The End of an Era: Removing Old #16

Photos don't do this project justice; these two boatloads were supposed to be the "easy part" of removing this blind --
turns out you can get a fair amount of accumulation over 50 years+, even if you bring the lumber out "a couple 2x4's at a time"

I love days like yesterday. Action packed. It was the first day of school for our kids, so we were up and at 'em early. After an initial explosion of activity, the house was unusually quiet by 7:20, so I was able to gather my things and get out the door myself. Thanks to the luxury of a smart phone, I got a lot accomplished in the first half of the morning by phone and my email while checking things off my list around the bunkhouse. But with refreshing winds out of the north and afternoon temps projected to struggle to hit the 70s again, it was an ideal day for some heavy lifting. So during the late morning and afternoon, Roy and I finished up what has been a 3-day project that we spaced over maybe three weeks. And truth be told, it probably should have been done three years ago: we removed "Old #16."

Time took its toll

Scale is tough in photos like these, but this duck "blind" had grown to the point that it was hardly blinding -- or if it was, it was blinding in the wrong sense of the word. By the time we took a destructive hammer to it, the accumulation looked more like an air craft carrier. Lots of history and lots of stories reside in these hallowed grounds though. I've heard various reports about when hunting got started in this island of what is now cattails. One account puts it back 75 years or more. Another suggests that "major construction" on the "grass blind" didn't happen until the 60s sometime.

But suffice it to say, a lot of sunrises have been witnessed, a lot of coffee (etc.) has been consumed, a lot of ducks have been harvested (or at least scared), a lot of unique and memorable conversations have taken place, and a lot of laughter has been shared from this vantage point. I don't take that casually. In fact, I love the history.

Just like the removal of the blind -- and somehow, appropriately -- yesterday also marked another event probably long-overdue: Roy and I got to meet the entire group of ten lease holders who have been "renting" the West Marsh from us since the '15 waterfowl season. We obviously met a few of the guys early on, and they have been great ambassadors, but it was really great for us to put faces with all the names.

While there is one newcomer, all of these guys have a few critical things in common: (1) a common conservation ethic and respect for the environment where they pursue their passions, (2) a shared love for duck hunting, (3) direct or indirect ties to hunting in Bay View [some of these guys have hunted with their grandfathers, fathers, sons, and grandsons on this property], and (4) roots that tie them to Cleveland and for most, Beaver Creek Hunt Club (a private sportsman's playground between Vermilion and Lorain, OH).

The motley crew; the only two missing were a couple of the punters (one of whom had to split just before we took this photo); Roy and I really enjoyed the conversation, the meal, the hospitality, and the genuine interest in helping to make the marsh better

Beaver Creek was the site of last evening's dinner gathering. After informal introductions and a 3,000 calorie steak dinner, we enjoyed swapping stories, shared updates regarding progress on the marsh, and got the juices flowing in anticipation for a waterfowl season that starts in just eight short days. There are a handful of "post-worthy" topics from last evening alone, but they will come out in time -- especially as the duck season gets underway. I rolled into my driveway about 11:30 last night, admittedly tired from a full day. But I can honestly say it was one of my highlights of this adventure thus far. We gotta good thing going; we just gotta keep the momentum rolling in the right direction.

Believe it or not, there is a jon boat under this pile -- one of five loads of lumber that we removed from Old #16;
we did salvage a handful of side boards from the blind itself, the unbelievably weathered oak benches, and a few other odds and ends;
some will be distributed to the guys who show interest, and others will be kept as part of a growing time capsule for the property