A DaddyPOP Story The White Stake and The Corn

[gottaflylee]

A little Christmas story for you guys. I was debaiting as to where to put this, here, hunting or shallow water world, figgured that would get seen by more people here. Merry Christmas and I hope you enjoy.



The Christmas after I got my 410 was my first trip to Mattamuskeet with my grand father and 2 uncles and I managed to score my first Pintail duck, I don't think I could ever figure out who was the prouder, DaddyPop or me.



As the consequence of that hunt, and unknown to me, DaddyPop had set up another hunt for he and I with one of the Harris's of Cedar Island.

I was on the first day of Christmas break and had just come out of the woods from a morning squirrel hunt and DaddyPop was coming out of the shop with a arm full of hunting stuff. "What ya doing DaddyPop" I ask. The old man looked down and smiled as he saw the 3 Squirrels I was holding by the tails. "How quick can you get them skinned out cause you are going to have to get them done quick if your going with me" and with that, he popped the trunk on the old Plymouth. "Quick as a wink" I replied and looked down to see, there in the trunk was 4 bags of corn.

Puzzled I ask "what ya gonna do with that DaddyPop?" The guide where were going ask me to bring it to me, go get your squirrels cleaned and we'll drop them off at Jake's house since were not gonna be here" and with that he turned and went back toward the shop. "How many boxes of shells do you have?" " Two boxes of #4 and 1 of #2s" I said as I trotted off to clean the squirrels. "We'll get you another box of 2, just in case" and as entered the shop.

An hour later we were on the road heading toward Cedar Island. I'm looking out the window down the rows in fields to spot ducks or geese to try to talk the old man into a sneak to jump some before we got there. The day had taken a turn for the better for duck hunting anyway. The clouds were moving in and the temperature was dropping. As we crosses the New river Bridge, clouds of ducks were rising off the water and I wondered why we were going so far. When I ask him, his answer was "you'll see".

By the time we got to the turn off to Cedar Island I was almost asleep but when we crossed North River, I was wide awake as more ducks crossed the road moving to the head of the creek. As a kid of 8 this new area kept me in awe and even today whenever I cross into this area, I am still fascinated by this area. Fields were scattered along this part of the road but empty of ducks. Make sure your door is locked, your looking out that window so hard, your going to make the door pop open" and grinned at me. "You excited about this hunt?" "More than that" I said, "probably won't sleep tonight. "Oh I bet you will" as grinned at me.

It seamed like it took forever to get to Cedar Island and when we came around the curve, DaddyPop said "there she is". Off in the distance was another tree line and a very long line of marsh. The road was a series if bridges that connected the causeways as I remember. The sun was starting to set and I could hear guns thundering it the distance. "Can we stop DaddyPop, I need to pee". I really didn't need to but I knew that if I told him that, he would pull over. What I wanted to do is look for ducks and listen to the guns as they knocked out the ducks from the sky.

After a few minuets he looked down and said "come on, by the time we get there, Glen will be off the water and waiting for us". It seemed to take forever to finish crossing the causeway and reach Glen Harris's house on the Island. As we pulled up in his yard, we were greeted by Glen and the biggest Chesse I have seen. I hopped out of the car and headed toward the dog, next thing I know, I was on the ground with a 120 pound dog licking my face. "Well I see you and Drake hit it off" Good to see you again Mr. Frank, looks like your grandson is ready to go." he said in that downeast Island brogue. "Glen, this is Lee, Lee, Mr. Harris."

"Nice to meet you Mr. Harris, any ducks today?" Yesir, came in on this front, more Red and Black heads and a lot of Cans, tomorrow should be good. "Drake, get off Lee and come over here, you two can play later. Mr. Frank, lets get ya'lls stuff and into the cottage, were able to get that corn for me?" "Yep, sure did Glen, 400 pounds" "Good, I need to put some out tonight" "Can I go with you Mr. Harris?" "Well I don't know boy, that's up to your granddad." "Lee Glenn does not need you in his way out there, he has work to do." "It's fine with me if he goes, he can keep Drake company".

