Canvasback and puddle ducks are occasionally taken, with puddle ducks being more prevalent near the Goose Creek Game Land impoundment complex near the Bay River than at Jones Bay. In fact, hunters who want to combine a puddle duck hunt with a diving duck hunt can launch at a private ramp along the Intracoastal Waterway south of the NC 33-304 bridge near Hobucken and navigate north or south. On days the Goose Creek impoundments are hunted, the nearby waters are open for public hunting without a permit. Hunters on the game land move the puddle ducks, along with diving ducks like ringnecks, to the surrounding waters. But the farther a hunter travels from Goose Creek, the more likely his hunting will produce bay birds.

The Millards awakened at 3 a.m. for the drive to Vandemere, where they launched at a road end ramp with a pay box based on the honor system. The box requested $3 for anyone not a resident of Vandemere. The toll was paid and the long, cold, dark boat ride began. A spotlight and headlights illuminated a growing spread until an acre of diving duck decoys had been set in front of the blind.

At daylight, a smoke plume of scaup arrived. The resulting fusillade downed five, including a cripple that Jimmy and Chris chased down with the boat. The hunting was mostly for lesser scaup, which are smaller than greater scaup. A lesser scaup drake has a purple sheen to the head feathers, while a greater scaup's head has a green iridescence. There are also differences in the white edge on the primary wing feathers, but size and head color is usually enough for hunters to differentiate the birds.

Both species are tough to kill. Combined with the fact that at any time a big canvasback or one of the larger sea ducks, surf, white-winged or black scoter, could swarm in, these hunts require hunters to use big-bore shotguns with heavy loads.

"I use No. 2 or No. 3 steel shot," Jimmy Millard said. "I use high-velocity loads and a 3 1/2-inch 12-gauge shotgun."

Steel is the choice of most bay hunters because of the amount of shooting that must be done. Puddle ducks are considered easier to kill than diving ducks and they fly slower too, making them easier to hit. A puddle duck can swim 100 yards under water, but still can't compete with a scaup or a scoter. On rough, windy days, it is tough to dispatch a cripple.

"If one still has his head up, we whack him again," Jimmy Millard said. "You can waste a lot of time and ammunition if you have to get the boat after a cripple. I would much rather use a dog than a boat."

The Millards use a super-sized aluminum johnboat to carry hunters and gear. The extra-wide, extra-deep models are well suited for getting to shore blinds as well as for use as floating blinds.

Floating blinds are allowed at Jones Bay and Bay River. But hunters should use common courtesy in spacing themselves away from other hunters because there's plenty of water for everyone.

Most hunters do not hunt from shore blinds, because they do not have access to them unless they hire a guide. Instead they hunt from boats. The average 16-foot johnboat used for hunting inland lakes is inadequate for hunting Bay River and Jones Bay. A shift in the wind direction or an increase in wind velocity can really kick up water. Waves can reach 3 or 4 feet in minutes following a period of "slick calm."