ORTONVILLE, Minn. — The wait for shooting time was pure agony. A mix of green-winged teal and gadwalls constantly buzzed the decoys, the rush of air over their wings piercing the still and quiet of the marsh. They dropped so low that several appeared close enough to reach out and grab, and the distant greeting calls of hen mallards added to the suffering.
But agony is a natural part of duck hunting.
Some days are worse than others. But there was nothing about this Duck Trek hunt in western Minnesota that indicated it would be any more insufferable than your average cold, damp outing to a duck marsh.
It was no doubt cold...