Even when someone deserves a good cussing, it's better to be polite.
I recently hunted with a friend at Bayou Meto WMA on a day when ducks flew really well. They didn't work too well, but they were certainly plentiful.
As is our custom, we didn't launch his boat until after sunrise. By then, all of the other boaters had reached their hunting spots. Instead of competing for hunting holes, we find out where people are and get away from them.
We found such a spot just a few yards inside the woods off of a main waterway. There were no other hunters near us in any direction. There were no gunshots nearby despite prodigious numbers of mallards winging a treetop and a half overhead. We had a large section of woods to ourselves, which is rare at any popular public hunting area.
We'd been there a good while when another boat pulled into the woods about 75 yards away. We couldn't see them through the timber, but we clearly heard them talking. We assumed they heard us, too. If they didn't, they certainly heard us shoot.
There's no excuse for such brazen disregard, and my partner went full "Petrino" on them. They apologized and left without argument, but my friend continued berating them as they motored away.
He would have gotten the same result with a more civil approach, and I told him so.
As the morning progressed, I got tired of so many ducks ignoring our calls. They looked to be landing 400-500 yards farther into the woods, so I decided to take a little walk and see if I could find out where they were going.
I was a fair distance back when I heard my partner upbraiding somebody else.
"Is there something we can do for you?" asked a deep, irritated voice.
"Yeah," my friend responded. "You can leave. Like now!"
That exchange dissolved into indistinct murmuring.
A reporter runs into trouble, not away from it, so I made my way back to see what sort of conflict was in progress.
I grew alarmed when I heard a shotgun action clink.
And then I heard, "Do you need to see my Sweet 16 permit and Bayou Meto permit, too?"
Well, it seems my buddy had mouthed off to a couple of Arkansas Game and Fish Commission wildlife officers. They were still checking him and his gear when I arrived. He was in compliance, and the encounter ended amiably.
Hunting accident
My friend and co-worker James Joslin died Monday after falling from a treestand while hunting near Lodge Corner.
Joslin, 46, was editor of the Arkansas Democrat-Gazette's zoned editions, including the Tri-Lakes, Three Rivers and River Valley & Ozarks editions.
Joslin was an avid hunter and fisherman who frequently chronicled his activities in the zoned editions.
Of the five hunting-related fatalities that have occurred since July, two were treestand related, including Joslin's. Details of how Joslin's accident occurred were not known at press time.
Hunting is a safe activity, but the risk level increases substantially when your feet leave the ground. If you hunt from an elevated stand, make sure that your stand is in good repair. Inspect your cables and latches. Nuts and bolts should be free of rust and wear because an eroded bolt or fastener can break.
Do not get on a stand that has been on a tree for an extended period.
Fall arrest systems are better than ever, and anyone that hunts off the ground should have the latest. The basic strap harnesses that come with most stands are not good enough. Get one that reduces shock and enables you to suspend upright in the event of a fall.
Attach yourself to the tree anytime your feet are not on the ground and position your tether line far to reduce the distance you'll fall. Use a secondary rope to help you get back onto your stand or to reduce strain on your legs and shoulders.
Tell a friend or family member where you will be hunting and when you expect to be home. If possible, write the GPS coordinates of your stand location or text them to your spouse or friend so that person will know where to find you if an accident occurs.
Even the most experienced hunters are tempted to take shortcuts occasionally, and that's when an accident is most likely to occur.
Keep your guard up and live to hunt another day.
Sports on 01/21/2016