January 06, 2012
By Skip Knowles
When the training, performance and business commitments of being a NFL lineman dictate that you only get a couple of off-days, luck plays a priceless role in obtaining good hunting. The waterfowl hunt took place in a cattail marsh off of Lake Erie. The hunting party:
All-Pro Left Tackle, Cleveland Brown's #73 Joe Thomas
All-Pro Center, Cleveland Brown's #55 Alex Mack
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Ken Ripich, Elite Waterfowler from Cleveland Area
Greg Yarbrough, Elite Outdoorsman / Camera man
Jim McConville, National Sales Manager for Wildfowl Magazine and Kylie, his 8 year old black Lab female
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"Joe and Alex arrived and settled in, and we all checked our watches and made sure that we knew the local time for sun rise before loading the Benelli 12 gauges," McConville says. Once it became legal shooting time Ken and Jim started calling and the birds starting coming. The first group to arrive was a flock of Canada geese.
"We soon found out that the more you called the better the birds reacted to us," Jim says. "Joe and Alex were becoming Federal Ammunition 'best customers' by running through BlackCloud  like it was the opposing defense lineman and folding up ducks like an old-style Arkanas suitcase."
"Ken recommended that we move the decoy spread and add a Mojo to the set-up. Our efforts paid off big and Joe and Alex continue to get opportunities while Kylie kept busy retrieving down birds," Jim continued.
We love a happy ending — enjoy the video.
Gear used:
FEDERAL - Black Cloud
BENELLI
FA BRAND DECOYS
UnderArmour
Mojo