I was about fifteen years old when I got my first shot of ducks. I left early in the morning before daylight. I went to a place called Lewis' Rock. I was there waiting for a long time and never saw a sign of a duck. Then later in the day a big company of ducks came in the cove to where I was to. I suppose there was a couple of hundred ducks or more in that company.(1) I took aim and fired. They took off but I managed to kill nine of them. The ducks were in the water. So I unreeled my floating jigger and jug them all. By the time I got all the ducks in that I had killed, it was getting dark and so I headed home. I remember being so happy and proud of the ducks that I had just killed. When I got home the old man could not get over the fact that I had killed nine ducks. He had been a bit worried about me gone all day but was really proud to see me bring home those ducks. I lodged(2) the ducks behind the stove to dry and got something to eat.

That night mother put on a boiler of water and started picking the ducks. I remember I could not keep my eyes off them, I was so proud. In those days hardly anything from a duck was thrown away. Mother had a big bag which she kept feathers in. She took the feathers from the ducks and placed them in the bag. In those days people used feathers to make pillows and feather beds. I remember on cold winter nights I would get in my feather bed and snuggle into it. It wouldn't be long before you were warm. Mother would also save the duck's paws. They would be cooked with the duck. They were really good, but not many people save the paws these days. In those days even the wings and the heads of the ducks were saved. Mother would use the heads and the wings to make a good pot of soup. The only thing that was thrown away in those days was the guts and the blood of the ducks. These were the only things that were no good to eat.

After my first hunt I was pretty excited and I guess you could say hunting ducks got in my blood. After my first hunt I spent many a day hunting ducks on the ballycatters(3). I would leave early in the morning and return late in the evening. You would be out in the bitter cold. You would be beating your hands and feet together trying to get warm. Sometimes when I went hunting I would go with a buddy or two. We would spend many hours on those old ballycatters waiting for the ducks to come. To pass the time we would tell a few stories and yarn away until the ducks came. There were lots of good stories and jokes told. That was a lot of fun and we got to know each other a little better that way.

1 Company - large group or flock

2 Lodged - laid down

3 Ballycatters - ice that has heaved up over the rocks at the shoreline.