There aren’t very many companies that began just after the civil war in 1879 that are still around, but Justin boots continues to produce some of the best footwear on the market today. The company has enjoyed great success not only with men, but also with the girls too, they’re quality and durability satisfy both genders. Starting along the West’s Chisholm Trail, the company was originally a boot repair shop. In 1879 another famous household item began production also, Ivory soap, which has become a very household name and item.

Although Justin makes great cowboy boots which is what they are famous for, they also make great work boots too. Justin has also come through with their whole line of roper boots as well. If you wear boots a lot, you will appreciate the quality and care taken to make every one of Justin’s Boots.

The company also keeps up with the needs of working people to keep the demand for their boots up. A lot of time and research is devoted by holding small focus groups to evaluate the current needs of the working public. This kind of careful attention to detail has caused the company to prosper even when their competition hasn’t.

The company has also been associated with the Western style and music. Many great country musicians have stomped the stage of the Grand Ole Opry in their Justin’s. One of country music legends, George Strait has his own line of Justin Cowboy Boots. Now, that’s is big time style.

The company has enjoyed a wide appeal to just about every person in America and their corresponding lifestyle. So whether you are eight or eighty five, you will feel comfortable and know you look great in the boots, and that’s a wide appeal.

With the SRT Super Resolution Technology, the Toshiba REGZA 52RV535U provides for up-converting of resolutions and boosts 480p and 720p inputs. DVDs and TV channels will be displayed in high definition picture quality. There is the AutoView feature which automatically adjusts the picture quality settings based on the content and lighting in the room. The DynaLight Backlight Control monitors and adjusts the backlight intensity of each frame. The Toshiba 52RV535U LCD is an affordable choice for a 52-inch TV because of the gaming mode. This mode makes gaming more interesting by decreasing the time it takes for signals to travel from the controller to the TV. The Toshiba REGZA 52RV535U is an excellent choice with many features and technologies that make this an excellent value buy for home cinema viewing.

The Toshiba 52XF550U is a 52″ TV that has 1080p full HD display and a Super Narrow Bezel Design that makes it a great selection for any home theater system. It has the 120Hz Anti-Blur processing known as ClearFrame for smooth visuals with no blurring and DynaLight Dynamic Back-Light Control, which can adjust the brightness levels of each frame. Black levels are good, though a bit bright on the darkest scenes. PC gamers will like this TV display with the gaming mode that it is included as a setting. The feature StableSound eliminates annoying instances of volume fluctuations when different programs or channels are transitioned.

Like other REGZA models, the 52XV540U is focused on delivering the best picture quality possible. The Toshiba 52XV540U sports a black gloss finish with smooth rounded corners. The profile is thin and beautiful. The ClearFrame 120Hz Anti-Blur Technology removes motion blur without any need to decrease image brightness. The PixelPure 4G digital video processing makes pictures clearer than ever. The ColorBurst Technology expands the number of available colors and also improves color accuracy. Being reasonably priced, this HDTV is definitely a great buy.

If you have never heard of acupressure before, it is an ancient Chinese medicine that uses the fingers to work on the key areas of the body that promote healing. It is said that when you practice acupressure, you will be able to relieve tension in the muscles as well as promote the healthy circulation of the blood. The pressure areas are the same in acupressure as they are in acupuncture, but acupuncture uses needles instead of pressure.

The alternative medicine has been used to relieve pain, keep the body in good balance as well as overall good health. An all over relaxation of the body is a good way to promote good health according to practitioners of acupressure. When you relieve the stress in the body, there can be a great improvement in your health. Stress can cause a great many problems in your health and will cause you to have trouble fighting off illness and health problems.

It is possible for an individual to use self acupressure to experience all of the health benefits that this type of therapy can bring to you. The first thing that you should do is find a chart that will show you all of the pressure points that you can use to achieve benefits. The chart will show you the pressure points and how they correspond to a particular area of your health. Acupressure charts are available online for you to use in your health therapy.

