Hitch
Well-known member
This year’s hunt was also a scouting mission to find Hoodys for Jeff, Ky's buddy coming in on the eight of December for the MLB/Huff auction hunt. We already know where to find the whistlers and the Mottles, but Jeff wants a Hoody too and we aim to please. So we embarked on a mission to find them at one of our good ol spots that we haven't been to for what seems like forever. It was our first trip to the flats this season. It would seem a little early this far south, but we’ve been seeing birds on the salt for a few weeks now, so we decided why not, besides Shah could tag along to the mostly gator free tidal marsh.
We killed a couple birds early. Shah was happy to serve.
We then settled into our blind sipping coffee and eating hostess cupcakes wishing the duck Nautique were ready. We watched as small groups of Widgeon dumped in, well out of range, not feeding and intent to lounge probably just after a recent and long journey.
The white pelicans are here already. They didn’t seem to mind the shooting much and happily fed on the mullet.
Then the Mergansers started piling into several sloughs in front and behind us, making a few passes over the dekes and dumping in on several occasions. We let them fly, knowing they would not likely be disturbed for the remainder of the early phase of our season.
We saw Teal, Pintail and Widgeon dive in behind the mangroves. We both knew we wouldn't leave until we had found the holes these ducks were dropping into. We picked up and did a little hiking and this is what we found; new places to hunt. We bumped all sorts of puddle ducks out of this slough upon are arrival.
.. And another slough about 300 yards away and a little bigger, each only a foot or so deep. Hoodys buzzed us as we explored. They wanted back in.
We came upon several Rosette Spoonbills in the larger slough.
The big slough was crawling under our feet with blue crab, and nary a human print to be seen through the crystal clear water. This was Florida the way it used to be. You would have thought we found Dave’s gold.
Shah was so thrilled to have feathers between his teeth; he decided to do the “Gordy”
Not many ducks in the bag, but I had fun with the camera, and we found some really cool new places to hunt. It was a fun thanksgiving morning, and the turkey and fixins at Scott's mom's place was wonderful that afternoon. Lots to give thanks for.
Hitch
We killed a couple birds early. Shah was happy to serve.
We then settled into our blind sipping coffee and eating hostess cupcakes wishing the duck Nautique were ready. We watched as small groups of Widgeon dumped in, well out of range, not feeding and intent to lounge probably just after a recent and long journey.
The white pelicans are here already. They didn’t seem to mind the shooting much and happily fed on the mullet.
Then the Mergansers started piling into several sloughs in front and behind us, making a few passes over the dekes and dumping in on several occasions. We let them fly, knowing they would not likely be disturbed for the remainder of the early phase of our season.
We saw Teal, Pintail and Widgeon dive in behind the mangroves. We both knew we wouldn't leave until we had found the holes these ducks were dropping into. We picked up and did a little hiking and this is what we found; new places to hunt. We bumped all sorts of puddle ducks out of this slough upon are arrival.
.. And another slough about 300 yards away and a little bigger, each only a foot or so deep. Hoodys buzzed us as we explored. They wanted back in.
We came upon several Rosette Spoonbills in the larger slough.
The big slough was crawling under our feet with blue crab, and nary a human print to be seen through the crystal clear water. This was Florida the way it used to be. You would have thought we found Dave’s gold.
Shah was so thrilled to have feathers between his teeth; he decided to do the “Gordy”
Not many ducks in the bag, but I had fun with the camera, and we found some really cool new places to hunt. It was a fun thanksgiving morning, and the turkey and fixins at Scott's mom's place was wonderful that afternoon. Lots to give thanks for.
Hitch
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