“So, what are you guys thinking?” Will asks Austin and Luke, our guides, from the other side of the pit blind. The guides, constantly scanning the horizon, give a hopeful mumble and continue looking for the big groups of teal that should be there.
We are in central Missouri this September, where Tony Vandemore has formulated an equation of prime habitat and experience to provide incredible hunting and top-class accommodations at Habitat Flats. The September teal season is a tune up for most waterfowl hunters. Harvesting these small ducks is a welcome kickstart to the upcoming months of chilly sunrises and whistling wings.
Every year Will and I take a road trip to chase ducks in different flyways. Being friends since high school, we have been there for each other through important events: graduations, dating, marriage, and parenthood. We are always there to give each other advice even when we don’t want to hear it.
When one of our other buddies had to back out, we picked up Scott on our long drive from South Carolina to Missouri. Scott is a friend of Will’s. A friend of Will’s is a friend of mine. He joined right in on the playful banter and jokes that accompany a long drive.
Our wives think we are crazy to make a trip each year. They are probably right, but we are driven by new sights, sounds, and species to hunt in new landscapes. Habitat Flats was recommended to us by a friend who had many good experiences there.
Vandemore manages thousands of acres with traditional crops and moist soil management. During our stay, we hunted moist soil impoundments. His knowledge of water control created a smorgasbord of natural growing smartweed and millet that drew the early migrators to our decoy spread.
Habitat Flats couples habitat knowledge with a hospitality staff that keeps hunters happy and well fed. A hot breakfast satisfies you until lunch. While I expected cold cuts for lunch, we were more than surprised to have Philly cheese steaks and burgers for the midday meal. Dinners were built around steaks, pork chops and other delicious protein.
The hunting on the first day did not disappoint. The late September morning was filled with green-winged and blue-winged teal in groups up to 50 crashing into the decoys with reckless abandon.
The next day we hunted a new field with the same buffet ready for the teal, but none were lining up to eat. A few flocks buzzed by early, but none committed. An unusual lull in action had us wondering if we should pack it up and head to the lodge.
Will asked, “So, what are you guys thinking?” He was only saying out loud what Scott and I were wondering for the last thirty minutes. Being skunked is inevitable in waterfowling and we were satisfied that we would soon have our limit of hamburgers and French fries at the lodge.
The guides however knew that the teal would find this place irresistible. It was just a matter of being there when they showed up.
A few minutes passed before a cloud of birds appeared over the far tree line. At first glance it resembled a cloud of blackbirds, of which we’d seen several earlier in the morning. But seconds later, Luke said “get ready” as the unmistakable pulsating flock and fast wingbeats revealed the birds as teal.
The flock took a winding path to the decoy spread and set their wings for landing. The shot was called as a wall of teal poured down in front of the blind. Shots rang out and ducks rained down from the sky. After the volley, another group set their wings to land in the decoys right as we finished reloading our shotguns.
Looking at each other and our guides after the second volley, we were shell-shocked. Will, Scott, and I exchanged high fives. Austin’s face was engulfed with a smile while Luke, who was a man of few words, was standing in front of the pit with his hand shaking from excitement as his dog retrieved the birds.
“That’s what it’s all about boys!” Luke said as a huge smile enveloped his normally serious face. Truer words haven’t been spoken before in a duck blind.
Walking back to the UTVs from the pit blind and looking at the expanse of managed wetlands, I realized why Will and I put thousands of miles on our trucks every year chasing ducks. Friends, habitat management, local knowledge, and patience is what waterfowl hunting “is all about.”
Check out Habitat Flats for yourself at www.habitatflats.com