Acupressure has been used to treat colds and flu as well as boost the immune system. When your body is feeling run down, you are more likely to catch a virus that will lead to a cold. Acupressure can work to boost your immune system so that you are less likely to catch a cold. Even when you catch a cold, there is an acupressure method that can help your body fight off the virus and eliminate it from your body. It is important to note that acupressure does not cure a cold, it simply helps the body to fight off the cold and eliminate it more quickly.

Today, there are many reasons why the body will become rundown and more susceptible to illness. We are all working too many hours and not taking proper care of our health. With acupressure, some of the trouble that we give to our immune system with our unhealthy lifestyle can be relieved. Of course, you should make sure that you are taking care of your health most of the time. However, when the stress builds up and you find yourself working too hard, not getting a proper amount of rest and eating an unhealthy diet for a short period of time, make sure that you boost your immune system with some acupressure methods.

Outarow Chhuong has been involved in alternative health since 1997, and is currently writing health articles related to anti wrinkle cream, and anti aging wrinkle cream.

Disclaimer: The contents of this article are for informational purposes only. We aim to be as accurate as possible, but there may be some unintentional omission of information. The content is not a substitute for professional medical advice, diagnosis, or treatment. Always seek the advice of your doctor or other qualified health provider with any questions you may have regarding your medical condition. Never disregard professional medical advice or delay in seeking it because of something you have read on within this article.

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Statistics show that virtually all teenagers suffer from acne at some point or another and up to 40% of adults experience an occaisional breakout as well. There is no known cure for acne but there are countless treatments for the problem, resulting in a billion dollar market worldwide. One of these treatment plans, Proactive acne solution, has been very successful in clearing up mild to moderate acne in many people young and old.

The Proactive acne solution treatment is not recommended for severe nodular or cystic acne but for the majority of the population who have the mild to moderate cases it has been a godsend for many. It is a simple three step process that must be completed twice a day for maximum efficiacy. Many people show great progress in one to two weeks with Proactive acne solution.

The Three PartProcess

Proactive acne solution consists of three different products which work to stop the acne causing bacteria in its tracks. The first part in the treatment solution is the renewing cleanser which contains the star ingredient benzoyl peroxide. The cleanser in the Proactive acne solution treatment contains tiny particles of grain which act as a gentle exfoliator to remove dead skin cells, unclog skin pores and work deeply to start a bacteria attack.

The second part in the Proactive acne solution treatment is compromised of a refreshing toner which is alcohol-free. The toner serves to remove dead skin cells and maintain a balance in your skin tone all the while preparing the skin for the next phase – the repairing lotion.

The third part of the Proactive acne solution uses a lotion with tiny pulverized benzoyl peroxide that works its way into the pores to stage a defense against the bacteria. This repairing lotion will help heal acne you already have as well as prevent new ones from popping up.

Other Important Information

The Proactive acne solution treatment plan was developed by two dermatologists who spent years studying ingredients to come up with an effective option for clearing up acne. This three-part treatment plan uses prescription quality benzoyl peroxide to kill the bacteria as well as other natural ingredients like chamomile and aloe to prevent your skin from drying.

A refining mask is also available to add to the Proactive acne solution and it works to enhance the positive effects of the treatment. The mask is soothing and includes sulphur, a common ingredient used for years in the treatment of acne. The sulphur in the Proactive acne solution refining mask conditions the pores of your skin and gives the healing power of the whole treatment a boost.

In order for Proactive acne solution to work its magic and give you clearer skin, you should use the products twice a day – once in the morning and once at night before bed time. Being consistent with this treatment plan is the key to clear, healthy skin.

Teaching English As A Second Language

In the event your rooms need an instant design miracle, just unwrap this pink and brown bed in a bag! You don’t have to be anxious about unexpected guests stopping over at your dowdy and dreary quarters. A bed in a bag is a amazing set of comforter, sheets, bed skirts, and pillow cases. They come in different designs, colors and prints. Beds in a bag let you use your mind and creativity in producing your own exclusive theme.

