Making the fowl shots

Jase Robertson, who is best known from his family’s television show Duck Dynasty, once said, “The number one rule of duck hunting is to go where the ducks are.” For six guys from northern Evangeline Parish, they have added to that rule by not just Chasing the Flight Outdoors, but by also making sure that sharing their experiences with other hunters is a priority.
The original four group members Dylan Bordelon, Hunter Ray, Dalton Snoddy, and Jacob Soileau describe themselves as individuals who have been “avid waterfowlers” since they could walk.
Bordelon said, “Waterfowl hunting has always been in our blood, and for a long time we talked about wanting to be waterfowl hunting guides. When we finally all got together and went on our first guided waterfowl hunt in Oklahoma, we loved it. We learned tips from the guides, and we realized that hunting was a way of life for them just like it was for us.
“That’s what made us open a whole new chapter in our lives with the creation of Chasing the Flight Outdoors, LLC.”
The group’s reason for starting their business however, has to do with more than just having the opportunity to participate in their favorite Louisiana sport. For this group of guys in their mid-20’s, sharing their passion with others is also an important part of their journey to becoming hunting guides.
Bordelon said, “We have also always wanted to be able to take people on waterfowl hunts and let them see what all the fuss is about. We want to show them how amazing and beautiful this sport is. It will definitely get someone’s blood pumping.”
In their first year of business, the group started small and took only one group duck hunting. However, that one hunt was a huge success for both the guides and the ones being guided, which then led to the group enjoying a few goose hunts.
Bordelon said, “We took just one group out duck hunting in the 2016-17 season and shot a seven man mallard limit on our private land in north Louisiana. The looks on the people’s faces in that group and the excitement in the air was amazing.”
The group that was being guided by Chasing the Flight Outdoors, couldn’t get enough of the action after that according to Bordelon.
“They wanted more and we wanted more,” said Bordelon. “So, we decided to go ahead and do conservation snow goose hunts. We took so many people out on the conservation goose hunts this year that we ended up killing just under 1,000 geese in five hunts.”
The love this group of gentlemen have for what you could almost consider Louisiana’s favorite past-time has also led them to have a desire to teach more youth about the sport of waterfowl hunting.
Bordelon said, “We want to introduce more kids to waterfowl hunting. The excitement kids show is priceless. I could just go on and on about that. They are who helps keep this tradition alive.”
Since its start, Chasing the Flight has performed different types of guided waterfowl hunts in Catahoula Lake, which Bordelon said is “a huge pit stop for migrating waterfowl.” The group also performs guided hunts on their own private farm land for ducks and geese in the Evangeline Parish area, which they share pictures of on the business’s Facebook page.
For this year’s hunting season, the group has grown with the addition of Brody Bonnette and Marcus Dupree to the team.
Bordelon said, “We all have a bond that can’t be broken, and our team is really looking forward to having Brody and Marcus along side of us this year.”
As the team grows, the area they wish to do guided hunts in is also expanding.
Bordelon said, “We started this year off with teal season guided hunts and we have had people from Alabama, Mississippi and Georgia that we have taken hunting. We have even had people from our home state that we have taken on guided hunts. People are interested in this, so we are looking to now expand our business and start guiding hunts up north in Oklahoma and North and South Dakota.”
With their plans in place, Chasing the Flight Outdoors dives into big duck season, which opened yesterday, ready to continue their efforts to become “well known in the waterfowling industry.”
Bordelon said, “We are truly passionate about this sport and we thank God each and every day for giving us this opportunity. We work day in and day out for the upcoming seasons. Just like our slogan says, ‘The Chase Never Ends.’”