunt alone.


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## RV13 (Nov 2, 2012)

Good point JW. I come from a non-hunting family and didn't have a mentor or someone to show me the ropes. I learned from my mistakes and was fortunate in college to work for a guy who was probably one of the best turkey hunters i know. 2 weeks ago a buddy and I snuck into a awesome woody spot to find a dozen goose decoys on the water, We shrugged our shoulders backed out and went off the grid to a hole we saw on google maps. Too often on social media we see others slamming fellow sportsman for the choices they make. They don't hunt the way we would, they shot a buck we wouldn't shoot. They used a crossbow. Sad. I like your thoughts on helping them to become the guy you would like in the next blind over. I encourage everyone to also be that guy you want in the next blind over.


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## deadduck365 (Nov 5, 2010)

I believe that phrase is about the know it all duck hunters. They feel a you have to do is grow a beard and instantly you are a pro staff duck hunter. New hunters are not the problem. New hunters that refuse advice and think it is so easy are. I have helped many new hunters. In the first 30 seconds of talking to most of them you can tell if they will listen. Many times I don't even waste my breath. Others have come to me either by this forum pm or in person at launches and thanked me for helping them along. I also have had plenty of people help me. 


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## Gary J (Jun 24, 2003)

Great comments.....!!!!!


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## Spartan88 (Nov 14, 2008)

I quit duck hunting years ago, used to do it all the time with my dad and brother. One thing I remember in the field stations at FP and NP, some of the biggest hunting jack*** know it all's in the hunting world are duck hunters. I dont miss seeing those jerks. To the new duck hunters, ignore those guys and have fun.


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## Mr. 16 gauge (Jan 26, 2000)

I don't think that anybody minds seeing "new blood" come to a sport.....I think that the question is: why are they there? Is it because of some reality TV show, and they think it's "cool"? .....or because they enjoy the sport for what it is?
It's unfortunate that there are people out there whose _only_ impressions of duck hunting are what they see on A&E, or youtube.....or where ever. 
Nobody in my family had ever duck hunted; my dad didn't hunt at all. I was fortunate that when I was 16 a couple of fellows from my mom's work decided to let me tag along. That was back when there was no such thing as neoprene, acrylic calls, Go-devil motors, spinning wing decoys, etc. I learned how to call ducks using a kid's phonograph and a 45 rpm record. I was taught the _correct_ way (and when) to call, how to place decoys, how to read the weather, etc.
I think that what bothers most folks is that, during duck season, this is NOT the time to learn how to tune your call, or practice on how to make your spread, etc. I remember when the birds used to "work" at Harsens Island.....by that I mean come in with wings cupped, feet down, and committed to landing in your spread. Now it's all pass shooting, because guys just don't know how it's done, and give birds working someone else' spread a chance to work....they blast away at anything that comes in range (and quite a bit that doesn't), and......well.....that becomes the new "norm".
I am glad to say that I have introduced several people to waterfowling.....some have stuck with it, other haven't (not their cup of tea). I will say that, as a group, waterfowlers are the most prone to "having to fill a limit" instead of taking what comes along. Some days are good, some empty. I think this mentality (having to have a full bag every time you go out) is foolish, is promoted by TV shows, is detrimental to the sport of hunting, and is perminating other hunting disciplines (bowhunting, etc).
While I have no problem bringing "newbies" into the sport, I will no longer hunt with people I don't know, i.e. just "hook up" with someone else at the bingo draws. I have nearly had my head blown off by hunting with someone I didn't know well, because (and these are his words), "He just had to shoot that duck!" I also hooked up with someone else who decided we weren't having enough action in our field, so he walked down and started hunting in the neighboring field (boy, those fellows weren't so gracious!). I refuse to do it anymore.......
So now I hunt by myself, and I usually hunt the marsh to avoid the poor sportsmanship that seems to get worse and worse every year. Don't shoot as many ducks, but I don't have problems with triple digit diastolic blood pressures, either. I don't mind taking people out, but I want to know a little about them first, why they want to try duck hunting, what their gun handling skills are like, etc.
I guess the gist of my post is this: nobody minds seeing new blood, but they want to see it done "right".


