2022 Preseason...

[Ricky Spanish]

I flocked and you're right about them collecting dew or frost.
I apologize but it's time for a physics lecture on what an "ideal black body is". It's not Halley Barry.
An ideal black body has perfect emissivity. (Fancy words eh?)
It means the black felt will dump its heat fast. It gets cold then frost or dew happens.
Black felt is a great example of a nearly ideal black body.

To prove I'm not just making shit up (again) I got out a very heavy book that I carried many miles up hill both ways thru a blizzard to Parkland College.

For
The
Science!

16681613672472413769923076526009.jpg

Study that picture with the arrows like a star.
There is another image like that that's drawn like a keyhole. Imagine light can go in but not escape and that's how an ideal black body works. The cooling off part? Nobody drew a picture so make your own up.
It works both ways. This FACT is why you don't see a lot of black kids at the swimming pool..

[Rick]

Right now, I'm just glad the glare is gone. Might be better off with no speck decoys at all, given that the vegetation around the mudhole precludes the birds' ability to readily see there's no likely source for my calling, in which case they'll often come to wisely used call with heads swinging side-to-side, scanning for its source - 'cept I'd rather they were distracted by decoys than scanning grass where poor hunters are mooning them. That, and the decoys makes a nice show for said guests, even if it does give the birds more chances to catch that they're fakes...

[Rick]

Been hearing "lots of ducks" reports, including a very promising one from Cherry Ridge and it's nearby fields this morning when I ran into Clark on my way to bail our boats before the predicted day of rain. So there was no way I was going to be at our marsh without going for a bird watching ride. Didn't get off the main trail but moved scads of little ducks at the east blinds and from the broken marsh between Isaac's and Clyde/Fred's blinds and the broken marsh just beyond the later. Not many big ducks where I expected to see them pop, though three mottleds did perhaps 100 yards shy of my blind. Did push a big wad of teal along the open chain south of the mudhole, but nothing at all moved to my north, even though the marsh is starting to open up, and birds should be using it more. Hopefully just wasn't close enough to disturb them.

Decided to keep going to the back blind and was glad I did, as that's where the big ducks and tons of teal were. Were even three greenheads and a Susie that waited until I was nearly at the blind to pop from just behind it. Sweet show.

[Darren]

Sounds like a sweet boat ride indeed. Gettin' antsy for some afternoon blind brushing ahead of us on Friday. Time to get it finally fully brushed in the way my prior health woes wouldn't let me haul in enough brush to achieve in 1st split.

[Rick]

Sounds like a sweet boat ride indeed. Gettin' antsy for some afternoon blind brushing ahead of us on Friday. Time to get it finally fully brushed in the way my prior health woes wouldn't let me haul in enough brush to achieve in 1st split.

Bunkie gets much more right, you'll need a bigger freezer.

[Darren]

Sounds like a sweet boat ride indeed. Gettin' antsy for some afternoon blind brushing ahead of us on Friday. Time to get it finally fully brushed in the way my prior health woes wouldn't let me haul in enough brush to achieve in 1st split.

Bunkie gets much more right, you'll need a bigger freezer.

Headed south to the salt marsh grays this weekend, not sure if anyone's even going to the farm, know my buddy has commitments elsewhere but someone in his family may go.....or no one at all. No wind forecast for up there this weekend but for opener weekends it historically hasn't mattered.

[Rick]

Sad news for those of you knowing our camp owner, Douglas. A heart exam a few days back turned into five hours of emergency surgery ending with being put into a medically induced comma, which he was being brought back out of with seeming good result, when he took a turn for the worse and vital functions began shutting down. Pretty much, just wore himself out with 80 years of being Douglas - to the end, as he was mooning folks on his way to the operating room.

Miss Mary, who's been with him since she was 16, is having a tough time letting him go and requested they keep him on life support (against his wishes) until this morning. Might want to ask that she and he both know God's Grace.

[Ducaholic]

Sorry to read this Rick. While I didn't know him well he was certainly personable and friendly when I visited, God Bless his family and you as well. I know this has to be tough!

[Duck Engr]

Very sad news to hear Rick. Never met either of you obviously, but from your descriptions, it sounds like y’all are one big family. Will certainly be praying for comfort for those close to him.

[Darren]

So very sorry to read that, Rick, but thanks for letting us know. So glad I got to chat with him in September. Prayers sent for all over that way, yourself included given quite the relationship you've had over all these years.

[Ericdc]

Doug was a generous man, he allowed me and my nephew to stay in one of the camp's rooms when my nephew was drawn for a white lake hunt. It made it a much easier morning commute.


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[DComeaux]

I so hated to read that. My heart is heavy.

[Rick]

...given quite the relationship you've had over all these years.

No one but Miss Mary ever cussed or loved him more. Well, maybe Adrienne...

When Mary was finally able to let him go yesterday afternoon, he didn't last a half hour without life support, so his body was flat used up from putting so much energy into being the Douglas we knew. Going to be a whole lot duller around here.

[Deltaman]

Sorry to hear of Doug's passing Rick, and will say a prayer for Miss Mary and family. Glad he didn't suffer lingering effects, and the mooning of family on his way to surgery made me smile. RIP Douglas!!!!!

[5 stand]

Rest in peace... Douglas

[Rick]

Thank you all for the good thoughts and prayers for Doug and Mary, They're much appreciated.

[Rick]

Was called to the marsh today to fix a boat and didn't see much of anything on its "test run" (OK, my look-see). Trust/hope the birds are just taking advantage of rainwater in nearby fields. The morrow will tell...

[Rick]

Prepped the mudhole for our third split this morning after cutting wax myrtle and canes in the dark in order to be in the marsh at LST. Might as well have slept in and gotten a leisurely start, as ducks were all but entirely absent until Clark took his re-welded mudboat for a test spin on Cherry Ridge and sent some sweet bunches of green-wings our way.

Did have a squadron of grays do their kamikaze thing on the spinners when I checked their connections, and a likely localized mallard pair cruised by to check out my renovations as I was leaving. But it could be a skinny Monday opener...

[Rick]

Should have added "Lots of alligators>" - and that it was still a drop=dead gorgeous morning and grand to be in the marsh.

[Ricky Spanish]

Should have added "Lots of alligators>" - and that it was still a drop=dead gorgeous morning and grand to be in the marsh.

Chute em Jacob

[Bud]

Our condolences.

[Rick]

Thanks, Bud. Mary was staying with their only responsible grand daughter's family, but is back home and adjusting well as can be to life without him.