february......

For an outdoorsman, February is a tough month. Hunting season is over.....fishing season, at least for most of us, has not kicked off yet. For some of us, the closest we'll get to the outdoors is the February issue of Field & Stream with the annual "It's February but Spring is Coming" article and ruminate with the rest of our outdoor brethren (at least those in the midwest and northern climes) about the dearth of outdoor activities.

It seems like February might only be good for hanging up waders, cleaning and restringing decoys and cleaning out a blind bag. But it could be a great time to look over the hunting trips from last year and record the highlights.

Like the trip where Ben, Steve and I went to the smokestack for an afternoon duck hunt. And yes....we know....afternoon duck hunts are rarely worth taking, at least in eastern Kansas. But I remember hurrying down the path because we could hear shots....on a Sunday afternoon.

Or the time Matt, Matt and I got to the Smokestack at 3:20AM to beat the crowd and get a good spot. And we were the fourth group to set up. So much for beating the crowd.

Or the time I shot a bufflehead as it cruised in overhead from behind, forty yards high, and he dropped over 350 yards away across the cove. And how Steve and I took the boat across the cove and dropped Rem off.....and he returned with the duck less than two minutes later.

Or the time Matt, Matt, Den and I were taking pictures of the day's harvest and one of the Matts turned and shot the lone greenhead cupping into the decoys while we were taking a picture.

February is a tough month....but even a bad season can be a great season. Season's are not measured by the number of ducks in the freezer, but by the memories made afield.

Pretty cool stuff.