Brothers in the Bond
Taylor and Tyler Robinson find thrill in the duck hunting life.
Words by Thomas Ingle | Images by Ryan McGill and courtesy Tyler Robinson
Taylor and Tyler Robinson wake up at 5:30 a.m. in the cold of Saskatchewan, Canada. Along for the ride is Bullet, Tyler's Chocolate Labrador retriever. Within thirty minutes, Taylor, Tyler, and Bullet are in their blind, setting up for the day. The wind is blowing 10 miles per hour, and it's 22 degrees outside while they are standing in deep water. The sun, starting to rise at their backs now, will help dry the mud to spread on the blind to make it blend in.
The Robinsons have the advantage here in the Great White North because the ducks have less experience with hunters and all the bells and whistles the Robinsons bring from their arsenals: the blind, shotguns, decoys—even Bullet himself.
Taylor checks the time, and it has reached the legal time for hunters to start shooting. Soon, a flock of ducks flies overhead and with steady aim, Tyler shoots. The duck goes down as the other ducks in the flock fly to safety. Tyler then sends Bullet out to mark it and bring it back.
As morning turns to the top of the clock, the Robinsons head back to the cabin. While there, they hang out with other hunters on the trip until some must leave. They will try again in the evening if they didn't get their limit of ducks.
The two brothers revel in these experiences, adding memories to their already lengthy duck hunting portfolio. After all, the Robinsons fell in love with duck hunting before they were teenagers, watching Joey Stewart and Chris Maddox hunt ducks on Wolf Creek in Walker County.
"We would always think nobody does this," says Taylor.
Taylor and Tyler eventually got invited to a place called "Ducks and Dogs," and from that day, their passion for duck hunting was like a white-hot flame.
"We couldn't learn it fast enough,” says Tyler. “We wanted to learn and be good at it.”
Taylor and Tyler learned about birds, how and where they migrate, how weather can drive them north or south, how to set up decoys to make them look as natural as possible, and how to make a good cover for your blind. Most importantly, they learned about the camaraderie and companionship in the sport.
"The camaraderie and the stuff that comes with it makes everybody want to go. It's not even necessarily about the killing," said Tyler. "I like to do it because I get to spend those moments and make memories with my friends and Taylor."
What makes dunk hunting different from deer hunting is what you can do inside the blind while you are waiting for ducks. You can cut up with your friends, cook inside the blind, even smoke if you desire.
Duck hunting builds companionship between humans and animals, between the hunter and his hunting dog. Tyler says it takes about a year to get the dog to learn different whistles and hand gestures. Even after that process, it still might take a year and a half for the dog to fully trust the owner.
"Bullet is my best friend,” says Tyler. “Those times I spend with him when it is just me, him, and a few others are so special. He is on top of his game.”
Whether hunting in Canada, Arkansas, or Mississippi in creek banks, deltas, rice fields, or even timber, it doesn't matter if they kill the limit or never get one. Duck hunting is more than the name implies. For the Robinsons, it's about camaraderie, companionship, memories, and passion. 78