Al Hansen
Well-known member
About a week ago or so I was finally able to get back to my little spot on the Rio Grande. It had been a frustrating 34 days of waiting. I had decided to move about 300 yards to the south just in case the snow geese would be flying.
Things have been quite different this year when Bosque del Apache had no corn crop to speak of. I thought it would be great because then the birds, mostly mallards, would be forced to fly north to the state project where there is plenty of corn planted for them. I guess with age you learn to take things more in stride and of course this was no different.
Back in December, Coors rejected a crop of barley that they use in their beer making process and when one thing led to another, 17 semi-loads of barley were shipped to BdA NWR. All they had to do was pay the freight bill, which was a $1,000.00 per load. Well, it is a no brainer about the love geese and ducks have for barley. Things have changed. The birds have no need to fly and they don't. Heck why get shot at if you leave the confines of the NWR?
Anyway, I was setting out my small spread of decoys when I stood up to look around for my two dogs, Chili and Pepper. I saw Chili's eyes reflecting in my head lamp and then way to the back and to the right another 50 yards, I spied Pepper's reflective eyes. She seemed way too far away so I started yelling at her to get back to me. The eyes just kept glowing in the dark when I looked up. Chili came over to me and when I looked at my left side, there in the water was Pepper, standing next to me. I quickly looked back and that pair of eyes was still there. Well, yes, I did apologize to Pepper. Then I started wondering what animal was there looking at us. I guess I made up my mind that it must have been a coyote.
With the decoys in a spot that I was comfortable with I got back to shore and surveyed it all. I took a deep breath of that distinct smell that is always present when I am at this very spot on the Rio. It brought a smile to my face because I knew right then that if I tried to explain it to a non-duck hunter, they wouldn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. I still had to move my Mule out of the way but that wasn't a problem since I had plenty of time.
Took this shot before the season opened.
This morning I even turned off my head lamp and set some decoys by the light of the brilliant moon. That was fun but I then thought it was a tad bit dangerous and flipped the switch on my head lamp once again. That made me think of walking the half mile to the top of Mt. Baldy with my camera bag, tripod, and Chili almost 2 years ago. I turned off my head lamp then, too, and carefully found my way to the peak aided by the light of only the stars. It was an exhilarating trip to say the least. Back then I had to prove to myself that my broken leg had healed and that I was all right. Well, I wasn't and my leg told me that many times until I had a full replacement knee installed. Anyway, as I stood there soaking it all in, all of a sudden I swore it was Pepper barking at something behind me in the big cottonwoods that line the shore of the Rio. "Dammit, Pepper," I yelled. "Pepper, come!" Once again I looked down and saw Chili on my right and whoa, there was Pepper at heal on my left and the barking was continuing very loudly just behind us. Yes, it was some brazen coyote giving me the once over for invading his territory. Both of my pups were at full attention, that is for sure. Well, the coyote soon gave up and left. That marked the second time that I apologized to my pup, Pepper, on that morning.
The moon was brilliant---way too brilliant as far as I was concerned. I have never been a fan of duck hunting when there is a full moon but I wasn't going to miss out on a hunt because of it. We sat and sat with nothing happening. Then I began to hear geese but quickly found out that they had changed their flight pattern. The weatherman had made a mistake when he had forecast a 15 mph north wind. There was hardly a breeze and the geese seemed to be a quarter mile high.
It was shortly after this flock of snows and Ross' flew over that I spotted a pair of mallards flying up the Rio Grande but at quite a distance away from me. I got on my MLB acrylic and sweet talked the pair to come have a look. They made a huge swing and came back around from the south right on the deck. As they passed just to the back side of the decoys, I dusted the drake with my favorite 2 3/4 inch 7 shot Dove load, and then sat down to watch my pups in action. The hen flew away quacking as she left and Pepper was on that mallard in no time. Chili went along for moral support, I guess. Anyway, it sure gave me a moment of self satisfaction to witness it.
The moon was about to set and I opted for a couple of quick shots looking west towards the Magdalena mountain range.
I had to take a pic of Mt. Baldy. It was covered with snow. Sure made me think of my broken leg when duck hunting on the Rio Grande, the healing process, arthritis, and my replacement knee. If you look closely you can see the Magdalena Ridge Observatory down in the saddle. How could I forget that male broadtailed hummingbird that hovered above my head when I was standing on the peak at 10,783 feet? Another unforgettable moment!
All in all it was a fantastic morning. Did I get my limit? To answer that question it would be "NO" if had been just 6 or 7 years ago, but on this morning, it was "YES"! The coyote, my magical environment, seeing a pair of ducks, watching my pups work, inhaling air with a distinct odor that brings a smile to any duck hunter, and sitting back in my chair sipping on a cup of coffee definitely made me think that I had my limit for sure. I looked out at my decoy spread and decided it was time to go home. What a great hunt.