Look around your room. Is the furnishings still the unchanged as it was last year, or worse, 5 years ago? Nowadays, you don’t have to go to design school or hire an interior decorator to make your rooms look like they were professionally styled. You don’t even have to strive hard or wrack our brain as to which print goes well with the other. With a bed in a bag you can instantly harmonize and coordinate like a pro.

Tidying up a particular room in an inexpensive way is now feasible. Do you want to recreate the look of a lavish five star hotel? Just purchase a bed in a bag set in soft silk and satins or rich velvets and suede. Do you think a country style theme will suit you more? How about creating a warm and beautiful bedroom mood with splashes of reds and blacks? No matter what you think is attuned with your existing decor and your current mood, there is a corresponding bed in a bag.

The decorating potentials are never-ending. Visit any home design specialty store or click on a website to check out the various beds in a bag offered. Be sure to test the thread count of each one to ensure that not only will it look excellent, but it will feel great too.

Your present Life is harried, hasty and full of worry, so a nourishing night’s rest has even greater substance and importance. While there’s huge importance in obtaining a full night of rest too many people continue to go lacking and put up with a life of sleep deficiency. Do not think that just because your eyes are shut and you pick up many long hours of rest, it isn’t true that the sort of respite you realize is the sort of rest your body truly requires to feel regenerated.

If you are getting the right quantity of sleep but you feel surprisingly exhausted after you wake up, there may be a good explanation as to why you are not receiving as good a night’s sleep as you possibly can. There are several ways and tips on how to sleep better that will point out some clues you will ought to put into place in order to get a complete night of valuable sleep. Purchase a futon cover for your futon here.

The first step in figuring out what is causing your sleep troubles is to look hard at the daily routines you’ve gotten interested in just preceding to going to bed, while resting on the couch and when you awake in the morning.

A routine allows the body and the mind to relax, slow down and prepare itself to drift off to sleep. There are a number of things that you can do to manufacture a solid cornerstone for acquiring a deep, restful slumber. An hour ahead of going to bed, you should look at working on a soothing project, taking a warm bath or turning up some gentle tunes that that will loosen you up.

Refrain from eating right before bed, as it is ideal to eat your final meal no less than three hours before laying down. This let’s your body fully process that final meal so that your body is not in a state of high activity before bedtime. Aside from putting your body in a state of rest it is also imperative to be concerned about the room itself.

Learning how you can better your sleep is not tricky, and as the human body thrives on routine then having a habit works greatest for any person who is looking to get a terrific night’s sleep. Keeping the body in a tranquil state is the major reason in having enhanced sleep patterns but other things to ponder are the room and bed itself. It is easy to have difficulty sleeping if you are sleeping on a mattress that is too old or not right for you or if there is too much light in your room. Add the right relaxing atmosphere to your room for a more relaxed room.

Allowing your body to have a complete night of rest is key to being able to face the day with all of your abilities while having your faculties at your quick disposal. Take note to your body and help keep it rested so that you can manage the ups and downs of this wild world that makes up daily life. Read more about different sleep problems here.

This should not be considered medical advice as we are not doctors. Always consult a doctor if you are having trouble sleeping.

From your kitchen’s gorgeous marble floors to the hanging light that is illuminating that imposing wooden dining table to the incredibly big kitchen cabinets, there is almost nothing in your kitchen that does not rouse an unreserved excitement.

But despite all this supposed grandeur, something still seems to be incomplete. This petty question is clearly not serving to lift your confidence. Given this, what is the solution ?

Have you ever given a thought to some truly  backsplash designs to accomplish the task? May be you haven’t, but even then take a look at it as follows – sometimes too much of something good can be counterproductive. So one may need a thing that possesses a neutralizing power to divert you from all the undiluted lavishness around.

That’s why backsplash design ideas are so popular.

