Outdoor Legends: Sterling Briggs

Outdoor Legends: Sterling Briggs

By John Criner

Times Outdoor Columnist People who are legends are people that excelled in almost any field of human endeavor. Babe Ruth in baseball, Vince Lombardi in football, Einstein in mathematics, Shakespeare in literature, and maybe some people you know were the best in whatever they tried. I have been fortunate to know and hunted or fished with four great outdoors men. Sterling Briggs, duck hunting, Bill Dance, fishing, Butch Richenback, duck caller maker, and Billy Ray Starks, duck guide and duck call maker. Sterling and Butch have already gone to the BIG DUCK BLIND IN THE SKY. Bill and Billy Ray are still very much active and I get to talk or visit with them.

Sterling Briggs was a big bear of a man that farmed in the Crawfordsville area and was known throughout Arkansas as one of the greatest duck callers and hunters. He hunted in the Lansing Bottom where it is crossed by Hwy. 64 about 10 miles west of Crawfordsville. Sterling always had a large crowd of hunters because he rarely turned down anybody that wanted to hunt. The hunting headquarters was about a quarter mile and after the hunt, the parking area was full of pick-ups with the hungry hunters enjoying a real hunter’s breakfast of eggs, bacon, ham, and some of the best biscuits that graced a table.

There’s no telling how many pounds of butter and gallons of jelly and preserves that were enjoyed during the duck season.

At one time, Crittenden County had some of the best trap shooters in the state. Sterling and his boys, Buster and Mike, two of his brothers, and Papa Duck traveled around the state enjoying registered shoots and local turkey shoots. We were a group to be feared. The boys shot in the junior and sub-junior events and we shot with the best of the best. We all won numerous state championship and untold numbers of turkey shoots. The West Tennessee Sportsmen had a big shoot at the Penal Farm in Memphis. Out of the 27 turkeys won that day, Sterling, brother Larry, and myself won 25.

At that time, live pigeon shoots were legal and we won our share of money.

Our best rivals were the shooters from the Hughes area. We all enjoyed the competition. Sterling was always the one to beat.

There are numerous hunting tales involving him and almost any one who hunted with him had his own special story. One of my favorites was when we were having one of those hunts with lots of willing ducks, and getting them down in the hole was no problem.

There was a large log in the middle of the hole. One of the hunters said that anybody could light them in that spot. Sterling then asked him what side of the log did he want the ducks to light on. He pointed which side and Sterling put about a dozen mallards on that side. Luck? Sterling then began to light them on which side of the log a hunter called out. This is a true story and Papa Duck was there to see that one.

He loved to see how many he could put on the water before he said to shoot. On a bright clear morning, I was standing next to Papa Briggs (Papa and Mama Briggs) thought all of us regulars were family, when

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Sterling literally filled the hole up with green heads.

After the shooting I looked over to Papa and he was holding a very alive mallard drake. When asked, Papa said there were so many ducks and they were so close, he just reached down a grabbed the duck.

Sterling always had a big dove shoot and it was not unusual to have fifty or more hunters show up with the truck caravan to the field stretched out for a mile. Seems like there were always plenty of birds and near the end of the hunt, Mama would drive up with two big wash tubs brim full of biscuit sandwiches of bacon, sausage, and jelly.

If any hunter did not have his limit, Mike and Buster always seemed to be close and it didn’t take long for that hunter to be back at the wash tubs. The boys were always waited till the hunter missed, then shot and hollered “Nice Shot!”

Sterling used an old black plastic D2-01t call that did not sound good, but the ducks absolutely loved it.

Papa Duck is a very good caller, but no one called but Sterling. He really did not mind but almost all the other callers were intimidated. He and the boys were great shots, but he was a maestro with a call in the woods. His woods have been changed and there are probably not as many ducks, but I bet he could still “fill the hole” He died in March 1988 at the age of 59. Much, much too young for his friends. He was buried on a cold rainy day and the Crittenden Memorial Park was packed with pickup trucks and cars. Standing in the rain like we had on many duck days seemed a tribute. Not long before Sterling went to THE BIG DUCK BLIND IN THE SKY, we talked about that day and we both agreed to wear camo. I was honored to help carry him that last trip and I proudly wore my water proof duck gear.

When the service was over, Mike, using a D2-01t, gave the final salute.

There will be three more legends stories. Perhaps you have known a legend.

Please write me or at least call and tell about him.

The Legend may not have been well known, but was special. Let us all share this person.

Papa Duck Lakeside Taxidermy 870-732-0455 or 901482-3430 jhcriner@hotmaiI.com