Al
Things have been quite different this year when Bosque del Apache had no corn crop to speak of. I thought it would be great because then the birds, mostly mallards, would be forced to fly north to the state project where there is plenty of corn planted for them. I guess with age you learn to take things more in stride and of course this was no different.
Back in December, Coors rejected a crop of barley that they use in their beer making process and when one thing led to another, 17 semi-loads of barley were shipped to BdA NWR. All they had to do was pay the freight bill, which was a $1,000.00 per load. Well, it is a no brainer about the love geese and ducks have for barley. Things have changed. The birds have no need to fly and they don't. Heck why get shot at if you leave the confines of the NWR?
Anyway, I was setting out my small spread of decoys when I stood up to look around for my two dogs, Chili and Pepper. I saw Chili's eyes reflecting in my head lamp and then way to the back and to the right another 50 yards, I spied Pepper's reflective eyes. She seemed way too far away so I started yelling at her to get back to me. The eyes just kept glowing in the dark when I looked up. Chili came over to me and when I looked at my left side, there in the water was Pepper, standing next to me. I quickly looked back and that pair of eyes was still there. Well, yes, I did apologize to Pepper. Then I started wondering what animal was there looking at us. I guess I made up my mind that it must have been a coyote.
With the decoys in a spot that I was comfortable with I got back to shore and surveyed it all. I took a deep breath of that distinct smell that is always present when I am at this very spot on the Rio. It brought a smile to my face because I knew right then that if I tried to explain it to a non-duck hunter, they wouldn't have a clue as to what I was talking about. I still had to move my Mule out of the way but that wasn't a problem since I had plenty of time.
Took this shot before the season opened.
This morning I even turned off my head lamp and set some decoys by the light of the brilliant moon. That was fun but I then thought it was a tad bit dangerous and flipped the switch on my head lamp once again. That made me think of walking the half mile to the top of Mt. Baldy with my camera bag, tripod, and Chili almost 2 years ago. I turned off my head lamp then, too, and carefully found my way to the peak aided by the light of only the stars. It was an exhilarating trip to say the least. Back then I had to prove to myself that my broken leg had healed and that I was all right. Well, I wasn't and my leg told me that many times until I had a full replacement knee installed. Anyway, as I stood there soaking it all in, all of a sudden I swore it was Pepper barking at something behind me in the big cottonwoods that line the shore of the Rio. "Dammit, Pepper," I yelled. "Pepper, come!" Once again I looked down and saw Chili on my right and whoa, there was Pepper at heal on my left and the barking was continuing very loudly just behind us. Yes, it was some brazen coyote giving me the once over for invading his territory. Both of my pups were at full attention, that is for sure. Well, the coyote soon gave up and left. That marked the second time that I apologized to my pup, Pepper, on that morning.
The moon was brilliant---way too brilliant as far as I was concerned. I have never been a fan of duck hunting when there is a full moon but I wasn't going to miss out on a hunt because of it. We sat and sat with nothing happening. Then I began to hear geese but quickly found out that they had changed their flight pattern. The weatherman had made a mistake when he had forecast a 15 mph north wind. There was hardly a breeze and the geese seemed to be a quarter mile high.
It was shortly after this flock of snows and Ross' flew over that I spotted a pair of mallards flying up the Rio Grande but at quite a distance away from me. I got on my MLB acrylic and sweet talked the pair to come have a look. They made a huge swing and came back around from the south right on the deck. As they passed just to the back side of the decoys, I dusted the drake with my favorite 2 3/4 inch 7 shot Dove load, and then sat down to watch my pups in action. The hen flew away quacking as she left and Pepper was on that mallard in no time. Chili went along for moral support, I guess. Anyway, it sure gave me a moment of self satisfaction to witness it.
The moon was about to set and I opted for a couple of quick shots looking west towards the Magdalena mountain range.
I had to take a pic of Mt. Baldy. It was covered with snow. Sure made me think of my broken leg when duck hunting on the Rio Grande, the healing process, arthritis, and my replacement knee. If you look closely you can see the Magdalena Ridge Observatory down in the saddle. How could I forget that male broadtailed hummingbird that hovered above my head when I was standing on the peak at 10,783 feet? Another unforgettable moment!
All in all it was a fantastic morning. Did I get my limit? To answer that question it would be "NO" if had been just 6 or 7 years ago, but on this morning, it was "YES"! The coyote, my magical environment, seeing a pair of ducks, watching my pups work, inhaling air with a distinct odor that brings a smile to any duck hunter, and sitting back in my chair sipping on a cup of coffee definitely made me think that I had my limit for sure. I looked out at my decoy spread and decided it was time to go home. What a great hunt.
Al
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