Many more features than you thought possible

It doesn’t require superb powers of imagination to understand that the kitchen backsplash is possibly the most exposed part of the kitchen. In fact, the very first thing that meets the eye when you set foot in a kitchen is the backsplash. So the backsplash must be pleasing. This apart, your kitchen’s backsplash is also anointed with the insipid chore of covering the kitchen wall from invidious food showers that are a byproduct of your non-existing cooking talent. Above all, a kitchen backsplash adds lots of aesthetic appeal to the kitchen.

From a painted kitchen backsplash to a tin backsplash, there’s hardly an end to the way you might add charm to the kitchen. There are innumerable designs, styles and colors to pick from. But the bottom line is to keep it simple and very attractive. That can be achieved by adhering to the key principles of selecting a kitchen backsplash. Make sure the backsplash matches with the flooring and cupboards in the kitchen.

The area of the backsplash is as vital a notion as the measurements of the wall tiles that will be used . Keep in mind, it’s a kitchen backsplash that you’re making, not some eccentric set in a  sci-fi movie, so keep the gaudy shades to the bare minimum.

Ideas to help you start

Listed here are several easy kitchen backsplash tips depending upon the kind of décor in your kitchen:

    * Traditional: It is relatively simple to design a kitchen backsplash for a kitchen that gives off an old-world elegance. Utilize cobblestones, marble and chipped tiles in earthy shades to effect a feeling of warmth and intimacy.

    * Modern: Polished granite, glass and stainless steel tiles make the kitchen’s backsplash appear sparkling, sleek and handy. No complex finishes and textures to worry about in this case.

    * Mediterranean: Handpainted tiles in vivid, attractive colors like blue and sea green will add that much required appeal to your kitchen backsplash. Remember to design cabinets and countertops in earthy tones, and see the sparks fly.

In case the ideas have not really impressed you, then do experiment with a few approaches. It’s bound to result in a backsplash that reflects your distinct style.

Mapquest.com has mobile features that deliver Mapquest on the move snappier and more carefree than ever before. Get Map Quest driving directions for free or at a small fee, for its advanced features, sent directly to your mobile device! With Map Quest Navigator you can get driving directions spoken and comprehensive right from your phone. Map Quest Send to Cell also lets you send driving directions from your PC to your phone so you don’t have to print them out. Mapquest driving directions for Mobile Web grants you the power to get driving instructions and utilize all of Mapquest’s great features right form your cell or mobile device.

Changing your cell phone into a GPS mechanization is easy with Map Quest Navigator. You can accept spoken driving information to any destination in the United States. You don’t need any extra gadgets; you don’t need anything more than mobile device with web capabilities. Allowing calls will not mess with your navigation depending on which model of phone you want. You know that your instructions will be as concise as possible because Map Quest employs the latest global positioning systems technology to ensure you make it to your desired target using the shortest route possible. Map Quest Navigator allows you verbally guided driving instructions just like an expensive Tom Tom mechanizations but for a lot less.

Have you ever felt like you wanted to take the driving instructions you got online and transmit them to your mobile phone for easy access for future reference? Mapquest Send to Cell offers you the advantage of arranging a vacation at home on your computer and later you can deliver the data and driving instructions to your phone. This facet makes it easier to allocate your driving plan. Save time and the environment by sending them directly to your phone for easy access. Just tap the “send to cell” icon when you’re done.

Map Quest for Mobile Web makes finding direction quick and simple. Map Quest for Mobile Web is the scaled down version of a well established site. You can browse for driving directions, road atlases, gas stations; if you can get it on mapquest.com, you can get it on your cell. Want to add another stop to your trip, take a detour, find an alternate route, or skip traffic? Do it on the go from your phone or mobile device. Map Quest Mobile for Web gives you all the power and convenience of mapquest.com anywhere you are and for a lot less than the expensive GPS.

