It was a rainy day, but it didn’t keep the ducks from flying.

Most people might choose to not go sit out in the water when it’s cold and raining, but some of the best hunts I’ve been on have been in these conditions. This time wasn’t any different.

My dad (Chuck Dutton) and I meet up with some friends around 5 a.m. down at a little beaver pond near the Pleasant Home community. It was raining, but it wasn’t really coming down to hard. It was just the right amount. Enough to make the ducks move, but not so much that it was miserable to sit in.

We stood around and discussed who would sit where. We talked about what directions were safe to shoot in, and then we ventured off to our spots.

I took a spot that was in the middle of everyone, so I would focus straight out in front of my and listening for ducks coming in behind us. With tall trees surrounding the pond the only to way to know soon enough that ducks were coming in from behind was to listen for the sound of wings.

With everyone set in their spots we waited for legal shooting hours to begin. Since it was overcast the sun took its sweet time to make an appearance. Around 6:20 a.m. the first group of wood ducks made their approach coming from left to right. Shots were fired and two ducks were belly up in the water.

It went on like that for the next hour or so. We got a few more, and walked out of nature’s grocery store with dinner for a few nights.

It is days like this that I will always cherish and remember. Getting to spend time with my dad doing something we both love. We may not always come back with a pile of ducks, but it is a special trip every time I get to share the experience with my father.