Hardpan Curmudgeon SASS #8967

Treasure~!!

Alas, haven't been in years. Mebbe I came to my senses...? "Back in the day," I was a duck-hunting fool. Belonged a the then-affordable club in Northern California. The Richmond Hunting Club was literally run out of Smitty's Barber Shop in Richmond, with leases around Colusa and other areas in the north valley. Shot LOTS of ducks, geese, pheasants, quail, mebbe a rabbit or three... good times. Also used to shoot on a lot of refuges. I think that's what finally caused me to "come to my senses...!" Drive for hours to spend the night in one of two lines: the reservation line if I'd been lucky enough to be drawn for a reservation, or the "sweat line" if not. For the latter, I'd get there the afternoon before to get a decent spot in the 'first come, first served' line to get in without a reservation. Anyway... very little and poor sleep in line, wake up at 0330, get checked in, drive like hell, hike a half-mile to a mile in the dark carrying a huge bag o' decoys, set up a blind, put out the decoys - and wait for dawn. Then, blow my duck calls and maybe get a few shots for an hour or so and it's all over. When my son, Sassparilla Kid, was eight or nine, he announced that he wanted to be a duck hunter. My heart sank. So... I signed him up for Hunter Safety Class, and he became a duck hunter. For a while. I will admit that I enjoyed taking him out, and he got some ducks. And pheasants. And doves! When he was ten I got him a lifetime hunting license for Christmas. But no ducks for a while... they're safe. However, that reminds me! We're only seven weeks 'til opening of dove season! This bein' california, I better start saving up for my license and ammunition - required to use lead-free here now; thirty bucks or so a box... ammunition background check fee... dang.

Dangit, Dave... you need to go fishing! That'll give ya somethin' to do 'til duck season starts!

A simple, but effective call... I had one for many years; it wasn't expensive by any means, but worked well. Well enough that someone borrowed it from me and that was the last I ever saw of it. Best "chuckler" ever!

Thankee, @Subdeacon Joe

Danged thing won't let me see the recipe... er... "receipt," Joe! - unless I download and install some odd application I've never heard of.

That picture of the buried pickup truck is an indication that many, if not most, of those missing may never be found.

Rooster, if you have eight pounds of Unique on hand you are wealthy indeed! Long a favorite of mine ~ I hope to live long enough to see its return.

Uh... could lead to a danger of one's head exploding.

Why "ZEBCO...?"

There was an old argument that women outlived men 'cuz they didn't have wives....

Dang... and I thought it was ME~!

Somebody's uncle work for Glock...? 🙄

The only way that outfit would ever get aboard an aircraft would be in luggage. But the boots are kinda cool. And on a sunny or rainy day you could un-pin the hat and camp under it.

Norfolk still won, 9 - 5. Go TIDES~!