Heaux! Heaux! Heaux!

I couldn’t have said it better myself. My annual ride by pirogue overnight across the marsh, swamp and bayous was chilly, for sure. Brrrrrrr.

It was well worth it because it was time to drop off personalized gifts for outdoorsmen and outdoorswomen who have had an impact on me and these outdoors pages. As always, Christmas-giving today includes something for everybody, such as truly waterproof raingear, trail cams, hip boots, shotgun shells, fishing line, duck calls and other essentials for hunting and fishing in the heart of the Sportsman’s Paradise.

And Donta Claus sincerely wishes all a blessed and Merry Christmas.

Brooks Amy – Increased turnout next year in the Southcentral Fishing Association, plus a solid grip start to finish capturing AOY.

Jeneen Baquet – Framed copy of Mother’s Day centerpiece in The Daily Iberian, plus more hours to enjoy hunting/fishing and quality time with Allyson, Anna, Jarett and, of course, Doc.

Dr. Shawn Baquet – Full mobility after knee replacement surgery and rehab — the better to get around in the boat and reel in a big bass, like a double-digit bass heavier than 10.12.

State Rep. Beau Beallieu – For an outdoorsman and reader, more hunting, fishing and canoeing stories, props for championing conservative causes, especially 2A, plus a bass trip with Donta Claus.

Nick Bourgeois – Buck with a bigger rack for your son, David Bourgeois III, 7, whose first deer was a 5-point, 95-pounder shot Oct. 23, and plaque for your volunteer work with Iberia Soccer Association

Ron Boutte – Repeat AOY in the Bullet Bass Club.

Blaine Broussard – Rewarding duck hunts with family and friends down the stretch, plus Super Bait buzz baits to go with a bassin’ trip with Donta Claus.

Dickie Broussard – Good health and, if you get to the lanes, consistent 230s-250s.

Kyle Broussard – Return visit next November to Camp GatorTail Outdoors by “The Fowl Life” host Chad Belding, as well as memorable duck hunts with sons Owen and Max.

Danny Bulliard – All the artificial lures you need to carry you and Carroll Delahoussaye to AOY in the WN Hawg Fights BTS, and red-hot stretch run for your grandson, Matthew Bulliard, in the LHSBN.

Matthew Bulliard – Another “hawg” from Lake Martin (bigger than your 9 ½ on April 20), more bass tournament wins, plus a trip to state and national high school bass tournaments with your captain, Danny Bulliard.

Margaret Burke – Blue ribbon for the heavenly Death by Chocolate, among other treats, you prepared for the local DU banquet Oct. 7, plus a hale and hearty ’23.

Porteus Burke – Gift-wrapped by ExxonMobil per your quest to protect the marsh along Louisiana’s Gulf Coast: Annual commitment of $500,000 to Ducks Unlimited.

Will Chapman – Vacation plans that work to a “T,” especially for trips with fishing guides, plus a bassin’ outing with Donta Claus.

Tim Choate – “You’re gonna need a bigger boat” to catch sharks in borrow pits at Verdunville, plus more bass bites in the future for you and yours.

Damein Clements – Framed copy of Father’s Day feature story in The Daily Iberian and an ever-growing customer base for DC Fishing Services.

Chris Courville – Successful squirrel (and deer) hunting the rest of the season for you and Landon.

Malcolm Crochet – With “order restored,” enjoyable days at the camps, your homes away from home. Some big-time crappie bites, too, at the Bend.

Brock Daigle – Boat trailer tires that don’t go flat, trouble-free times with the Ranger bass boat and good bassin’ each trip.

Hollis Daigle – More bass like the ones you caught Sept. 3 in Flat Lake and an impressive finish in the LHSBN’s Junior Division.

Milton Davis – Consistently high finishes with your son, Dusty Davis, and Jonathan Rush in SFA tournaments next year on “Strickly Bidness.”

Carroll Delahoussaye – Limits of bass, sac-a-lait and ducks and, more importantly, good health for many months ahead.

Tate Denise – For an all-around outdoorsman who hunts and fishes successfully everywhere, a wood duck hunt the first week of January like you had in 2022 at Henderson Lake.

Dr. Eric Elias – Scrapbook for all the great red snapper and duck hunting trips you’ve been on with family and friends. All in, as they say, as a true outdoorsman.

Ray Escuriex – Heck, yeah, let’s party like it’s 2023 when you’re 91!!!! The 90th birthday celebration was memorable. Let’s do it again Jan. 21!

