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A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 3:41 pm
by Stan Hillis
Two grandsons and I last Friday morning in a big blind in the L 'Anguille river bottoms near Caldwell, AR. I took my HE, with bismuth, and killed a full limit. The #4 bismuth handloads worked great, as usual. Four mallards, a gaddie, and a widgeon. Grandsons had a ball, too. Full story will be the topic of an article for an upcoming newsletter.

We ended the morning with 16 mallards, 2 widgeon and a gadwall. Some of them had been loaded into the other boat when pic was taken.

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SRH

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 4:56 pm
by Sporrns
Wow, Stan - what a great photo - thanks for sharing ! HEs and grandsons rule!! Kevin

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 6:09 pm
by DSizemore
This is indeed a nice picture !

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 7:14 pm
by Silvers
Reads and looks like a memorable hunt. Good going Stan and grandsons.

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 8:41 pm
by Jim Cloninger
Nice going, Stan. I wish I was there! Jim

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Dec 31, 2018 9:21 pm
by Mills
Good job Stan! Arkansas is the place to be

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 9:08 am
by Jeff S
Wow! You guys are great duck hunters. Nice blind.

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:21 am
by Stan Hillis
It would be interesting to know the thousands of ducks that have been taken out of that one blind over the last 20, or so, years. It cost the owner $38K in '96-'97. It is for family and close friends only, no paid hunts. It floats during high water and sits on dry ground from late spring to early fall. I'm very fortunate that the owners befriended me over 20 years ago. One of them comes here for spring turkeys when he can, and they allow me to help them worry the ducks during the winter. On a good morning we have boated up the L 'Anguille to it, taken 5 limits, and been back out of the river eating breakfast at the old Pancake House by a little after 8:00 am. Friends are so important to me. All the money in the world couldn't buy the opportunities I have had there.

Precious memories, how they linger, how they ever flood my soul............
I hope they become as precious for my two grandsons as well.

SRH

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 10:50 am
by Stan Hillis
Part of the shooting area of the blind ----

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And another shot of the kitchen area ----

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And, looking north from a shooting position ----

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SRH

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 11:53 am
by DarylC
That's what I call roughing it in style Stan. You are truly blessed.

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Tue Jan 01, 2019 12:57 pm
by Stan Hillis
One of our old buddies, now long gone, used to be the cook for the breakfasts. He had owned restaurants, and just generally enjoyed it. The last season he was alive he cooked us duck rolls stuffed with sausage, over a little charcoal grill, and fresh baked cinnamon rolls one morning. He read a lot, and was a Buckingham fan. Whenever I'd make a nice shot with the big HE he would exclaim "Bo Whoop!!". I will always remember him, and those special mornings. His son now does the cooking "honors", and brings his 9 year old son some mornings. It's really a generational place.

Thanks for the compliments. SRH

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:11 pm
by TOOL MAN
Wow...…"Smitty" will be thrilled to know that article is forthcoming!! Thanks for thinking of us, Stan!
With a history as rich as that spanning several generations, that's DU Magazine worthy!

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Mon Jan 07, 2019 2:25 pm
by Researcher
Primo!! and then some.

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:10 pm
by AAHESpecial
First rate, Stan. You are passing the torch to the next generation.
Nash Buckingham also preferred #4 shot in both his big HE Super Foxes.
Mine just this week worked really well on Canada geese -with slightly bigger shot size.

Its nice to have two barrels to work from, as each barrel can carry a slightly different
shot shell loading-as desired. I still have some vintage paper Western 3 in. Super -X shells.

Re: A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

Posted: Sat Jan 12, 2019 9:52 pm
by Stan Hillis
"I still have some vintage paper Western 3 in. Super -X shells." AAHESpecial

Me too. Several boxes. So far I have resisted the temptation to "go outlaw" and kill a greenhead with a 1 3/8 oz. load of 4L and my HE................. so far.

Image

SRH