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## Mike L (Sep 8, 2003)

I agree with duck 365, it's the guys that refuse to listen to sound advice and just go out there to shoot and have fun per say. Not realizing they are messing others up. I'd like to see a "Mandatory" hunt for first time hunters at every managed area.....make it a requirement that you must go with an experienced person your first time out.
Not saying that's the total answer, but it may cut down on the sky busting a little, and young in experienced people would get a proper way to lay decoys etc. How to call, when to call......teach them !

Way too many young/new people think you just put up a couple of spinners and your a duck hunter.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

I strongly agree with all these comments. I really liked the guy the other day who used the phrase "true waterfowlers", as if deer hunting on opening day makes you a "fake waterfowler". Just because I have only been duck hunting for a few years doesn't mean Im any less committed to it than you are, in fact, Im probably more committed. But in the end, this is a problem with every online forum (even facebook, which isnt even anonymous), where people often say things that they wouldn't say in person. People often say things on this forum that might cause a serious altercation if you said it to someone in person. Actually most of the people I have talked to in person are very friendly, I think online forums just bring out the worst in people.


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## peters (Sep 28, 2010)

I find it funny when I hear ppl saying that other guys are duck dynasty hunters. When the guys saying it are uneducated also. I don't worry about anyone else. I'm just here to kill ducks. Plain an simple who cares how someone else got into waterfowl hunting.


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## jwinks (Mar 20, 2014)

Mike L said:


> ...make it a requirement that you must go with an experienced person your first time out.


I dont think that will help in alot of cases, where people think they are "long range precision shooting", it would just make it really inconvenient to actually go to a managed area. People already have to drive an hour+ in alot of cases. I think the answer is to have stricter rules, lower/enforce the shell limits, and ban people who get repeated complaints. I think the shell limits are great, if you skybust, you probably will run out of ammo before the hunt is over. You can easily use more shells than that legitimately, but you can always hunt somewhere else too. The managed areas are for everyone to use, and if you only shoot half your limit and run out of shells, just call it a day, those ducks will be there next time. If you want to shoot three boxes of shells in a day, you will have to work a little harder to find enough ducks to do that. (Although I would jump at the chance to hunt with someone who knows what they are doing, i think guest hunts are a great idea)


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## bombcast (Sep 16, 2003)

We do need new blood in the sport, no doubt. I like polite, respectful young people. That's who I'll choose to mentor. Not slobs, dirtbags and jackasses.

Both of my primary outdoor activities (duckhunting and steelheading) are disproportionately populated with idiots and douchebags. Once I had my fill of ****** experiences with both, it was a revelation to hunt and fish in locales and at times that afford peace and quiet. 

I fish and hunt less than I used to, but enjoy both a lot more.


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## Honkkilla59 (Dec 12, 2013)

It doesn't matter fishing or hunting it's always nice to read posts from people who are pros at everything they have done since the first started and were never novices at anything !
The world is full of know it alls!


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## fowlme (Jun 19, 2009)

I do think TV shows people different things such as sports, clothing/styles, things of interest. What is funny is most people that see it on TV and try it will not continue to do it, it is a phase. No different than when Tiger Woods made it big, it brought out people that had no idea of the rules of the game or how to act on a golf couse. The ones that stayed at it are or I hope better than when the started, the others are no longer playing. Same with hunting.


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

I love new blood into the community...makes for some lightly used gear at wicked discounts when people realize this sport is 99% pain for 1% pleasure.


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## stackemup (Oct 31, 2011)

KLR said:


> I love new blood into the community...makes for some lightly used gear at wicked discounts when people realize this sport is 99% pain for 1% pleasure.



x2. Nothing like a $150 investment for 3 dozen mallard floaters all rigged, 2 dozen goose shells, with motion stakes, a dozen rigged GWT decoys, 5 decoy bags, and a pair of waders...I felt like I hit the jackpot. I was a day late from having the gun thrown in for another $150 too.


