Al Hansen
Well-known member
For me it has been almost impossible to sleep the night before the duck opener. I have always been that way, even as a 14 year old kid in 1955. My decoys were in the low flow channel looking about a good as a set of 9 can look. I used two groups with a fly in zone in the middle. When the channel is only about 15 to 18 feet wide you don’t need too many blocks to make things look inviting.
Today I was hoping to be able to shoot a couple of ducks just so Habi would have a chance to handle a big duck----well----something bigger than a teal. The early morning gray sky began to get lighter and it was now the time that ducks begin to fly and like a signal of good things to come the sound of whistling wings broke the silence. Even though it was still pitch dark where I was I still looked up. As I glanced down at Habi I noticed that she was following the flight path of that group of ducks. I only surmised that they were woodies. I sat there in my chair enjoying my surroundings. To my left was Chili, who looked like the old RCA dog. That one never moved—kind of like Chili. That is why she was sitting right where she was because on my right side I had my young almost 9 month old pup, Habi. She is still learning the ropes and I wanted the instructor to show her a few things today.
I pulled out my cell phone to find out that there was still 6 minutes to wait, so I decided to pour a hot cup of black coffee. While sipping I heard the wings, then looked just in time to get a glimpse of a single duck settle in just to the north of my decoys. The splash down was plenty audible then a smile appeared on my face as I listened to that whistling call that only a drake widgeon can make. Another attempt to make time disappear faster than normal did not work because I checked my cell one last time and found out that I still had 2 minutes to go.
Habi decided to lean up against my leg and I gave her some ear scratches which she dearly loves. I glanced down at her and quickly noticed that she wasn’t looking at me but beyond me. My timing wasn’t so good because just then I had a pair of Mexicans fly right over the top of me. I’m glad my pup hasn’t learned how to give me “that” look when I screw up!
With it being so cloudy today the early morning hours seemed still too dark to shoot so I was thankful that nothing flew in. As it got lighter I had a single woodie come in and I took it. Habi made a nice retrieve and I quickly noticed that she wasn’t a light yellow lab anymore. Seems that she had an extra coating of mud to add to her looks.
Not too much time elapsed and I caught a movement to the south of me. Two ducks were incoming. They were coming straight in and then dove out of the sky for my decoys. Just as they hit the tree line on the opposite shore line I lost them. Finally I got them back in my sight when they were just a touch to the north of me. I put my Nova to my shoulder and squeezed the trigger. It was great to see both ducks collapse. Both of the dogs were gone in a split second, well, Chili, wasn’t quite that quick. Chili ended up retrieving the widgeon hen and Habi took the drake.
The Canon was in my hands when they were coming back. The older I get the more I enjoy taking pictures of my pups. I love to see them in action, how they use their skills, and the determination that they can express. As Habi was making waves on her way back with that widgeon in her mouth, I instantly let my mind wander to a movie that I had seen, called “The Natural”. From the moment that Bev tossed that first toy to Habi when she was 8 weeks old and in amazement, I watched her go fetch it and bring it back to Bev without hesitation. And right now on this opening day, she is doing things that only older dogs are supposed to do. Her gene pool seems to be dominated by retrieving skills.
It wasn’t too much longer when a group of 7 woodies came barreling along the ditch. This time they saw me lift my shotgun, flared up, and I was able to take out a drake. It landed on the other side of the ditch up by an old gnarly looking cottonwood. Chili was the one who had the mark on this bird however it was Habi who came back with it. What a great way to end the day. My girls had done well on this New Mexico opener. We ended up taking 2 juvenile wood ducks and a pair of juvenile widgeons. I’m sure glad that our season doesn’t end until January 27th of 2013. Habi needs the retrieving practice, well, at least that is what I will try to convince Bev that I think needs to happen.
Al
Chili bringing back a young female widgeon.
Habi coming back with a juvenile wood duck.
Here my pup is bringing back the young drake widgeon. What pure joy she is to have at my side as another duck hunting partner.
This is my duck hunting paradise for the moment. I tossed a stick out for Habi to retrieve hoping that she would get rid of some of that nasty mud that she was covered with.
Time to go home. My girls were ready for a ride.
