The Pacific Eider is arguably the most difficult and dangerous duck to hunt in North America.

⁣ These robust, hearty ducks call the Bering Sea home, and trust me, this place is no joke. Every move has to be thought out and measured against the unknowns and the potential risk. The water is freezing cold and the swell can build from any direction in an instant. The wind and current coupled with jagged cliffs, submerged mountains, volcanoes and the Aleutian Trench that all contribute regularly to building disorganized waves the size of houses, which make the skipper’s job quite literally death defying.⁣ ⁣ We come here to truly live our lives, to hunt, and to gather and our days here are spent in awe. This is a very special place, right down to the ducks.⁣ ⁣ The Pacific Eider are mesmerizing to watch. Their “paint job” is nearly indescribable, pure beauty, and yet they thrive in the harshest of conditions just swimming along, riding the surf, feeding, loafing, and courting their deep chocolate colored hens. ⁣ ⁣ These birds have been recorded diving as deep as 300 feet to feed on clams, which they will straight up crush in their bills (imagine the power that it takes to crush a clam shell). They’re as tough a bird as it gets and one of the main reasons why we leave in the dark, and maybe, risk more than we should to get close to them.