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Thread: The Last Check

  1. #1
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    24,581

    Default The Last Check

    I'll try to make this short.............

    Many of you that know me know that I have been chasing "The List" for several years. It all began as a boyhood dream while thumbing through all Dad's DU Magazines. That dream became somewhat of a reality after graduating college but I really didn't get all that serious about it until around 2002. Over the past 16 years I've been on some very cool adventures, made a lot of new friends, been on some amazing hunts in a lot of very awesome parts of this country. For those of you I have shared a blind or a hunt with along the way I say THANK YOU for memories.

    These past few (recent) years I was down to needing 2 duck species to finish "The List" of 32 Ducks. I was down to needing a Common Scoter and the Cinnamon Teal. After hunting is all the right places to collect the Common (Black) Scoter I finally connected with that one in January 2016 here at home in good 'ole South Carolina. This left me with only needing the Cinnamon Teal to wrap things up. Funny, this bird sort of became a joke with me and many of my close hunting buddies. On more than one occasion I had to cancel planned trips (for various reasons) to go collect the Cinnamon. Last year about this same time during the 2016-2017 Duck Season I said to myself it was time to get the deal done about finish up this quest. I booked a 2 day hunt with a fella in Southern California to go on a hunt for this (2017-2018) season.

    Fast forward to last week I got on the plane and headed west. Got into my destination around 9pm Pacific and prepared my stuff for the next mornings hunt. I decided to stay a bit of a drive away (1.5 hours) from where I would be hunting so I had to get up at 3am to make the trip over to meet up with the fella I would be hunting with. I arrived, we shook hands, and set off to the hunting grounds. After about an hour or two we finally located a spot that seemed to be holding some birds, more specifically some Cinnamon's. I passed up layup shots on Mallards, Wigeon, Gadwall, and Greenwings. I was ALL-IN on the Cinnamons. As we paddled along to get to the area we wanted to hunt I spotted two Cinnamons drop into the canal we were paddling up and quickly disappear into the Cat Tails. What was a boyhood dream conjured up some 31 years ago was about to become a reality. After a short sneak/paddle over closer to where I spotted the Cinnamons hit the water I went into high alert looking for the pair to make their move as I drew near. In a flash and after two shots, the quest was finished. I had a pair of Drake Cinnamons on the water.

    It was sort of a weird feeling to be done with it all but I was glad it was over. To be honest I had grown tired of chasing the birds and just really wanted it finished. Now that it is over I can get back to having fun just duck hunting and enjoying the sport with good friends. I still love the idea of the adventures but at least, well for the most part, the collecting and checking the box is finished.







    When's Turkey season get here?
    You've got one life. Blaze on!

  2. #2
    Join Date
    Nov 2005
    Location
    SC
    Posts
    447

    Default

    Very nice!

  3. #3
    Join Date
    Dec 2007
    Location
    Columbia, SC
    Posts
    685

    Default

    Dang they are pretty birds....congrats.

  4. #4
    Join Date
    Jun 2010
    Location
    charleston
    Posts
    8,600

    Default

    Beautiful birds- congrats and what a way to finish your quest

  5. #5
    Join Date
    Dec 2010
    Posts
    667

    Default

    Great duck to finish on!!

  6. #6
    Join Date
    Aug 2003
    Location
    Lowcountry
    Posts
    3,504

    Default

    That's sweet stuff. Good on you.
    "hunting should be a challenge and a passion not a way of making a living or a road to fame"

    Rubberhead

  7. #7
    Join Date
    Nov 2012
    Location
    York Co
    Posts
    4,825

    Default

    Beautiful birds. Congrats.

  8. #8
    Join Date
    Mar 2016
    Location
    Horry, SC
    Posts
    5,516

    Default

    That last picture should be framed.

  9. #9
    Join Date
    Nov 2009
    Location
    Upstate
    Posts
    2,128

    Default

    Great stuff Scott. I really like that last sentence under the pics. Won't be long now
    "George Washington didn't use his freedom of speech to defeat the British, he shot them."

  10. #10
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    united states of america
    Posts
    21,585

    Default

    I hope you can find someone or some way to get that bird to shane.

  11. #11
    Join Date
    Apr 2008
    Location
    Camden sc
    Posts
    6,785

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    wow
    "I am a man, not an animal and I always try to conduct myself accordingly. Doing anything less is just giving up and expecting (and being okay) with failure."
    Rubberhead

  12. #12
    Join Date
    Jan 2003
    Posts
    24,581

    Default

    there's this new service called UBER

    Spacecraft is no longer needed
    You've got one life. Blaze on!

  13. #13
    Join Date
    Sep 2008
    Location
    Sandhills
    Posts
    4,960

    Default

    Way to go Scott. I'd hate to see your bill with Shane over the years. Lifetime of memories you have made.

  14. #14
    Join Date
    Nov 2011
    Location
    Jame isle
    Posts
    6,041

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    Awesome man!
    867-5309

  15. #15
    Join Date
    Feb 2003
    Location
    North Kackalacky
    Posts
    3,473

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    Congratulations!
    Vegetarian: Native American for Piss Poor Hunter

  16. #16
    Join Date
    Sep 2013
    Posts
    560

    Default

    That is a beauty! Congratulations

  17. #17
    Join Date
    Nov 2013
    Posts
    1,102

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    What a quest, Congratulations! On to your next adventure.

  18. #18
    Join Date
    May 2009
    Location
    Charleston
    Posts
    2,291

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    That’s awesome, Scott. Those are some beautiful birds. Congrats!

  19. #19
    Join Date
    Sep 2009
    Location
    Banks of the Wateree
    Posts
    41,927

    Default

    Congrats

  20. #20
    Join Date
    May 2002
    Location
    Sandy Run
    Posts
    5,479

    Default

    Well done man. Nice looking birds.

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