Sealy Family

As long as there's been a Sealy family, they've been duck hunters and supporters of conservation. Scott Sealy Sr. ("Big Scott") and sons, Scott Jr. (Scotty) and Michael, all grew up in Louisiana but today make their home and business near Dallas. They work together, play together, hunt together, and conserve together.

They direct Sealy & Company - founded in 1946 by J. Pollard Sealy Sr. - a company that 75-plus years later remains a family-owned, fully-integrated commercial real estate investment company. Scott Sr. attributes their longevity and success to "enduring honesty and integrity," just as his grandfather started it.

The company, and the Sealys' passion for duck hunting, began in Shreveport. Scott Sr.'s grandfather and father were hunters and began taking him along when he was 6 years old. He recalls, "We followed tractor ruts to this pond called Green Lake. I remember, I fell almost every morning. I'd nearly make it to the water's edge, but always end up tripping over a cypress knee and go face down in the water. It's proof I really must have loved it because that was an every-time occurrence!"

Scott Jr. recalled, "For Michael and me, Dad got us mostly started in south Louisiana and a little in east Texas. I remember that's where I shot my first wood duck."

Both Scott Jr. and Michael fondly remember the whole family, including their mom and two older sisters, often loading up in the car for weekend excursions. Later on, they all travelled together for hunts in Mexico. Over the years, they've owned properties in Louisiana, Texas, Mexico and Oklahoma.

The only place the family doesn't see eye-to-eye on duck hunting is their favorite species. Scott Sr. is a teal man. Scott Jr. prefers a mixed game strap, while Michael likes greenheads.

Dad is proud of his sons' accomplishments. He said, "The boys have unique talent to develop the land and hunting habitat. They've both done a great job of taking these properties that weren't at all slanted toward wildlife and turning them into great sanctuaries. It's been fun to watch."

On their duck hunts, each has specific roles. Scott Sr. says he is "the guest" and a good lookout. Scott Jr. claims the calling and the cooking duties. And they say Michael is "in charge" of the shooting - and they credit him as the best shot.

Michael added, "Through the years, Big Scott has become the person to whom we pay our respects. When we started, he did everything for us. As we got to our late teens we started doing for him … as it should be."

With duck hunting intricately woven into the family fabric, they recognize their responsibility for paying it back- and forward-by supporting Delta.

Scott Jr. and Michael's involvement at the local chapter level began more than a decade ago with the establishment of the Park Cities Chapter of Delta Waterfowl. When they were introduced to Delta's Predator Management program, they immediately recognized it as the most economical way to make ducks. Michael said, "It was fascinating to learn what it costs to do Predator Management versus other means of putting ducks over decoys. It's a 'rifle' approach and overwhelmingly the best way to boost success, hatch rates, and duck numbers."

Scott Jr. concluded, "When something has given you so much-in this case ducks and duck hunting experiences-you reach a point where you feel the need to balance the equation and then challenge yourself to give back more than you're taking. That makes your heart feel full." - Bill Miller