Tomorrow morning, at daybreak, I imagine I will be jolted from my slumber by the sweet serenade of shotgun blasts. Yes, it is the opening day of waterfowl season here in the bluegrass state. From now until spring, my 1 acre kingdom is an island. The cornfields on either side and behind me are flooded to lure unsuspecting ducks and geese of all varieties to their deaths at the hands of “hunters”. I put that word in quotes because it don’t seem like much of a “hunt”. There is an intricate system of levies and pumps to flood the fields. Corn was planted and left standing to provide an “all you can eat before you die” buffet. And all of this is located conveniently less than a mile as the crow flies( or duck or goose as is more appropriate here) from the wildlife management area (killing fields) and smak dab in the Mississippi flyway of migrating waterfowl. The owners and employees of the “hunting club” have been busier than a cat coverin up shit for the past 2 weeks makin sure everything is in readiness for opening day. The blinds are camouflaged, fully stocked and ready to go. They are equipped with padded, comfy, swivel seats to shoot from, refrigerators, phones, electric grills, dog boxes, and baseboard heating. The decoys are in place. There are the familiar floaters, and the higher tech, controlled from a switch inside the blind, rotating wings. Also with a switch, the hunters can turn on ice eaters, which will dispel any ice that may dare to form on the water, thereby keeping the area within their gun sights a welcoming landing spot for the waterfowl. Yes, this a truly a sport for those hardy “he-men” types. It is not a sport for the “faint of wallet” however. Here are the rates from their updated website:
RATES
5 or more hunters
$125.00/hunter/day - unguided
$150.00/hunter/day - guided
4 or less hunters
$150.00/hunter/day - unguided
$175.00/hunter/day - guided
NB! - All first time visitors must be guided at least the first day
I really appreciate that last line, as at least 2 of the blinds that I can see from my yard are facing directly at my little island. This will be the first time I have lived here during the waterfowl season. When I lived in downtown Tulsa, I became so used to the sound of sirens, both ambulance and police, that they rarely registered in my conscious mind. I wonder if I shall become inured to shotgun blasts this winter. My only hope is to figure out a way to divert the unsuspecting feathered ones from the avian Motel Hell surrounding me. Anyone want to invest in a giant 3D eagle kite with a 9 foot wing span, complete with talons?
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2 comments:
Don't have a problem with hunting for food. Do have a problem with hunting camps and hunting ranches. There isn't any sport involved and it isn't about putting food on the table.
Maybe you should introduce an air horn into the mix. Bet that would increase your popularity index.
i'm with you, buff. these ain't the type of folks that use wild game to make ends meet. i do have an antique klaxxon "ah-ooo-gah" horn on the table by the back door. and gotta dig out the ammo for the sks. it's illegal to shoot at game before sun-up, but not just to shoot...
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