Alabama Opener

J

Jeff Bowen

Active member
We had our opener this past Friday in Al. It was a good day with good friends. We even scratched out a few birds. This time of year is special because we get to spend time with friends that are normally too busy for us during the rest of the year.

As the season's come and go, it appears that this season will be "teaching and bringing" up a new generation of hunters that will hopefully take care of us old timers 20 years from now. That is fine with me !!

The new guys are also teaching us many ways to enjoy our pizza on the way home from the hunt. Thomas Patterson will have to fill you in on that one. :)
 
Jeff

It was a good opener on many accounts. Sadly it renewed my crack-like addiction to Mr. Heater. Michelle said hell no when I asked to fire it up next to the bed. Once you light one you can't stop. You want one all the time. They probably should be listed as a narcotic.

Thomas is definitely fired up for the remainder of the season. The plan is to show him every spot we know and then when he turns 16 turn him loose as the chief scout and let him find the ducks. Should make it easier on us geezers having Thomas do all the leg work.

As for the pizza party I don't think he'll tell about that one so I will. Thomas pulled an all nighter for the opener. He was too excited to sleep and kept me from it as well by coming into the bed room every thirty minutes saying he was too keyed up to sleep. He never showed any signs of fatigue during the long wait for shooting time in the blind or during the actual hunt. After the hunt was over I treated him to a slice of pizza from the gas station across from the launch. We left the gas station and made it down the road about 5 minutes when I looked over at Thomas expecting to see him eating his pizza. Instead I got the priceless pose of Thomas sound asleep with his face buried in pepperoni. He fell asleep mid slice and drooped right over and was using the pizza as a pillow.

Not sure if we are going to see many ducks this season with the drought and all but we certainly have a new source for entertainment.

Not a bad opener, not bad at all.
 
Eric:
I know you and Thomas will have a great season---few ducks or not. Keep us informed.
wis boz
 

"[font=Verdana,Arial,Helvetica] Instead I got the priceless pose of Thomas sound asleep with his face buried in pepperoni. "[/font]

Eric,

Please tell us you had your camera available. That picture could come in handy down the road.
 
Eric,
Glad you all had a good opener. Shawn was MIA (family in Georgia-needs to get his priorities straight!). I saved a few passes for later when we have water and birds-hopefully. Please show Thomas every spot and secret you know so I can bribe him into taking me. I'll need him to sign some paperwork before I take him after some pintails this year!

Brian
 
Boz, I plan to post pics and stories of our hunts as the season progresses. Thanks for the interest.

Dave, I was driving and the camera was stowed away. Too bad it wasn't handy because it would have been one for the photoalbums.

Brian, I wondered how you and Shawn faired. Any chance the rain yesterday and today is enough for your club? Around here the dry ground seems to just be soaking it up but maybe you've got quick runoff.
 
I'm glad to hear that ya'll had a good hunt. Our hunt was OK, but the knuckleheads around me started shooting at 20 minutes before legal shooting time (yes, you read that correctly, 20 minutes) and did not let up until about 9:30. Just once, I wish that a federal game warden would take the time to actually get out on the water and put a stop to this type of stuff. Once the first group started, a lot of the groups around them decided that they would join in the pre-dawn shooting.

Also, if you blow a 45 note, competition style high-ball at every grebe, cormorant, crow and gadwall that passes within eyesight, you should have your hunting license revoked and your boat taken away from you for no less than 2 years.

Alabama - where ducks are few, but duck hunters are on every point, island and open spot of water...

Ya'll can have the next two weekends -- I'm going after some Eidahs.
 
Jon,

I talked to a guy from Tuscaloosa on Sat. who was complaining that the ducks would not respond to his call and were already "call shy." hehehe

I always thought it was best to leave the calls at home when hunting "the lake."
 
It does not sound like I missed much this past weekend. I am saving my passes for the trip with Brian this January, so I did the traditional family Thanksgiving with my wifes folks. I am going to try and make it down to the lease and check the water situation today. We got another inch last nite and my course is pretty wet and the ponds have filled up. I am keeping my fingers crossed. Shawn
 
Jon

I'd hazard to guess the vast majority of duckhunters ignore the legal shooting times on the opener or any other day for that matter when they can get away with it. Seems a lot of folks point the finger and whine about it but they too partake (not implying you fit that description). Last year "the lake" erupted 45 minutes before legal becuase the skies were so clear. Twenty minutes is an improvement this year but we know it was only because of cloud cover. I'd love to see the feds assist the local GWs on the opener.
 
we didn't even uncase our guns until one minute AFTER legal time. It's just not worth the risk to me.

Perhaps it is for the best though - I ended up going to a different body of water on Saturday and found some VERY ducky looking places. Saw a few woodies, mallards and hooded mergansers. The best part was that I did not see one other boat. Didn't hear any shooting either. This place was beautiful - flooded timber with marsh grass shores. Lots of spanish moss hanging from the trees and about 10,000 possibilities for setting up a spread. I plan on hunting there a good bit this year and figuring out the birds there (once they get there).
 
45 min and yall can shoot at normal time on the first day?! That's worse than MN. We have to wait until 9am on opener (used to be noon), usually it is around 8:45 you hear the first shots if you are on a public spot.
 
Dan

Alabama is 30 min before official sunrise until official sunset. When I hunted Canada you could go all the way to 30 min after sunset. Folks around here would feel right at home gunning that late.
 
Shawn

That was probably a good move. You didn't miss any real opportunity from what we saw and what everyone else has reported.

BTW, I've got 18 barrels banded and pinned ready for turning.
 
Hey - Hey - Hey!!!

Don't forget about the rest of us that are wanting to get in on this turning education. Jason and I are still wanting to take part as well...
 
Jon.
Just remember that you're out there with the same guys who shoot Mergies during Teal season......
Shawn and Eric. Give me a call. Until the end of this year, anyway, every day's a holiday for me.

Boat's pretty much usable and Swan Creek's only a short drive away.

Interview on Thursday, so my January hunting is probably in jeopardy.
 
That's what I figured (30 min before sunrise). That's what ours is every other day.
"Last year "the lake" erupted 45 minutes before legal becuase the skies were so clear."

So if they were shooting 45 min early, they are shooting 1 hr 15 min before sunrise??? Geez!!
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Back
Top