Dicky Fitzgerald – Four-peat AOY for the king of Louisiana Bass Anglers. And another tagged bass worth $500. Stocking stuffer: Bucks walking in rifle range in Louisiana and Illinois.

Lisa Fitzgerald – Of course, after harvesting the first deer of your life, a 6-point buck Oct. 22, an even bigger buck in the future around Point Marone or in Illinois.

Ricky Gonsoulin – For the king of cover crops, a sweet and profitable season for Gonsoulin Farms.

Hank Harris – Extra time to fish and win Louisiana Bass Anglers tournaments like you did March 19 with Johnny Hester and April 3 with Dicky Fitzgerald.

John Hebert – One of the best seasons, if not the best at LaSuCa, then well-deserved R&R with family and on the water.

Marlin Hebert – It’ll be an odd year, so that means another AOY for 2023 in the Coteau Bass Hustlers. Happy hooksettin’!

Felix Jeanminette – Bountiful bass, bream and sac-a-lait trips and good health.

Shane Johnson – For the fishing guide who tells it like it is about controversial speckled trout rules in LWFC’s NOI, which he vehemently opposes, nonstop bookings for Toledo Bend and Vermilion Bay.

Charles Judice – Case of Black Cloud High Velocity 12-gauge shotgun shells and more reunions for you, the former QB, and Loreauville High teammates in 2023.

Keo Khamphilavong – Full speed ahead for you and crew to a repeat AOY in the SFA, plenty of bucks to choose from in remaining weeks of deer hunting and booming biz for Keo’s Construction.

Chris Landry – LSU 31, Purdue 27 in the Citrus Bowl. Geaux Tigers!

Clayton Landry – Kudos for starting the Erath High School Fishing Club and making waves in the Louisiana High School Bass Nation. May the bass bite all the time for ya.

Gerrit “T Blu” Landry – More deer, home runs, redfish, no-hitters, etc., for Faith and the Landrys in ’23. And a busy season for Gotta Have Faith Charters.

Tommy Lipari – Even more wrap jobs (including another job on Xpress owned by Caleb Sumrall) for your Fellers Certified Team, plus good health.

Bubbie Lopez – As many points as it takes in LBA standings to win AOY and finish ahead of your fishing buddy, Dicky Fitzgerald.

Matthew Louviere – Journalist of the Year Award to a hard-working, fair, dedicated young man who champions causes for military veterans, our country’s heroes, like you.

State Rep. Blake Miguez – Steady hands and keen vision to remain a world-class shooter and support to keep fighting the good fight, such as 2A.

Darrell Mitchell – An outboard motor that ticks all the time, plus more bass to show to the camera in WN Hawg Fights BTS events like you did in August.

Brian Moody – Improved WVU football record in 2023 under Neal Brown, more Ws for the CHS Middle School girls soccer teams and bassin’ trip(s) with Donta Claus.

Henry Mouton – Specialist in Dissemination Award for keeping people informed on everything from conservation to law enforcement and military heroes to breathtaking nature photography.

Brian Napier – Repeat(s) of March 26, the day you and your hard-fishing crew chalked up your first W in an SFA tournament at Cypremort Point.

Don Naquin – On your three-year retirement anniversary in April 2023, making beaucoup memories inside and outside in Georgia, plus steady orders for Desserts to Go.

Hunter Neuville – More time to prefish and fish bass tournaments to showcase your considerable skills, plus your share of deer and ducks down the stretch this season.

Melanie O’Brien – An intricately carved “2.22.22 Distinguished Catch” wood plaque for that moment, albeit 1 minute early in your quest, when you hooked and caught a 4 ½-pound bass at 2:21 p.m. while crappie fishing Feb. 22 at Toledo Bend.

Mike O’Brien – Four Bushnell trail cameras, repeat AOY in the WN Hawg Fights BTS and another day with big bass bites like you had Nov. 8 in Lake Fausse Pointe.

Buddy Oubre – Recognition from the sugar cane industry on your innovative, practical inventions that make a difference, plus good times on the water.

Keith Price – Cold weather to get the deer frisky, four more deer to fill your tags and rematch with 4-pound class bass that spit your crank bait Dec. 13 near Myette Point.

Haiden Richard – The distinction of holding both World Champion Open Specklebelly and World’s Championship Duck Calling Contest titles at the same time again in 2023-24, just like 2022-23.