Map Quest‘s integrated mobile features makes finding the shortest, quickest, or easiest routes simple and easy. Rest assured you are in safe hands in a strange or unfamiliar place; whatever you want is just a cell phone reach away. Mapquest helps you stay prepared with anything you need such as gas stations and prices, road closures and alternate routes all at the push of a button.

Over the last few years we have viewed quite a few changes in the way Tampa Homes have been advertised to the general public. Today, many business-to-consumer, B2B and even lead generation marketing programs have shifted focus over to the world wide web. With increasing print marketing expenses and decreasing traditional marketing response rates, it is no wonder why Tampa FL Homes For Sale for sale are being advertised more through the web with Tampa real estate offices and entrepreneurs alike.

Tampa Florida Real Estate is out with the old and in with the new…

In the past, Tampa Real Estate listed by a licensed real estate agent may have been offered to the general public through various conventional marketing mediums or outlays such as:

    * Multiple Listing Service
    * Print Advertisements (Magazines, Newsletters, etc.)
    * Direct Mail (Postcards, Brochures, Stationary Products, etc.)
    * Signage (Open Houses)
    * Radio
    * Television and others.

While these conventional mediums have proven to be effective in the past, they may no longer be as useful or even comparable to a “tailored”, innovative web AND offline marketing program. There are definitely new rules in today’s Tampa Homes for Sale marketing such as the introduction of social media and networking sites, blogs, podcasts, vodcasts, articles, social news releases and many other popular mediums.

Rick’s Tampa real estate listings receive more exposure through numerous internet marketing channels and web marketing techniques utilized by Rick Durand. As the proud owner of a internet marketing company called Spotlight Creations, LLC, Rick Durand has the knowledge and experience required to launch your Tampa real estate property’s exposure both online and off. With over 20 distinct marketing programs available to effectively market a Tampa real estate property, we invite you to contact us for a free consultation.

Are you thinking of selling your Tampa home? Call 813-695-3077 or visit RickDurand.com to learn how listing your property with Rick Durand can truly make a “world wide web” difference!

Walking barefoot across red-hot coals or lying on a bed of spikes are fairly rugged forms of endeavor, I was thinking moodily, but both of them pale beside the sport of hunting ducks in New England. Sport? If some director of a slave-labor camp were to subject his charges to such suffering, it would arouse the civilized world.

I crouched in wet marsh grass while a northeast wind stabbed me through layers of canvas and wool. My friend Lenny huddled beside me, his face an interesting mottled purple. I couldn’t see my own face, fortunately, but I could hear my teeth clicking like a high-speed telegraph instrument. I wondered why we thought we were having fun- here on this desolate river bank shortly after daybreak, staring at a flotilla of decoys. Why had we long looked forward to this day, hailed with glad cries the radio’s grim forecast: Storm warnings from Danport to Sandy Hook?

I burrowed deeper into my parka, hunched my hands up into the sleeves and scanned the gray skies, deserted save for the dawn patrol of scavenging crows above the dead brown marsh. Suddenly, a thud of gunfire rolled across the stillness like someone far off hitting a big bass drum.

Boom. Boom. Bd-Zoom. Boom.

“Watch it,” Lenny whispered.

We tensed, staring into the east. Presently, four black specks hurtled into view, streaking high across the sky. As we riveted our eyes to the speeding birds, trying to will them toward us, a whicker of wings tore the air behind us and a pair of blacks materialized out of nowhere and swept

overhead. They streaked across the river, banked sharply and headed back, wings set. Suddenly I was warm to my toes.

“Let’s go,” Lenny murmured, struggling up.

Over the twin barrels of the 12 I saw my duck cupping in. When the muzzles blotted it out I pulled the trigger, just as Lennys gun crashed beside me. Nitro curled into the frosty air and two ducks splashed among the decoys.

And as I waded out to pick up the fallen birds I knew the answer to my earlier question. It’s the same thing that makes a wary brown trout more exciting than a pumpkinseed, that ranks a wily old buck above a cow in a pasture – it’s the satisfaction that comes from pitting your stamina ann skill against a tough, smart opponent who makes you earn every victory.

