Dialogue with Mac Owens
I have been married to the same duck-picking woman for 30 years. We have one son and two daughters who were featured on Duckmen Traditions picking ducks. At that time they were without husbands, but now they've found two duckaholics and the tradition continues.
We have one granddaughter and three grandsons as the cycle begins again. Full time I am a cabinet maker. I make all the end pieces and many of the wooden barrels for Duck Commander. We also do the duck call laser engraving in our cabinet shop. Although duck season is a busy time of year, it seems I spend much of my time getting things ready, i.e. building ducks blinds and fixing things that Phil breaks. In my off time, I am the head of a ministry who reaches out to hurting people whatever their problems may be—drugs, alcohol, anger, depression, and life's struggles in general. It's called Celebrate Recovery.
So life of this Duckman is always busy and at the same time extremely fulfilling. So if we are not killing ducks, catching fish, shaping wood, or reaching out to the hurting, we take a break. Our motto is shoot'em, catch'em, or clean'em up.
My best duck hunt is hard to pick out because there have been quite a few. However, the most memorable was in 1991 on Mar Par Swamp in Southern Louisiana. At daylight ducks started coming in and Phil, Jase, W.E., and I waited until we had over 3000 ducks right in front of the blind. Needless to say, after the first volley we all had full limits.
I killed my first duck in 1976. It was a mallard drake at Black Bayou Louisiana. He still hangs on my wall today.
An Interview with Mac Owen
Q: Who introduced you to duck hunting?
A: Unlike many of you, I didn’t start duck hunting until I was 18. One day a friend of mine, Donnie Wayne, asked if I wanted to go to his dad’s blind at Black Bayou. The excitement started right off the bat. When we got to the blind, since this is a public lake, his dad had a lock on the door. Rather than climb over the top onto the shooting porch, Donnie picked up his 12 gauge and said,
“Everybody, stand back!” I didn’t know exactly what was fixin’ to happen but I had a good idea. Sure-nuff, BOOM! The lock was gone and there was a hole in that door big enough for us to reach through and open it up. I thought, “Wow, if we’re going to have this much fun every time we go, I’ll never miss!” That day I shot my first mallard duck and he is still hanging on my wall today (30 years later). What a memorable experience. And then the next day when his dad went to the blind and his key no longer worked, we were in big trouble to say the least. I’ll never forget my first duck hunt.
Q: What is your favorite Duck Commander Call?
A: Duck Picker (Jase just keeps comin’ up with ‘em)
Q: What is your favorite movie?
A: The Great Escape w/ Steve McQueen (This definitely dates me.)
Q: What is your favorite food?
A: Benihana cooked by Phil! He does everything but the knife show!
Q: If you couldn’t duck hunt, what would you do in your spare time?
A: That’s easy---fish. Since we live on a lake, after duck hunting, I come home, work in the cabinet shop a little while, then go out to catch a mess of crappie.
Q: What is your favorite place to duck hunt?
A: Hands down, Mouth of Cypress. Even though it wouldn’t be classified as a Hot Hole, we kill enough ducks and you just can’t beat the fellowship.
Q: You are known as the “biscuit man”, enlighten us on the fine dining in the blind?
A: Everybody knows about typical “blind cuisine”. That would be your beanie weenies, sardines, & crackers. Well I had about enough of that. So we decided to put a stove in the blind. If you got a stove, you might as well cook biscuits, sausage, and eggs. And since I was the one cookin’, that means I always got to try it first. Plus it’s a great place to warm up
Q: Tell us something that most Duckaholics don’t know.
A: Needless to say, I love to hunt and fish. I also have a cabinet shop where I love to create things out of wood. But the most important thing you can know about me is that once I was a heathen and Jesus Christ saved me. Since I have been rescued, my mission in life is showing others there is a better way.