A good morning in the L 'Anguille bottoms

[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.



SRH

[Sporrns]

Wow, Stan - what a great photo - thanks for sharing ! HEs and grandsons rule!! Kevin

[DSizemore]

This is indeed a nice picture !

[Silvers]

Reads and looks like a memorable hunt. Good going Stan and grandsons.

[Jim Cloninger]

Nice going, Stan. I wish I was there! Jim

[Mills]

Good job Stan! Arkansas is the place to be

[Jeff S]

Wow! You guys are great duck hunters. Nice blind.

[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

[Stan Hillis]

Part of the shooting area of the blind ----



And another shot of the kitchen area ----



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



SRH

[DarylC]

That's what I call roughing it in style Stan. You are truly blessed.

[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

[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!

[Researcher]

Primo!! and then some.

[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.

[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.



SRH