singlemalt
Well-Known Member
In another thread the subject of the mysterious "Old Boys Club" has come up again as it does from time to time on "68". I have some time this morning and felt compelled to address the issue. It is certainly a strange organization. From what I call tell like a lot of secret societies it has no annual dues, issues no membership cards and produces no membership list. The members recognize each other through secret signals, odd greetings and unique forms of dress (Max-4 and Mossy Oak Duck Blind are rumoured to be a sign). Another strange aspect is that when the term OBC is used, especially on this forum, it is in the form of an insult or term of derision. Yet as far as I can tell everyone wants to be a member and all those who are part of it seem proud to be recognized as one of the OBC?
Now let me come clean and say I personally have been accused of being a member of the OBC on more than one occasion. Not sure if I really am. There may be different levels of membership and I just have not reached a high enough level to be given all the Club secrets.
In this post I intend to tell all I know about the organization and how to get in. First, let me say there is no formal application process. As far as I can tell like Hell's Angels you need to be invited in by a member. There are a few exceptions who seem to have inherited membership because their father and even grandfathers were members. One thing I can say for sure is you only get in by personal contact. There is no internet application process.
I am not the sure about the process for others but I can tell you how I got in. I started hunting the Long Point area about 25 years ago because I heard so much about it in hunting circles. I came to the Unit once or twice but was intimidated by the size of the marsh, the complexity of the system and the scary gruff "Old Boys" I saw there each trip. I started hunting the Hahn Marsh as it was much simpler and less intimidating. However, I came down in the very dark of a late November night with my canoe on top of the car only to find the launch area frozen solid and no sign of open water. With my only option driving home and not hunting I reluctantly drove over to the line-up at the Unit and parked in line. When I went to the office I observed all the Old Boys exchange their secret greetings and passing information on to each other in code and by mysterious hand gestures. When it came to my turn I had no idea what to do but pick something which looked close enough to the launch to paddle and slipped out into the cold windy dark. In those days there used to be breakfast served from 4:00am at the little restaurant on the Point and as I was nervous about trying to find my blind in the dark I stopped in for something to eat. When I entered |I was horrified to see all the seats were full except for one at the table with three of the most grizzled, gruff and tough looking old silver-back members of the OBC. I almost left but I summoned my courage and asked them if i could join them for breakfast. They immediately pulled out a chair and started chatting, asking where I was from and what blind I picked. When I told them they asked if I had ever been there before I said no and they told me how to find it, where to hide my canoe, how to set the decoys and where to watch. I went out did exactly what they said and had a limit by early afternoon. I was thrilled!
I went back the next Saturday and when I saw one of the OBC who had helped me I went right over to him, shook his hand, and told him about my hunt and thanked him for the advice. He seemed pleased to have helped and that began my process of entry into the OBC. I started coming down every Saturday, did a lot of re-rents, and met more and more OB. Eventually I ended up hunting with one of them on a pretty regular basis (I think because he had no dog and liked mine).
I started to show up for blind day and other work parties and then eventually was invited to put my name up for one of the LPWA Directors positions. I was honoured, although back in those days there were around 25 Directors and we never seemed to be able to decide anything.
It was around this time that I was first referred to by someone as a member of the OBC. At first I was shocked, but I drove home with a warm feeling of pride in my chest.
My advice and lesson to those who are not members is come to the Unit. I have been skunked a hundred times but I have never felt I wasted a day there. Be open, be friendly, ask for help and if you don't get it try again. Offer thanks for the help, when it is given, as the information passed on to you has often been gained only by many years of experience and observation and should not be taken for granted. Also watch and learn for yourself, most things really worth doing in life don't come easy and waterfowling is one of those activities.
Certainly approach me and ask. I have never refused help to someone who asked me personally for advice in a polite way. I am very proud to say I have also introduced several people to the marsh who now hunt it regularly. A couple of these guys may now even be members of the OBC!
See you in the office!
Signed,
Name withheld to protect the secrecy of the organization.
Now let me come clean and say I personally have been accused of being a member of the OBC on more than one occasion. Not sure if I really am. There may be different levels of membership and I just have not reached a high enough level to be given all the Club secrets.
In this post I intend to tell all I know about the organization and how to get in. First, let me say there is no formal application process. As far as I can tell like Hell's Angels you need to be invited in by a member. There are a few exceptions who seem to have inherited membership because their father and even grandfathers were members. One thing I can say for sure is you only get in by personal contact. There is no internet application process.
I am not the sure about the process for others but I can tell you how I got in. I started hunting the Long Point area about 25 years ago because I heard so much about it in hunting circles. I came to the Unit once or twice but was intimidated by the size of the marsh, the complexity of the system and the scary gruff "Old Boys" I saw there each trip. I started hunting the Hahn Marsh as it was much simpler and less intimidating. However, I came down in the very dark of a late November night with my canoe on top of the car only to find the launch area frozen solid and no sign of open water. With my only option driving home and not hunting I reluctantly drove over to the line-up at the Unit and parked in line. When I went to the office I observed all the Old Boys exchange their secret greetings and passing information on to each other in code and by mysterious hand gestures. When it came to my turn I had no idea what to do but pick something which looked close enough to the launch to paddle and slipped out into the cold windy dark. In those days there used to be breakfast served from 4:00am at the little restaurant on the Point and as I was nervous about trying to find my blind in the dark I stopped in for something to eat. When I entered |I was horrified to see all the seats were full except for one at the table with three of the most grizzled, gruff and tough looking old silver-back members of the OBC. I almost left but I summoned my courage and asked them if i could join them for breakfast. They immediately pulled out a chair and started chatting, asking where I was from and what blind I picked. When I told them they asked if I had ever been there before I said no and they told me how to find it, where to hide my canoe, how to set the decoys and where to watch. I went out did exactly what they said and had a limit by early afternoon. I was thrilled!
I went back the next Saturday and when I saw one of the OBC who had helped me I went right over to him, shook his hand, and told him about my hunt and thanked him for the advice. He seemed pleased to have helped and that began my process of entry into the OBC. I started coming down every Saturday, did a lot of re-rents, and met more and more OB. Eventually I ended up hunting with one of them on a pretty regular basis (I think because he had no dog and liked mine).
I started to show up for blind day and other work parties and then eventually was invited to put my name up for one of the LPWA Directors positions. I was honoured, although back in those days there were around 25 Directors and we never seemed to be able to decide anything.
It was around this time that I was first referred to by someone as a member of the OBC. At first I was shocked, but I drove home with a warm feeling of pride in my chest.
My advice and lesson to those who are not members is come to the Unit. I have been skunked a hundred times but I have never felt I wasted a day there. Be open, be friendly, ask for help and if you don't get it try again. Offer thanks for the help, when it is given, as the information passed on to you has often been gained only by many years of experience and observation and should not be taken for granted. Also watch and learn for yourself, most things really worth doing in life don't come easy and waterfowling is one of those activities.
Certainly approach me and ask. I have never refused help to someone who asked me personally for advice in a polite way. I am very proud to say I have also introduced several people to the marsh who now hunt it regularly. A couple of these guys may now even be members of the OBC!
See you in the office!
Signed,
Name withheld to protect the secrecy of the organization.