New England gunners have plenty of opportunity to put both stamina and skill to the test in hunting the native black duck, to many the most prized waterfowl of all. In the early morning he flies out of the swamps and marshes to spend the day sitting on open water far from shore. In his travels to and from his resting places he flies high in the air at a speed that tests the mettle of the man with the gun. He regards all decoys with suspicion and his keen-sightedness is phenomenal.

One day another friend, Robert, and I were shooting at the mouth of Mill Creek. Our decoys lined up perfectly in the current; our parkas matched the brown of dead marsh grass and our thickly woven blind provided complete concealment. Yet time after time the blacks circled overhead, almost on the point of coming in, only to Hare suddenly and streak down the river. We couldn’t figure it till at last we happened to notice the vacuum bottle I had placed beside me in the blind. The glint of sunlight on its chrome top flashed like a warning beacon as the birds passed overhead.

Faced with wariness bordering on human intelligence, gunners have to display considerable ingenuity in hunting black ducks. One of the simplest and most popular methods is jump-shooting-walking or floating the creeks and blasting at birds that get up ahead of you. This was my introduction to duck hunting, and old George who showed me how to do it was a master of the art. I can well remember sitting in the bow of George’s battered skiff with my single-barreled 16 across my knees, staring tensely through the mist which curled upward in a thin November dawn. The old man sat in the stern, his big 12 beside him, steering with a paddle as we slipped noiselessly downstream.

Muskrats splashed beside the banks and great blue herons ghosted away at our approach. Then, around a wooded bend, suddenly there were the ducks dabbling in the shallow water. No grouse ever whirred up from the forest floor more swiftly than those black ducks catapulted off the water. I jerked up my gun, trying to remember all the things Lenny had taught me about proper lead and “hold.” His big charcoal burner was already roaring behind me and ducks began splashing into the river. Desperately I put the muzzle on a big bird as it beat upward and saw it crumple and splash. It was one of life’s great moments. In my book, jump-shooting remains the sportiest gunning of all.

It has its limitations, however. By the time the sun is high most of the ducks have left the creeks and jump-shooting is dead, There are two choices left. You can sit in a blind and wait for the birds to come in or follow them out to open water. On warm, still days the choice narrows down to the latter course, for on such days the ducks won’t fly.

You want wind for black ducks, wind with a spit of snow in the air. Otherwise, the birds will raft up on the water to sit out the daylight hours. To counter this discouraging tactic some long-gone gunner invented the grass-thatched sneak boat, a craft brought to a high degree of development along the New England coast today. The sneak boat is a kind of seagoing coffin. The gunner lies like a corpse in state, while his guide, also lying down, sculls from the stern. It’s a highly successful device for getting within range I of black ducks on bluebird days.

On such a day some years ago I sat with my guide, Ben, in a duck blind on the shores of Open Bay, in Maine. It was mid-November but so unseasonably warm that we had stripped off successive layers of sweaters and were now practically in our shirt sleeves. Butterflies hovered about our blind, the only creatures on the wing, but far out on the blue bay we could see a great raft of black ducks riding the placid surface.

“Look at ‘em,” Ben said in disgust, “setting out there laughing at us. But we’ll fool ‘em. Come on.”

He led the way up a salt creek to a heavily thatched sneak boat hidden in the marsh. He briefed me on my role as we hauled the boat to the creek.”Just lay quiet till I give you a poke. Then set up and pour it on ‘em.”

Custom and the design of the sneak boat demand that the gunner insert himself between its decks much like a shell being slipped into the chamber of a gun and with a like amount of tolerance. Lying helpless on my back with my gun thrust through the thatch, I could see nothing but matted grass and a small patch of blue sky. Ben, also on his back, managed to scull the boat and see where we were going.