Brad Romero – Return trip for a deer hunt in Missouri, four Moultrie Edge game cams and several bass tournament wins next year.

Chad Romero – An even better season on the Crappie Masters Louisiana State Trail and lofty finish at the Crappie Masters All American Trail National Championship in ‘23. Sorry, no bananas.

Jonathan Rush – Deckhand of the Decade trophy for your considerable contributions of “slot” redfish in SFA tournaments aboard “Strickly Bidness.”

Andre “Tank” Sampay – After winning a long-awaited Bullet Bass Club Classic on Oct. 23, a successful defense plus AOY over your cousin, Ron Boutte.

Tee Roy Savoy – Lots of help spreading the word to get bass anglers and fans to the 2023 Jackie Savoy Memorial Big Bass Classic set April 22 at Marsh Field Boat Landing.

Johnny “Shake” Schexnayder – Good health, great bass fishing and a grand time each time out on the water.

Perry Scott – Fish Karma crew cruising to at least one SFA win on the way to AOY in ’23.

Jimmy Shea – Franchi Affinity Water Fowl Elite shotguns for each grandchild and more great shared memories in the woods and in a duck blind.

Jacob Shoopman – Healthy baby boy when he arrives in April. Raise him right and he’ll make you as proud of him as your dad is of you. Remember: “A baby boy has a special way of bringing out the man in his father and the little boy in his grandfather.” – Tanya Masse. Plus a Super Bowl win by the KC Chiefs and more back-to-back wins in WN Hawg Fights BTS.

Joshua Shoopman – Snoopy spincast fishing rod for the second week of July, merciful end to the series of laser therapy treatments on your face and safe, enjoyable worldwide travels.

June Shoopman – Exorcist to rid the house of ghostly, ghastly and, yes, costly plumbing problems, a months-long stretch with no health issues confronting Mom, Irene Boutte, and more bassin’ trips with Donta Claus.

Mike Sinitiere – One hundred different-sized cardboard shipping boxes, reunion with all the nice, previously owned high-performance bass boats you bought and sold, plus another WN Hawg Fights BTS season like you and Mike O’Brien had in ’22.

Brandy St. Germain – “Quality Time” on and off the water for a wholesome family of outdoorsmen (and outdoorswoman).

Josh St. Germain – See above, plus fishing rodeo trophies galore.

Ryan Sonnier — Busy, busy days at Iberia Outboard and at the bait shop renovated in April offering live bait and beaucoup fishing tackle brands for freshwater and saltwater.

Vincent Soprano – Two baitcasting rod-and-reel combos to help you and Hollis Daigle tack on at least one win next spring on the Louisiana High School Bass Nation trail, plus a berth in nationals.

Ben Suit – A cast from your Skeeter that produces a bass bigger than your 10.75-pounder, a PB, caught Oct. 16 at Toledo Bend, another Louisiana Bass Cats Classic win and growing clientele business at your State Farm Agency in Orange, Texas.

Kevin Suit – Instant replay on that “Suit net” you used to grip the lip on your son Ben’s 10.75-pound bass, lessons from your son, Ben, in the “Aaron Rodgers title” belt celebration, and successful defense of AOY in the Louisiana Bass Cats.

Zach Suit – Bassin’ trip to nearby Lake Fork, more exciting tournaments with “Mr. October” and safe round-trip travels from Denton, Texas, to New Iberia.

Caleb Sumrall – Big win(s) next year on the Bassmaster Elite Series, berth in the 2024 Bassmaster Classic and at least one more WN Hawg Fights BTS win with Axel, like that special moment July 27.

Eddie Toups – SFA win or two or three next season.

Joey Trahan – At least one bass club win in your brand new Xpress and brisk business in your a/c & heating work.

Chris Vedrines – Another great vacation trek across the country but sans the setbacks that beset your trip this year, plus good health for you and all in ’23.

Devin Verret – After that solid runner-up finish with Dylan Kelly in the 10th WN Hawg Fights BTS tournament on July 27, a first-place showing in ’23.

Andre Weber – Fine hunting the remaining weeks of the season(s), plus days like Feb. 20 and May 11 when you won bass tournaments with Hunter Neuville and Noah deMahy, respectively.

Eric White – More exciting four-generation hunts with your grandchildren and a finish with a flourish for ducks.

Gordie White – Healthy and Happy New Year, plus a great time at your favorite annual event, the one you started in 1975, scheduled the first week of February.

DON SHOOPMAN is outdoors editor of The Daily Iberian.