Once upon a time, when Phil Crutchfield had his Collector's Permit, we had a great Teal shoot the first week of April. The Museum wanted as many Blue Wing Teal drakes as they could get. They had some big trade planned with some other state, so we were given the green light to 'collect' as many as we could.
The Spring Creek Impoundment had plenty of Teal so we just hunted there, rather than go to the trouble to go out to Goose Creek. We (Whit) was all about an easy hunt. We didn't even go down the dike as far as the first cross ditch. We just got away from the end with all the downed trees and snags and found a reasonably open little hole to throw the decoys in.
My Dad and Phil just went hiking around the impoundment and left Whit and I to do the collecting. Saturday we saw almost no Teal. Friday afternoon their were a million in there, but they went elsewhere on Saturday morning. So we had to settle for Gadwall and Wigeon, a dark and lonely job,as Morris always put it. Killed a dozen of each. But I think we only got 3 Teal the whole morning.
Sunday morning was a whole different story. I think all we killed was Teal, and several of them were fully plumed Blue Wing drakes, so Phil was elated. One pair of Teal had passed us and Whit got on them first. With a little laugh, he killed the drake, which was on my side. I shot the hen and we sent Hoss and Patty out to retrieve. When Hoss returned, Whit took the duck and looked it over for a minute then threw it in the pile. I never even looked at it until we finished up and went back to the trailer.
When I was going over all the birds I saw the one hen was different. Phil confirmed it was a Cinnamon Teal. Turned out to be the first and only specimen ever taken in North Carolina. Phil published an article in a bird watchers magazine about me killing the Cinnamon Teal. I was a little concerned because he had included the date of the hunt (early April) but I guess the Game Wardens don't read that magazine.
The Spring Creek Impoundment had plenty of Teal so we just hunted there, rather than go to the trouble to go out to Goose Creek. We (Whit) was all about an easy hunt. We didn't even go down the dike as far as the first cross ditch. We just got away from the end with all the downed trees and snags and found a reasonably open little hole to throw the decoys in.
My Dad and Phil just went hiking around the impoundment and left Whit and I to do the collecting. Saturday we saw almost no Teal. Friday afternoon their were a million in there, but they went elsewhere on Saturday morning. So we had to settle for Gadwall and Wigeon, a dark and lonely job,as Morris always put it. Killed a dozen of each. But I think we only got 3 Teal the whole morning.
Sunday morning was a whole different story. I think all we killed was Teal, and several of them were fully plumed Blue Wing drakes, so Phil was elated. One pair of Teal had passed us and Whit got on them first. With a little laugh, he killed the drake, which was on my side. I shot the hen and we sent Hoss and Patty out to retrieve. When Hoss returned, Whit took the duck and looked it over for a minute then threw it in the pile. I never even looked at it until we finished up and went back to the trailer.
When I was going over all the birds I saw the one hen was different. Phil confirmed it was a Cinnamon Teal. Turned out to be the first and only specimen ever taken in North Carolina. Phil published an article in a bird watchers magazine about me killing the Cinnamon Teal. I was a little concerned because he had included the date of the hunt (early April) but I guess the Game Wardens don't read that magazine.
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