New Member

I just joined and wanted to say hello to everyone. I hunt ducks with a buddy in Northern California and am lucky enough to have my own place with good well water. We are in a hell of a drought and many clubs will be dry this year due to zero surface water allotments. The few who have it will have tons of birds visiting their ponds.

Last year, we had some freaky early rains that flooded the entire by-pass system and guess where the ducks rafted up....not where you could easily get 'em. Also, we had bluebird skies after that and a handful of windy, ducky days.

Okay, I love to hunt ducks and enjoy shooting my old Parker at the big mallard and sprig. My duck call is a hand made brass reed monster from an old guy named Cecil Welborn, fact I got three of 'em. He was an old duffer when I met him and we shot the sh*t for several hours at his 'pond' north of the Gridley Colusa Hwy. He gave me a call and gave me a lesson. Laughed when I didn't have the wind to keep up; very hard call to blow the hiball greeting. He then took the call apart and showed me how to tune the brass reed. He took his thumb nail, I think. A extra long yellowish thing and rubbed the edge of the reed with it. Said you had to keep it just the right shape. Kindly weird, but I knew this guy was super special.

I got back home and called a lawyer buddy of mine and told him about this strange dude I'd met while backroaddin'. He told me it was Cecil and I was lucky he'd even talk to a beginner like myself. Since then, I cherish my Welborn originals and blow them each new season.

Okay, if any of you get out this way and shoot vintage doubles, hit me up for a clays shoot. Heck, I might even let you see where my duck pond is. Nice to meet you all.