Lucky #13?
By Bob Zettler
July 29, 2012

Well, I have been going to blind drawings for more that 20 years – mostly at Sanganois. Some years it was so hot with no wind there that I thought I along with others would be dragged out unconscious...wait, people are being drug out unconscious but not do to the heat. Never mind.

Been to Horseshoe, Woodford, Rice Lake, Anderson, and, or course the Sanganois. Missed a few years due to health issues and the like but with new and old friends heading over to the Nois I decided it might be an opportune time as the temps were suppose to be in the 80's today.

My buddy from West Frankfort, John, was headed over after traveling to see the baseball game at Wrigley and Arick, my local fishing and hunting buddy had already cooked a batch of his Snow goose poppers and had left for there by 10 AM. Then there was Dale who I had been trying to draw in with the past several years and lives over that was who I hoped to “help” out if I could find him since he decided not to do a tailgate this year.

John was coming from Atwood where he had spent the night and called me around 9:30 AM saying he was almost to Springfield. I gave him directions to Scheels and went back to sleep...

Met up with him around 11 AM and we drove over together. It was a nice drive for I was a passenger for a change and we were driving over in the daylight. And, John had never been in the area so we both got a chance to sight-see and even spotted a few deer feeding along the way.

Found Arick fairly quickly and registered without issue. Now it was down to business – eating and drinking! And everyone was discussing a game plan on which blind they would take and how to hunt it as we were sure to draw in the top 10!

As 2 PM drew nearer the crew moved to the rock area near the sound-stage but it was only 1:30 and the drawing was still 30 minutes away!! As I hate standing around in the heat – I went for basic-training in November-December – I stood off to the side in the shade and wherever I could catch a breeze. And I still sweated...

Anyway, the drawing began and pretty soon the good blinds were getting taken left and right. And as I stood there trying not to pass out I swore I heard my name drawn. And as I strained to listen again, someone walked up and claimed it. Nope, not me!

Pretty soon we were down to the last dozen and I decided to brave the heat and get together with my crew who had been hitting the homemade Apple Pie refreshments John brought. And just as I said, “Looks like another ZERO this year,” I heard my name get called. Could this be a dream? A delusion due to heat? A nightmare? Nope, it was real and when I turned to the guys on what blind to take they replied, “13!”

“For real,” I asked and they all said yep! So, here I am after 20+ years of drawing blanks and just as I said it was another blank for the home team I drew a blind. And +#13 to boot! Sure it only killed 41 ducks last year when the Nois had a great season but I finally drew a blind and we will have to see how it goes.

Congrats to all who drew a blind and for all those who did not there is still time...hopefully!