The Off-Season

When the waterfowl season is closed and the guns are cleaned oiled and in the gun-safe, there is still work to do. On Friday I took the day off to perform some of this work in preparation for next season. Those few who follow this Blog may recall that I now have a new hunting dog..Genna. Part of the off season work involves getting this young lady prepared for duck hunting next season.

So, she came along for the trip and we worked on water retrieves from our Club's water blinds. She did well and had a ball getting muddy and swimming. We also worked on field retrieves and marking downed birds in the tall brush. Again, she did well and responded to commands and whistles. She was very steady and perhaps most importantly did not leave my side despite being off leash on an 800 acre farm....she stayed at heel or within a few yards at all times. She also did well riding in the backseat of the truck without being in her crate.

Then it was time to work on the duck hunting boat. I had tubes put in both of the trailer tires and re-stenciled the registration numbers. Next, I sanded and re-painted the transom, lubed the trailer bearings and made sure the lights and wiring were in good order. The lights really take a beating being immersed in brackish water when launching the boat.

After the work was complete it was time for dinner. There is a local joint in Liepsic Delaware, about 4 miles from our Club, that is legendary for Crabs. The place sits on the Liepsic river and gets fresh Delaware Bay seafood right from the boats as they come in off the Bay. What they do not get locally they import and they do this fresh seafood perfectly as well.

This joint, Sambo's, is old school waterfront crab house though and through. They have an off-season and close from late October thru early April, so I was excited to get back there shortly after they re-opened. We waded into piles of steamers, shrimp, and crabs and washed it down with pitchers of ice cold beer. The cole slaw is tremendous, the crab fries delicious and the crab bisque is insane.

A side note...the name of this establishment is perhaps not politically correct and raises an eyebrow from some visitors. Legend has it that the NAACP actually sued the owners to compel a name change. The owners won the suit because Sambo is actually the name of the proprietor.
When NASCAR is racing at Dover this place is packed with racers and teams and the walls are crowded with autographs and racing paraphernalia. If you ever get down that way...do yourself a favor and stop in for a couple dozen and a pitcher or two. The jukebox is great, they have a pool table for your wait, and the staff is exceptional.