This is not a double gun topic except in how it relates to us doublegunners who hunt ducks using boats. I was hunting in AR last week and my best friend's first cousin was hunting some private land on the Cache River, in Black Swamp. They were in an old blind that was built 60-70 years ago that is situated on the outside of a bend on the Cache. They shot down a duck, which was being carried away down the river. One guy got in the boat and cranked the motor, followed by a buddy who went to climb in the front end of the boat, from the blind, to retrieve the duck. His toe caught the light bar mounted on the bow, tripping him. The driver goosed the throttle to keep the boat against the blind, hoping to help his buddy stay in the boat. But, he fell out into the Cache River, high and swift at that point. He went under and was not seen for at least 10 seconds. An arm came up, which was grabbed, followed by another arm, and he was drug into the blind. He sat and coughed up muddy river water for a few minutes, recovering.
A few more seconds and his duck hunting career would have been a distant memory for his friends, and his family would have been planning a funeral. Wear the life jacket guys, for the short ride to the blind, and please put it on before climbing in the boat to return. Getting in and out of a boat at a blind, in deep water, can be deadly before you know what happened.
Safe hunting, SRH