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## kingfisher 11 (Jan 26, 2000)

I think a lot of what we see anymore is intolerance. Look at the poll about religion. Who cares.... know one forces you to look. The problem we have in society is the lack of people skills and maybe even the bond between humans has got farther apart due to electronics? I can not say even I don't like sharing areas with others anymore. Maybe because the pace of life is so fast I just want to left alone when I am away?


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## TSS Caddis (Mar 15, 2002)

I just find it funny that the pro staff wannabe's are now mad at the duck commander wannabe's because they are not hunting for the right reasons.


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Hunters are their own worst enemy and the antis revel at how we treat each other. Makes their job about 1000 times easier. 


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

I think the guys who call people duck dynasty hunters are akin to the people who call people who are UofM fans that didn't go to UofM "wal mart wolverines". Being a Spartan, I think it's always funny to make fun of UofM fans, but the wal mart wolverine joke, just like the duck dynasty joke, is stupid and barely makes sense. Who cares why they're a fan--they're a fan and they like the school and their teams. Same applies to the boobs who call people duck dynasty hunters--who cares why they got into duck hunting, they're out there enjoying themselves and are interested in the past time. To me, it's just a self-righteous, entitled attitude that sucks. Just go out and have fun and mind your own business.


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## deadduck365 (Nov 5, 2010)

Lamarsh said:


> I think the guys who call people duck dynasty hunters are akin to the people who call people who are UofM fans that didn't go to UofM "wal mart wolverines". Being a Spartan, I think it's always funny to make fun of UofM fans, but the wal mart wolverine joke, just like the duck dynasty joke, is stupid and barely makes sense. Who cares why they're a fan--they're a fan and they like the school and their teams. Same applies to the boobs who call people duck dynasty hunters--who cares why they got into duck hunting, they're out there enjoying themselves and are interested in the past time. To me, it's just a self-righteous, entitled attitude that sucks. Just go out and have fun and mind your own business.



Duck dynasty gives off the essence that you can do whatever you want however you want. They own the property they hunt. They can do that. They can be stupid in the field. When you bring that attitude to a public place there starts the problem. I can tell you from experience we have gotten pretty stupid at times with what we do. We do it in the middle of the lake with nobody around. When we hunt near people is is utmost respect to everybody around us. 


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## Tom_Miller (Apr 23, 2010)

I haven't exactly read all of this thread but I kind of get the drift. It has always annoyed me when I see people mention "duck dynasty hunters" in a derogatory manner. I enjoy watching the show, which to me is really a show about a Christian family that enjoys and has made a living around duck hunting. I've been hunting ducks for 50 years and enjoyed it as much before Duck Dynasty as after. If the show has helped to bring in new interest and involvement in our sport then so be it. The ones referred to as "duckcommander" hunters have been around for as long as I remember. There have always been those who continually skybust, crowd other hunters, call poorly, and just generally get on everyone's nerves. Unfortunately those people will always be around and we either grit our teeth and live with it or we get out of the sport. I choose to enjoy the sport as long as my old body allows. If Duck Dynasty brings in a few more hunters it is good. Some of them will turn out to be serious hunters and some will be the annoying ones I remember from the past 50 years.


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## K-zoo (Jul 19, 2008)

Got to go guys, Duck Dynasty is on. Great show. 
(BTW, I've been a duck hunter since the mid 70's)


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## PrickerPoint (Oct 6, 2014)

I don't mind new duck hunters but, it just gets old when they say "nice beard, are you trying to be like duck dynasty???? Hardy Har Haaarrr!" Then I have to explain that I grow one every year and yes I started long before the show, yada yada yada


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## goosehunter31 (Sep 22, 2009)

Duck fantasy just makes guys come to the draw with there l.l. bean vests and cashmere sweater on just makes for fun people watching. My .02 cents hah