Soon, Mr. Harris, Drake and I were crossing the bay, dogging box blinds, it almost slick calm and how he knew where we were in that dark, I will never know. Hoards of ducks would get up in front of us, I could here then over the motor. Soon we were on the other side and pulled up to a white stake in what I thought was the middle of nowhere. Mr. Harris poured the corn out in circles with the boat around this stake. "We'll hunt about 400 yards down the bank from here, wind will be on our backs and be just right" and pointed the boat back toward the hill.

4am came early and DaddyPop was right, I slept as hard as a young boy could. I remember him shaking me and saying "get up boy or I leave you here". That was all I needed to hear and came out of the bed in a flash. We walked over to Glen's house. When DaddyPop opened the door, the smell of eggs and sausage that his wife had ready for us filled my noise and a rumble in my stomach said lets eat. Beside each plate was a bag lunched packed that she had for us all. "Thank you for a great breakfast Mrs. Harris it was yummy" as I headed to the door. "Nice young man you have Mr. Frank" I heard her say as I shut the door behind me. "Ya he'll do but he has the fever bad"

When we got to the boat there were 3 other hunter's. As it turned out, it was his brother and his hunting party, they would be hunting to our southern and that would help keep the ducks flying. We loaded the boat with guns, shells, decoys and of course, Drake. The wind was out of the north and a steady 15kts. The skiff and bounced along and as spray came over the bow, some of it would freeze. Even in the dark you could tell the cloud cover was thick and the stars were hidden from sight. It was cold and I pulled Drake closer to keep warm.

A short time later, we pulled up to the stake where we put the corn out the night before. Mr. Harris pulled up the stake and put it in the boat and headed to our blind. He ran the skiff up on the bank and we sports all got out. DaddyPop started a fire with some kind of wood that was brought with us. We warmed our hands as the 2 brothers banged the white stake into the ground and put out a 100 or so hand carved blocks. Soon they left and disappeared into the dark. Drake sat at point as if he thought ducks would be sitting in the blocks soon.

Shortly the Harris's returned, Glenn got out with a heavy bucket and put half the coals, his brother and the other 2 folks headed into the dark. The 3 of us climbed into the blind and Glen took the other half the coals and pored then into a funny looking stove and shut the door to the blind. Soon it was toasty inside and steam rose off of Drake. Glen reached into a canvas bag and put some water on to make coffee for he and DaddyPop and hot chocolate for me, I had never seen this done before in a duck blind and what a treat it was.

It was getting toward light and Drake knew that ducks were in the air. He looked to the sky and then pushed his way to his stand so he had a good vision of the spread, this was not his first time. Mr. Harris told us to load up that it would be light soon. I could not stand it any longer, I had to know why he put that white stake in front of the blind. Mr. Harris looked down at me and smiled with almost a laugh. "Dem ducks are not as smart as they think they are. See, we feed them around that stake everyday, they get use to having the feed around the stake. In the morning we pull the stakes and put them in front of the blinds. Ducks see the stakes, thinks food and before they realize they in the wrong spot, it is to late. DaddyPop and I were both laughing at his story when we heard the first splashing from ducks into the blacks, it was on.

I was given the first shot and mocking DaddyPop style, I had a single 410 shell between my fingers. "Shoot them on the water" said Mr. Harris. I eased over the blind and fired at the closest duck, his head dropped, I ejected that shell and put another shell into the gun and knocked another one down that flew toward the blind. The double barrel Itica had done its job and DaddyPop had scored a double as well as Mr. Harris. 6:50am and 6 Red Heads were on the water. Mr. Harris looked over to me and said, "boy you can shoot". "He does all right, but he has a lot to learn" DaddyPop said back. I opened the door to the blind and picked up the first birds Drake brought back and admired the shinny red head of the bird.

