The Man Who Changed a Tire in My Decoy Spread

by
posted on February 19, 2013
dogs_ah2015_fs.jpg (3)

It was an oddly warm January day on the Eastern Shore—in fact there were gnats in the air—but after a long, mid-day lull, the geese were back on the move. My buddy Tyler Shoberg of Delta Waterfowl and I each killed a bird, and prospects were looking really strong as the final, golden 30 minutes of shooting time approached.

Then something odd caught Tyler's eye.

"What the heck is that guy doing?" he asked.

A blue van with several occupants had pulled up and parked on the country road off the northern edge of our spread. My first thought was that a group of anti-hunters planned to run interference. But this was the Eastern Shore—there's a goose pit in every field. I imagine an anti-hunting extremist would either spend much of the day offended or move somewhere else.

Then the driver got out. This guy's actually going to confront us, I thought.

However, he did something much worse: He spent the entire remainder of our hunt changing a flat tire.

Ducks flared. Geese flared. Hunters laughed—what else could we do? As the sun set we picked up the few birds we'd shot earlier and headed home. Hey, at least we got a memory out of it. Some days you shoot a limit of birds. Some days you watch a guy change a tire in his tennis shoes.

Latest

Pease And Venison Lede 2
Pease And Venison Lede 2

Recipe: Creamed Venison and Peas

Brad Fenson creams together peas and venison in this wild-game take on a British classic.

Airport Conversation Leads to Wildlife-Related Charges

CDFW officers catch a pair of poachers after overhearing them on a plane.

NRA Files Lawsuit Challenging Colorado’s Excise Tax on Firearm and Ammunition Sales

On March 31, the National Rifle Association of America (NRA), together with the Firearms Policy Coalition, Second Amendment Foundation, Colorado State Shooting Association, Magnum Shooting Center and an NRA member, filed a lawsuit challenging Colorado’s 6.5-percent excise tax on the retail sale of firearms, firearm precursor parts and ammunition.

Tested: Magnum Research 10mm Magnum BFR Revolver

This 6-shot, single-action revolver may well be the first factory-made handgun chambered in this caliber in over three decades.

Hunting Heritage Trust Grant Applications Being Accepted

The National Shooting Sports Foundation (NSSF), the trade association for the firearm industry, has opened the application period for the 2025 Hunting Heritage Trust Grants. They offer a total of $100,000 in financial support for programs that work to expand participation in hunting and the shooting sports.

Hardware Review: Marlin Model 1895 Dark

If you think lever-action rifles should only have walnut stocks and a blued-metal finish, then the new Marlin Dark series with its polymer buttstock and aluminum AR-esque handguard probably won’t be your thing. That’s a shame, because this recent offering in Marlin’s line of modernized, capable lever-action rifles has a lot going for it in terms of performance, functionality and fun.

Interests



Get the best of American Hunter delivered to your inbox.