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

I can honestly say in 18 duck seasons I've never seen as many gnarly looking beards.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

dead short said:


> I can honestly say in 18 duck seasons I've never seen as many gnarly looking beards.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


I've duck hunted since I was 8. I'm 30 now. I had a beard before I went in the Marines and I started it up the day I got out. I can almost guarantee people think DC because I'm a bearded duck hunter. However, they are the ones who usually can't grow a beard or are whipped and controlled by their Girl who won't allow them to grow one. My face will be warm.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

craigrh13 said:


> I've duck hunted since I was 8. I'm 30 now. I had a beard before I went in the Marines and I started it up the day I got out. I can almost guarantee people think DC because I'm a bearded duck hunter. However, they are the ones who usually can't grow a beard or are whipped and controlled by their Girl who won't allow them to grow one. My face will be warm.


Craig...if I grew a beard they wouldn't let me show up to Shi or FP....it would look like I just stepped out of the trailer park. I would be that trash stash skraggly beard growing tall guy in the corner that no one wants to talk to &#128512;


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## Waif (Oct 27, 2013)

Hey, I resemble that scraggly remark.
Each fall/winter for many decades a beard grows. Well before tv duck dynasty that I don't watch anyway. They made money. I'll give them credit for that. 
A buddy and I goose hunt in wheelchairs, way too seldom, heck we've missed a couple seasons. Hidden away from the yearning masses and getting exited when a flock swings our way. Once calling head down not to get spotted I looked up and we were getting landed on. Swear they were past our barrels and approaching our hands when we began firing in self defense and did not loosen a feather....:lol:
Always a good time.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

TSS Caddis said:


> I just find it funny that the pro staff wannabe's are now mad at the duck commander wannabe's because they are not hunting for the right reasons.


This.


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## TNL (Jan 6, 2005)

LakeEffectMDHA said:


> Hunters are their own worst enemy and the antis revel at how we treat each other. Makes their job about 1000 times easier.
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


And this too.


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## charcoal300zxtt (Sep 8, 2011)

craigrh13 said:


> I've duck hunted since I was 8. I'm 30 now. I had a beard before I went in the Marines and I started it up the day I got out. I can almost guarantee people think DC because I'm a bearded duck hunter. However, *they are the ones who usually can't grow a beard or are whipped and controlled by their Girl who won't allow them to grow one*. My face will be warm.



:lol::lol::lol: Love it! There is a name for people without facial hair....
Women:lol:


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## petersawesome (May 24, 2014)

This is my first season duck hunting. I tried to get into it last year but just couldnt get the stuff together in time. My dad is a very avid archery deer hunter but thats about all he hunts. Occasional small game but 99% deer. So thats what i grew up hunting and to be honest deer hunting is not really my thing. I mean sure deer hunting gets my heart pumping way more than ducks do. But i enjoy duck hunting more. I have seen ducks every time ive gone, but i cant say the same for deer. 

I dont have a beard. And i honestly dont even own a tv. But to say that i havent seen duck dynasty would be a lie, i have seen a few eppisodes. But out of the episodes ive seen i didnt see any duck hunting taking place.

I didnt want to give up on hunting i just wanted to try out other types of hunting besides deer. So i started googling to see what other people tend to enjoy and i somehow came across fly fishing. So i gave fly fishing a try and i decided that its not really my thing. So the next thing that interested me was duck hunting, because you could do it with a few buddies, you could joke, laugh, not have to worry about leaving scent on things, you can eat a snack if ya want. So those things interested me in the sport. Eventhough ive done most of my hunting alone. 

