Had a couple of bad days hunting in the northern zones here while we waited the week for our home field to open (all of the bad luck due to zero scouting and just putting into areas that "looked good"). First hunt up north gave me one hooded merganser. The second gained two of us 12 birds -- mostly buffies, goldeneye, and a couple teal. Poor showings for early season.
Wednesday it opened here and we put in an evening shoot. Picked up a 3 man limit of mallards and bluewings in about an hour. No pictures due to darkness when we got to shore. Lost my push pole over the side.
This morning I was taking the boys (8 and 10) out for a shoot. We got up at 4:30 and loaded the truck and headed out. We got three miles down the road and the transmission blew itself to pieces. Forgot cell phone. Road that is rarely traveled in daylight let alone night. Long hike back home in pitch black for myself and two little fellas. Lost the dog.
Other truck has a flat. Pump up flat. Go and find dog (he walked back to the truck -- he was going duck hunting dammit!). Transfer gear. Call tow truck. Fix flat.
Have I had enough? Hell no. Against my better judgement and my wife's admonitions, I reload to go again in the evening (she doesn't let me take the kids for round two). Get out there without forgetting anything. As I'm crossing the lake I pass near where I lost my pole. I see it at the bottom! Better yet, I snag it and get it back. Things are looking up.
Put the decoys out and have a break to wipe the sweat from my brow. A few minutes later, the first teal of the evening swings by and down he goes with one shot. Poacher heads out for the retrieve and spends the next 15 minutes in the water retrieving a limit of ducks and a bonus suicidal goose. 9 shots -- 9 birds in the hand. Poor fella never got back in the boat until all 9 retrieves were done. Back home and typing this with a glass of bourbon and daylight still burning.
My luck has turned. Look out birds. (Sorry for the size photobucket is down -- it does get bigger when clicked on though).
3 bluebills, 2 greenwings, 1 bluewing, 1 mallard and 1 wonderful canvasback. And a goose.
Wednesday it opened here and we put in an evening shoot. Picked up a 3 man limit of mallards and bluewings in about an hour. No pictures due to darkness when we got to shore. Lost my push pole over the side.
This morning I was taking the boys (8 and 10) out for a shoot. We got up at 4:30 and loaded the truck and headed out. We got three miles down the road and the transmission blew itself to pieces. Forgot cell phone. Road that is rarely traveled in daylight let alone night. Long hike back home in pitch black for myself and two little fellas. Lost the dog.
Other truck has a flat. Pump up flat. Go and find dog (he walked back to the truck -- he was going duck hunting dammit!). Transfer gear. Call tow truck. Fix flat.
Have I had enough? Hell no. Against my better judgement and my wife's admonitions, I reload to go again in the evening (she doesn't let me take the kids for round two). Get out there without forgetting anything. As I'm crossing the lake I pass near where I lost my pole. I see it at the bottom! Better yet, I snag it and get it back. Things are looking up.
Put the decoys out and have a break to wipe the sweat from my brow. A few minutes later, the first teal of the evening swings by and down he goes with one shot. Poacher heads out for the retrieve and spends the next 15 minutes in the water retrieving a limit of ducks and a bonus suicidal goose. 9 shots -- 9 birds in the hand. Poor fella never got back in the boat until all 9 retrieves were done. Back home and typing this with a glass of bourbon and daylight still burning.
My luck has turned. Look out birds. (Sorry for the size photobucket is down -- it does get bigger when clicked on though).
3 bluebills, 2 greenwings, 1 bluewing, 1 mallard and 1 wonderful canvasback. And a goose.