"Lee, get your self in here, here come some more" A group of black heads came toward the blocks, wings locked, feet down, we-wawing through the blocks, I tried hard to lock on one bird but with 20 of them it was tuff. At 20 yards out, the call to "Cutum" came from Mr. Harris. As I stood I locked on one bird and it crumpled as I fired. Before I could reload another shell, the remainder of the group was outside of range. I looked in the blocks and there were 5 birds on the water. 7:10 and 11 birds were in the blind. The Blackheads we very cool, their heads look green, purple or black depending on how you turned it with yellow eyes. Mr. Harris explained to me the with Blackheads, there were lesser and greater, these were the greater's.

Drake was on his way back with the last bird when Mr. Harris called, "up high, pair of Cans". Drake had settled back on his perch and was ready for the next round. Mr. Harris hit his call and gave a series of grunt like calls, the birds turned and moved toward us then swung back out, he hit his call again. On the third time, the birds locked up and put their feet down. "Lets let Lee have these" Mr. Harris whispered, get ready boy. At 20 yards the call to "Cutum" came. I stood and fired, These birds were huge, almost as big as a Goose to me. That first shot rocked its world, I breached my gun and stuffed another shell into it, swung out past the bird and fired again. This time the bird folded hit the water. DaddyPop stood and the ole Blue Peters shell folded the other bird cleanly, the brace of Cans lay in the blocks. Drake brought my first Can to me and headed out to get the other.

The Can was the most regal bird I had seen with its upsloped bill and dark eyes and bone colored feathers. Mr. Harris looked at me and said "one of the best tasting birds that fly, you can always trust a Can" I reached down to take a sip of Hot chocolate, it was cold as were there coffees. Mr. Harris put all 3 cups on the heater to warm them up.

We watched birds trade up and down the sound with shots being fired from all over. Soon it was our turn again and another 20 to 30 Red Heads were on there way to us wings cupped and locked. Again, the cry to "Cutum" rang out and there were 8 ducks on the water for Drake to fetch. Now this brings the toll to 21. "Three more and were done, and it's only 8:15, best morning of the season so far" said Mr. Harris.

The remaining 3 birds were given to me as the old men sat and sipped coffee and watched me shoot, By 8:30, we were done. We sat and watched raft after raft of birds come into the set, some landed and some flying by without stopping. By 10:00 Mr. Harris's brother and his party came back. He and his brother picked up the stake and moved it back to the feeding area and headed to get the other set of blocks. I watched as ducks piled to the white stake and never gave our blocks another look.

All to soon we were back to Mr. Harris's house and DaddyPop and I were heading back home with me still looking out the window on that gray day, hoping to see more ducks. By the time we were to Beaufort, I was asleep dreaming of that great hunt...

[Glenn W]

Fantastic Lee---- I could read your huntng stories all night long.

[Finesse]

Thanks for continuing and keeping the stories about DaddyPOP rolling, glad ya brought them back !!

Merry Christmas Lee

[Hatterized]

Lee.......what a childhood/upbringing you were enabled...

and you carry on what was instilled in you at a young age today by helping/guiding young hunters/fishermen...

yes with years kinda like passing the torch to a younger generation...that is priceless !!!

[seapower]

Merry Christmas Capt. Lee, thank's for the story. Frank

[clt_capt]

Capt Lee, You have a gift.

Not only can you spin a serious yarn, you actually lived it

Mighty fine story - Thanks for sharing

[HOLWACHAGOT]

I AM WITH GW...I COULD READ THIS STUFF ALL NIGHT! FANTASTIC READ.....BRINGS BACK FOND MEMORIES FOR SURE.
HOLWACHAGOT

[Captain Michael Buffington]

you truly have a gift for writing. Not many people can put me in another place and time. You are one of those people. Fantastic writing Lee.

Mike

[onejacker]

Thanks for the Christmas gift, Captain, another installment of DaddyPop and his young sidekick Lee. A dog named Drake, hand carved decoys, the feeding stake...I love it.

Merry Christmas to you, Capt. Lee. Thanks again for the memory.

Pat

[Going Deep]

Great read indeed...Thanks for sharing your memories of you and daddypop!

Merry Christmas