Book Description
Waterfowlers may be passionate-even obsessive-about their sport, but at least they don''t take themselves too seriously. That''s because duck and goose hunting is so often a humbling experience. In that respect, these 20 stories by Doug Larson are like the classic wildfowl tales of, say, Gordon MacQuarrie-that is, they celebrate the sport of waterfowling while tickling the funny bone.
But while Larson is in many ways a traditionalist when it comes to waterfowling-and storytelling-his voice is refreshingly new.
Larson''s subject, in fact, is the modern hunter''s struggle to come to terms with the past while living fully in the present. For instance, while he expresses a love for the hardy duck chasers in canvas coats who humped dozens of cork decoys through mud and mire to secret blinds, he also admits "adapting" to the comforts and conveniences of four-wheel ATVs, portable blind heaters, hollow-body plastic decoys, and polyester "fleece" parkas. On the other hand, he takes pokes at the modern trend to overcomplicate the sport. "Whatever happened to throwing rocks?" he asks in a chapter on
motion decoys.
Though the book finds humor in the "small" moments associated with duck and goose hunting, it occasionally delivers a real zinger that will bring tears to the reader''s eyes, as in the hilarious chapter titled "Concrete," in which Larsen discovers what can happen when a son takes his non-hunting dad waterfowling for the first time.


From the Back Cover
Waterfowlers may be passionate - even obsessive - about their sport, but at least they don''t take themselves too seriously. That''s because duck and goose hunting is so often a humbling experience. In that respect, these 20 stories by Doug Larsen are like the classic wildfowl tales of, say, Gordon MacQuarrie - that is, they celebrate the sport of waterfowling while tickling the funny bone. But while Larsen is in may ways a traditionalist when it comes to waterfowling - and storytelling - his voice is refreshingly new. (5 3/4 x 8 3/4, 256 pages, illustrations)


About the Author
Doug Larsen lives a life inextricably linked to the outdoors. A tireless duck hunter since childhood, he has been a guide on two continents and his career in sporting travel has afforded him the opportunity to go around the globe in pursuit of waterfowl and other outdoor passions. He lives in western Pennsylvania with his wife, Katie, three kids, and a calamitous pile of duck hunting paraphernalia. This is his first book.

FROM THE PUBLISHER

Waterfowlers may be passionate -- even obsessive -- about their sport, but at least they don't take themselves too seriously. That's because duck and goose hunting is so often a humbling experience. In that respect, these 20 stories by Doug Larsen are like the classic wildfowl tales of, say, Gordon MacQuarrie -- that is, they celebrate the sport of waterfowling while tickling the funny bone. But while Larsen is in many ways a traditionalist when it comes to waterfowling -- and storytelling -- his voice is refreshingly new.

Larsen's subject, in fact, is the modern hunter's struggle to come to terms with the past while living fully in the present. For instance, while he expresses a love for the hardy duck chasers in canvas coats who humped dozens of cork decoys through mud and mire to secret blinds, he also admits "adapting" to the comforts and conveniences of four-wheel ATVs, portable blind heaters, hollow-body plastic decoys, and polyester "fleece" parkas. On the other hand, he takes pokes at the modern trend to overcomplicate the sport. "Whatever happened to throwing rocks?" he asks in a chapter on motion decoys. And of the camouflage craze he asks, "Is anyone else about ready to call it quits on the whole camouflage thing?"

Though the book finds humor in the "small" moments associated with duck and goose hunting, it occasionally delivers a real zinger that will bring tears to the reader's eyes, as in the hilarious chapter titled "Wet Cement," in which Larsen discovers what can happen when a son takes his non-hunting dad waterfowling for the first time.

SYNOPSIS