Reelfoot is the sixth Flyway Series release from GUNNER, which features limited-edition colors that draw inspiration from iconic destinations and honey holes within the four North American flyways. Limited quantities available. A portion of Reelfoot-edition products proceeds will be donated to the local Ducks Unlimited chapter.
Available August 21, 2025. Sign up to get 24-hour early access.
Story by Brent Cowley, GUNNER Marketing Coordinator
The weekend of our trip was one of the only freezes that Tennessee experienced last season. And while that bodes well for birds, it made for a long drive, fighting icy backroads and limited visibility. We stayed in what was called a “cabin,” but was effectively a 25’x25’ concrete box with bunk beds and a bathroom. For $50/night, it wasn’t a bad deal. Driving through Lake County and walking into our cabin felt like we were stepping back into the 1970s. In the best way possible, we thought the only thing that might have changed in the past few decades were the sheets, and even that wasn’t a guarantee. The whole town was chock-full of nostalgia. Around here, everyone prefers cash and will sometimes insist on it, and if you stop for a meal, the first question you’ll hear is, “Who are you hunting with?” because everybody knows who owns the blinds, who kills ducks, and who’s just passing through.
On Saturday morning, we loaded up the boats and headed to the local ramp within walking distance from our humble abode. As we were backing up, we quickly learned that it was most certainly not a public boat ramp like we had been told. We smiled, waved, made small talk, and ended up getting the boats in the water without much trouble despite unknowingly trespassing. Holloway and I were in my less-than-capable 14 foot, deep V hull boat built in 1964, with a 5hp Tohatsu. If you’re at all familiar with the lake or the area, you will get a laugh out of the thought of us crossing the lake in that vessel. On the way up, we stopped by Holloway’s parents house in Jackson, where we chatted with a neighbor about the hunt. After we told him we were going to Reelfoot, he looked at the boat, then back at us and asked, “In that boat?” with an air of concern that made it apparent that we didn’t know what we were getting ourselves into. In hindsight, maybe we should have taken that as a sign. Due to a combination of choppy water, multiple gear runs, and motor mishaps, we ended up getting settled in the blind right at shooting light. Thankfully, we had a stove, propane, and some heaters, so we warmed right up and started cooking breakfast and fixing coffee.
Even though Reelfoot can get windy and the water is typically moving, we quickly noticed that to pull the birds’ attention from the blinds around us, we needed more movement in our spread than we were used to. A lot more. We had a pretty big decoy spread that we thought would be enough, but it paled in comparison to everyone else on the lake. They had way more than we did, with spreads full of painted jugs, automated pulley systems, all the spinning wings and ripplers in the world, and hundreds of traditional decoys. When we called at ducks, we noticed that from the time they got up to cross the lake to the time they landed, they knew exactly where they were headed, and it was certainly not our spread. We also noticed that when ducks did show any interest in our spread, so did the Bald Eagles flying overhead. We were laughing about it in the blind, realizing they’ve gotten accustomed to there being dead ducks they can grab when people start to call them in. In our case, this was rarely true.
Sunday brought smoother water and a later start, as we left most of the gear in the blind overnight. Because of this, the rest of the guys made it across in only two trips and the rest of the morning was spent drinking coffee instead of scrambling to set up. I, on the other hand, had woken up with food poisoning at about midnight the night before, probably from the bottomless catfish we had enjoyed a few hours earlier, so I hung back in the lovely cabin. From what I heard, a few birds worked, Bear—the Chocolate Lab with us—made a retrieve or two, and the slower hunt felt exactly right for a place that doesn’t seem to mind the pace of change.
Reelfoot is the kind of place where the hunt is only part of the story. Stories about the lake, the timber, and ducks are what draw you in. Then the people, their stories, the tradition and history, and the feeling of being stuck in time are what keep folks coming back. While our lack of preparedness left us with a less than stellar hunt, I immediately understood the allure and would love to go back and do it again, even if only to see the sun rise over the cypresses again.
Giving Back
For every Reelfoot Kennel, Food Crate, or Bowl that our GUNNER customers purchase, we will be giving a portion of proceeds back to the local Ducks Unlimited chapter.
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