Time stood still for what seemed like several hours. Then I felt Ben’s nudge. Heaving like a swamp-bogged bull moose, I finally managed to achieve a half-sitting position. Instantly the air was filled with a great whoosh of rising wildfowl, but for a moment I had no idea where they were.

“Starboard!” Ben was shouting and I looked around in time to see a black cloud streaming away. I swung wildly at a skimming black form and pulled. By some miracle the duck folded in mid-air. The shot had about it an illusion of quiet deliberation and I waited modestly for Ben’s accolade.

“You got to shoot spry,” he declared reproachfully. “I could of killed three or four of them birds with my paddle.” We sculled home in thoughtful silence. A lot of people shoot a lot off ducks from sneak boats and it has saved many a bluebird day, but by temperament and by choice I prefer to do my shooting from blinds. Seeing ducks circle the decoys, set their wings and scale in-that, I submit, is one of the greatest thrills which gunning has to offer.

On cold, stormy days when high winds whip open waters to whitecapped froth a nervousness grips the ducks. They are uncomfortable bouncing about on the waves and they fly restlessly back and forth above the marshes, dropping into coves and creeks where others of their kind are resting. These are the days for shooting over decoys. The wilder the day, the better the ducks come into the stools, and at such times it’s amazing what a variety of subterfuges will bring even these vigilant birds within range.

Old-time gunners invariably used wooden blocks painstakingly carved and lovingly painted in the likeness of a duck. You’ll still see a few of these beautiful works of art in use on the marshes today, but canny New Englanders have found that one of these heirlooms sold to summer folks or antique dealers will bring enough to buy a whole set of modern plastic or rubber decoys. Kapok-stuffed canvas bags are popular black-duck decoys, and along the coast cork blocks have a wide vogue, but the most amazing spread of all was that used by Rod Marcus on the wide Orleans marshes on Cape Cod. It was Rod’s custom on occasion to shoot from a barrel sunk into the tide flats, companioned by crabs and eels and odd bits of flotsam cast up by the tide. There, he used to scoop up stiff gobs of mud and fashion them roughly into the size and shape of ducks. The first time I saw them I didn’t believe it.

“Do you mean to say blacks will come in to those things?” I demanded incredulously.

“Always have” Rod said laconically. “Let’s get down in the barrels and see.”

We didn’t have long to wait. A northeast wind whipped tattered shreds of clouds across the dunes and out of the gray curtain a pair of ducks came skimming the marsh. They circled those mud decoys and dropped in like barnyard fowl coming to a feed trough. Long before noon we left the blind

with two limit bags of ducks.

“They work pretty good days like this,” Rod said as we tramped home across the marsh. “Seems like when blacks want to decoy you just can’t stop ‘em.”

Blacks are hard to call in except by an expert. I’ve known a few, a very few, who could talk them into a rendezvous, but most gunners soon give it up and rely entirely upon the decoys. Blinds, like decoys, are products of improvisation-clumps of marsh grass or screens of brush. There are few of the deluxe installations with benches, roofs, and gun rests which one sees in other localities. One of my favorite blinds is a 10-foot strip of chicken wire l thatched with grass and set in a semi-circle with poles thrust into the mud. The important things are to have everything look as natural as possible and, above all, to remain quiet. The temptation is great with a whistle of wings in the air to look up and follow the circling flight, but such a course is fatal. The white of an upturned face, a sudden motion in the blind, or the glint of sunlight on a gun barrel will cause the ducks to leave you quicker than a summer romance.

If you remain completely motionless, ducks will often come in whether you l are concealed or not. Only a few days ago I went out to retrieve a dead duck. I was standing in full view on the shore when my companion called out, “Ducks-heading in!”

There was no time to return to cover so I bent over and froze into a brown statue. I heard a whicker of wings, punctuated by the blast of my partner’s gun. The black which fell landed almost at my feet.

