Photos from Matt Edwards

Donnie and Drake

Matt's bag for the day.

Drake in the dog box.

Dr. Rodney, Heath, and Shane doing a bit of rescue and recovery work after the hunt.

Johnny's Dog Van

Pictures sent by Shane

Mojo working over decoys at day break

Johnny and Van hunting out of the tank pit

Shane's dog Ace

Stevie Johnson and  his dog Cass

This is the levee blind before they flooded the fields.

Stevie working his Speck call.

Opening Weekend

Opening weekend for the 2011-2012 season was a bit hot for my liking but turned out to be a great opener.  Thanks to everyone for a making a great start to the season.  9 of the 10 members were able to make it down and I hope all you guys had a good time and will send me some pictures of the weekend to post on the site. 
Here are some of the shots I took:

Matt Edwards made his first trip to the duck club this weekend and due to his absence through the work weekends some of the boys decided to have him a t-shirt made and decorate his bed when he arrived.  Matt did redeem himself by hooking the club up with all the kitchen supplies.  I am just looking forward to the payback pictures!

Seth McDowell and Donnie Edwards keeping and eye out for the birds from the "snake pit".  Donnie's dog Drake however took timeout for a quick photo op.

Johnny Edwards and his hunting partner Van taking a coffee break.  Johnny likes to save his dogs legs and shoot birds that only land inside the blind.  Also, mad respect for Johnny and Van who hunted in the lightening and blowing rain Monday morning and limited out in 20 minutes while the rest of us wimped out! 

Here is the wall from opening day.  50 Saturday. 43 Sunday, and I don't have totals for Monday other than Johnny's limit.  Lots of teal, gads, and shovelers.  Wigeon, blue bill, canvas back, pintail and several mallards made for a very mixed bag for the weekend.   

Donnie Edwards, Matt Edwards and Seth McDowell cooking it up in the kitchen. 

The teal didn't make it home in the coolers and man were they good!  The Edwards boys fired up the grill Sunday night and made a delicious meal. 

Dr. Matt Perkins and his two sons Chance and Nate pop out of the pit for a quick picture.  It was a great first Arkansas duck hunt for the boys.

The mud room was full with everyone in the house.

As was the gun rack. 

Everyone hanging out after a big teal meal.  My favorite thing about this picture is it provides proof of one of the many Stevie Johnson on ambien stories that he always denies the next morning.  That bottle of water he is drinking ended up poured in the chair he is sitting in due to him trying to take a drink while babbling some nonsense and missing his mouth.

I am looking forward to the rest of the season with all you guys.  Send any pictures you want to share to the club email link, cypresscreek

 

Reminder of the Rules

 

CYPRESS CREEK HUNTING CLUB RULES

• THIS CLUB IS MANAGED AND RUN BY A BOARD OF DIRECTORS
• President – Seth T. McDowell
• Vice President – Heath Thorne
• Managing Board Members – Shane Thorne and Stevie Johnson
• DAY TO DAY OPERATIONS OF THE CLUB WILL HANDLED BY THE MANAGING PARTNERS ABOVE.  VIOLATIONS OF THE FOLLOWING RULES WILL BE LEFT TO THE DISCRETION OF THE BOARD.
• ALL MEMBERS ARE TO ADHERE TO ALL ARKANSAS GAME AND FISH COMMISSION LAWS AND REGULATIONS
• THERE WILL NEVER BE MORE THAN 10 MEMBERS
• NO USE OF ALCOHOL OR CONTROLLED SUBSTANCES WHILE HUNTING.  USE OF ILLEGAL SUBSTANCES IS FORBIDDEN WITHIN THE CLUB BY MEMBERS OR THEIR GUESTS.  VIOLATION WILL BE IMMEDIATE TERMINATION OF MEMBERSHIP
• MEMBERSHIP ALLOWS MEMBER’S CHILDREN OR SPOUSE TO HUNT WITH THEM AT ANY TIME.  MEMBER MUST BE PRESENT AND ALL CHILDREN UNDER 16 SHOULD BE SUPERVISED AT ALL TIMES
• MEMBERSHIPS ARE ON AN ANNUAL BASIS AND DUES MUST BE PAID IN FULL BEFORE MAY 15^TH. 
• GUEST POLICY
• No guests on opening or final weekend.
• Members may bring one guest any time they wish as long as they notify club managers.
• Guests are limited to 2 visits per season
• Members are responsible for the actions of their guests.
• NO SMOKING IN THE CLUB HOUSE
• MEMBERS WILL BE RESPONSIBLE FOR CLEANING THE CLUB HOUSE BEFORE LEAVING.
• EACH MEMBER WILL BE EXPECTED TO BE IN CONTROL OF THEIR DOGS. 
• MEMBERS ARE EXPECTED TO HAVE THEIR OWN HUNTING GEAR.  IF YOU ARE GIVEN PERMISSION TO USE ANOTHER MEMBER’S GEAR YOU SHOULD RETURN IT IN ITS ORIGINAL CONDITION OR REPLACE ANY DAMAGED ITEMS.
• IF ANY HUNTING AREA IS CONSISTENTLY HOLDING BIRDS MEMBERS WILL ROTATE USE OF THOSE AREAS
• PITS AND BLINDS ARE TO BE LEFT IN THE CONDITION IN WHICH THEY FOUND.  DECOYS SHOULD BE REMOVED FROM THE HOLE WHEN HUNT IS COMPLETE.
• MEMBERS SHALL NOT BE HELD LIABLE FOR ANY INJURIES SUSTAINED, VANDALISM, OR ANY PERSONAL PROPERTY SUBJECT TO THEFT OF OTHER MEMBERS AND / OR GUESTS WHILE HUNTING ON THE PREMISES

Arkansas Dates for the 2011-12 Waterfowl Season

Opening Day 11/19/2011 - 11/27/2011 Closes
Reopens 12/8/2011 - 12/23/2011 Closes
Reopens  12/26/2011 - 1/29/2012 Closed for Season

Duck daily bag limit - Six ducks. Limit may include no more than four mallards (no more than two of which may be hens), three wood ducks, two redheads, one black duck, two scaup, two pintails, one canvasback and one mottled duck. Duck and teal species not listed have no extra restriction beyond the six-duck total bag limit.

Duck possession limit - Twice the daily bag limit.
Coot daily bag limit - 15.
Coot possession limit - Twice the daily bag limit.
Merganser daily bag limit - Five. Limit may include no more than two hooded mergansers.
Merganser possession limit - Twice the daily bag limit.

Pics from Shane

Shane provided a couple of pics to add to the blog.  This first one is of his master painting skills on the old fridge.

I also included a good picture of the rice being harvested while we were there working.

Here are a few pictures of the Lodge!

Welcome Members!

In an attempt to create platform for all the members to share photos, stories, and just keep in touch when the wife keeps you in TN for the weekend I have established this blog.  I have created an email address cypresscreek@charter.net for everyone to forward pictures, stories, or any general information you would like posted to the site.  I am not 100% positive how all this works but it looks like you can sign in with your email address and be a member of the site.  Oh well, I guess it is worth a shot.  More to come, and I am looking forward to a great season!  Also, thanks to everybody that helped on the Oct 1st work weekend. 

Happy Hunting,

Heath