On my first duck hunting trip I went with my husband on the Nisqually Delta. He has recently discovered the sport after moving back to our home state of Washington. Purchasing the bare minimum he needed to get out in the water to secure the good spots for himself on the delta he would always come home relaxed and calm. Some days he was happy because of the bounty he was bringing home, other times he would come home empty handed but still smiling. I wondered what would cause him to still be happy even after a “bad hunting day” and now I know.

It was 12pm, I stepped into the canoe (first time for that also) trying not to freak out as it wobbled, once the canoe was pushed out and my husband joined me I looked up. Then immediately hurried to pull my camera out of my waders chest pocket still holding my breath, you know to help keep the canoe upright and snapped this picture. After that moment I wasn’t too concerned with whether the canoe was going to hold us and not tip. It was the clearest sky Western Washington had seen in a week, right after our first Snow/Ice storm of the new year.

Has that ever happened to you?

Where the hunting outcome paled in comparison to the view?

**we did manage to get a single duck on that clear warm afternoon