Ducks are easy to hit over decoys. It says so in all the books. Yet . . . somehow hunters continue to miss them. One reason for this is the deceptiveness of distance over water. I’ve seen skybusters on the Cape Cod marshes blast away at ducks that only a guided missile could reach. Another factor is the great speed of ducks in flight, particularly when they’re riding a 40-mile tail wind. I shan’t soon forget the blustery day on the Eastham marshes when four blacks whipped over the decoys in single file. I swung my gun with the first bird, led him a good 10 feet, and pulled. It was the third duck that crumpled. At that time, it was beginning to get dark as the sun was setting. I was fortunate to have my Surefire UA2 Optimus flashlight to safely locate the game and return to my truck.

In time this judgment of distance and lead becomes mechanical. Some of the old-time marsh gunners have developed uncanny skill. Back when the limit was 10 ducks, Rod used to set 10 shells beside him in the blind and when they were gone he quit. Quite often he had his limit. If you don’t think that’s a trick try it someday. Set out four shells (the 1953 limit on the Atlantic flyway is four ducks) and when they’re gone see how many ducks you have.

“I expect there’s no reason for me to ever miss a duck,” Rod once told me solemnly, and he wasn’t bragging. He’d fired so many thousands of shells at so many thousands of ducks that the whole deal had become second nature. One reason why you and I use up so much ammunition today is because of the incredible lead-carrying ability of ducks, especially big, husky birds like blacks. Too many ducks today are shot at over-long ranges or are struck only by two or three scattered pellets from the fringe of a poorly aimed shot pattern. They drop, stunned, but too often pick themselves up and have to be shot again, or else wing away, dying, to hide themselves in deep brush or marsh grass. The crows and hawks that float on silent wings over every marsh indicate how many ducks are left to scavengers. At the close of opening day last year a friend of mine in the Fish and Wildlife Service took his Labrador retriever for a walk across the Parker River marshes and in four square miles the dog recovered 13 crippled ducks.

Besides being the wariest of all ducks, the black is also the hardiest. Not for him the soft comfort of tropic skies. The big, red-legged blacks which come down from the north stay with us throughout the cold New England winter. Banding operations have shown that the native birds migrate only a short distance from home. One of the fastest shoots in which I ever took part occurred on the Orleans marshes one freezing December day when great blocks of floe ice lay in jumbled heaps along the beach. The bay was frozen halfway across and there was no place to set out the decoys. It seemed hopeless to hunt under such conditions but as gray daylight came on, Eddie Atwood and I saw streams of black ducks funneling down behind Sand Island.

“They must have found open water there,” Rod said. “Let’s take a look.”We sneaked across the ice like 21 pair of Eskimo walrus hunters and came at last to a spring hole some 20 yards across. Its surface was black with ducks. Others waddled across the ice quacking and jostling for their turn at the open pool. They rose in a cloud as we came near, but as soon as we lay down behind the ice cakes others quickly took their places. We didn’t need decoys as ducks from miles around pitched into the spring hole. An hour later we were back at camp with limit bags of ducks.

The black lives on aquatic plants and crustacea by choice and hence needs open water in which to dabble for its food. Failing this, it will still get along. Only last winter a Fish and Wildlife Service warden on Plum Island Refuge in Massachusetts came across a black duck which waddled along the frozen beach unable to fly. It appeared to be ailing, so the warden dispatched it and took it to the research laboratory. An autopsy revealed its difficulty-it had eaten 50 salt-water minnows after ice sealed off its customary food supply. Very early in the spring the migrant redlegs head north and native pairs prepare to breed in the swamps and marshes, often close to civilization where cats and dogs as well as foxes, skunks, crows, and owls break up the nests and destroy the baby ducklings. But despite this predation and heavy gunning pressure, the ranks of black ducks are increasing.

Thanks to strict management, to federal refuges, and to private agencies, it seems likely that future generations of New England gunners will enjoy their heritage of black-duck hunting. And l hope, for years to come, Lenny and I can keep our frozen vigil in lonely marshes with whistling wings in the dawn skies overhead.