I have not been to any of the managed areas so im not sure what its like there. The hunting a few marshes ive found on state land is pretty nice. I get to watch the beautiful sunrise, beautiful birds. I get to just relax in nature. Its really nice. I am a terrible shot with a shotgun for some reason but im working on it. And ive only gotten 2 birds this season but i dont even care. Watching them circle around and fly right over me, and the sun rise and all that stuff is what makes it worth it for me. And i am all about learning from others. I dont know squat and there is always more to learn. And no one will ever know it all


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## deadduck365 (Nov 5, 2010)

petersawesome said:


> This is my first season duck hunting. I tried to get into it last year but just couldnt get the stuff together in time. My dad is a very avid archery deer hunter but thats about all he hunts. Occasional small game but 99% deer. So thats what i grew up hunting and to be honest deer hunting is not really my thing. I mean sure deer hunting gets my heart pumping way more than ducks do. But i enjoy duck hunting more. I have seen ducks every time ive gone, but i cant say the same for deer.
> 
> I dont have a beard. And i honestly dont even own a tv. But to say that i havent seen duck dynasty would be a lie, i have seen a few eppisodes. But out of the episodes ive seen i didnt see any duck hunting taking place.
> 
> ...



You are not a duck dynasty hunter. You are the new hunters we look forward to. 


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## Dead Bird (Oct 2, 2001)

jonesy16 said:


> Craig...if I grew a beard they wouldn't let me show up to Shi or FP....it would look like I just stepped out of the trailer park. I would be that trash stash skraggly beard growing tall guy in the corner that no one wants to talk to &#128512;


hey.... that guy is me...:yikes: must be why I hunt Harsens... lol


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## dead short (Sep 15, 2009)

I can't wait to be able to grow a nasty hunting beard......silly policy.. 


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## au5952 (Oct 18, 2011)

I am fortunate enough to be able to do most of my duck hunting during the week, and tend to stay away from the Managed waterfowl areas on 
the weekends, due to larger crowds. However I do occassionally go on a weekend if a hunting buddy can only go on weekends, I have often heard people that I see regularly during the week complain about " the weekend warriors" So my point is if people seem to be untolerable of seasoned hunters that only hunt weekends, I can only imagne some hunters tolerance of "the new Duck Dynasty" Hunters being discussed.
Its a shame that some hunters have that kind of mindset, and should be 
encouraging the next generation of youngsters to get more involved in not only duck hunting but deer, turkey etc..


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## Lamarsh (Aug 19, 2014)

goosehunter31 said:


> Duck fantasy just makes guys come to the draw with there l.l. bean vests and cashmere sweater on just makes for fun people watching. My .02 cents hah


This is pretty much what everybody on this thread is poking fun at. Who gives a **** what people are wearing? Heck, if I could afford Sitka coats and all cashmere everything, including underwear, you bet your ass I'm wearing it out duck hunting. 

Lay off that Haterade dude.


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## Jr.BowmanMI (Jun 27, 2005)

I think I've worn the same sweatpants, sweater and knee boots at every draw this year. Btw the stains are from leaks... Not an overactive bladder.


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## goosehunter31 (Sep 22, 2009)

Lamarsh said:


> This is pretty much what everybody on this thread is poking fun at. Who gives a **** what people are wearing? Heck, if I could afford Sitka coats and all cashmere everything, including underwear, you bet your ass I'm wearing it out duck hunting.
> 
> Lay off that Haterade dude.[/QUOTE
> 
> Just made a joke man relax. I wear yellow shoes at the draw and get ripped on by people. Doesn't bother me none. The fact that pisses me off is I hunted next to a guy wearing what I explained and he was roasting shots at 80 yards shooting at everything working back to us. That's what duck fantasy does to people. Every Bob bill and Jill think duck hunting you can just throw out 6 decoys and rock birds at 100. We all started somewhere but some people take it over the edge. When I started 6 years ago I would let the bird land before I shot it because I didn't want to shoot something wrong or pisses someone off.


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## jonesy16 (Sep 19, 2011)

dead short said:


> I can't wait to be able to grow a nasty hunting beard......silly policy..
> 
> 
> Sent from my iPhone using Ohub Campfire


I ordered some cream from Mexico for assisting with beard growing can't say it's worked yet...I do have a strange stutter now when I talk, get crazy dreams and sleep walk into the neighbors house and pee on their cat....I'll have my duck commander beard some day damnit!


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