I agree these two decoys are not the most impressive but to a young man of fourteen they were the ultimate. Often I would read the Herters Catalog about decoy spreads. They spoke of using thirty to forty Coot decoys close to the blind. Then extending out was the recommendation of sixty to seventy Mallard decoys. Hooking out many yards from the overall two spreads were Canadian goose decoys of seventy or more.

There as a young man, I just stood in amazement at the spread description from Herters. A regular visit for my folks was to Bergum Drug in Helena, Montana. One day, when we went to the end of an aisle near the pharmacist counter there were boxes of a dozen decoys for sale. Yes, they were still out of reach for they were about close to $25.00. The price was a far reach in dollars for a young man of fourteen. Every time we went into Bergum Drug, I immediately went back to the aisle to look at the decoys. Mr. Bergum would always just watch me and grin.

One particular day, I again visited the store and to my amazement the decoys were reduced to $10.49. They were now in reach and I just pounced. A dozen decoys was not close to a Herters spread but they were all mine.

The next week, we went again to the pharmacy and to my shock there was one remaining box of decoys left with a price of $5.49. I went to my folks and they said a dozen decoys was enough. I was disappointed and never forgot about the second dozen. To this day, one of the mottos I have on a plaque in my duck blind is One spouse is enough but you can never have too many decoys. Thanks Mr. Bergum.

One might also note the crumpled and wrinkled hunting coat. It has all of the markings of good memories with the clear evidence of blood stains from harvested birds. The coat became special for a number of reasons.

When I first started duck hunting, it was based upon an invitation of a school buddy. I was definitely hooked. My Dad said it was no big deal for it was just not the same as the old times where the limits were twenty or more birds. An old Stevens side by side shotgun became my good friend.

For those many years, the old coat hung over the back of a chair in the basement next to the gun cabinet. Not thinking about it, I would just reach into the pockets of the coat for shotgun shells. They were all the old paper cartridges with the wonderful terms of Kleanbore, Nitro Express and Shur Shot. Just being excited as a beginning duck hunter, I was never aware of someone continually salting or feeding the coat with ammunition. It was a secret my Dad kept.

Good thoughts, good times and all have been well with those wonderful memories of waterfowl hunting. Occasionally my siblings and father would go with me but it still became my world. A way to get away from family issues, sibling rivalry and just enjoy the sounds of wings and shot.

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