Today was Andrew's turn to go hunting. Joey Wolk and I decided yesterday to hunt this afternoon but weren't sure just where to go. We made up our minds after over-analyzing the entire season including weather, hunting pressure, scouting reports, past seasons, and the infant mortality rate in Chad. Jeff Bowen knows what I'm referring to as typically on morning hunts plans usually aren't forthecoming until after 11:00 p.m.. I am the absolute worst at formulating plans and usually just head in some direction. We left around lunchtime.
As we crossed the Paint Rock River we saw it was out of it banks. We got more rain than I thought. That means half of North Sauty Refuge's ducks hit the flooded fields and Jones Farm (private) is covered up. Sure enough as we crossed the refuge it was short on ducks. Conditions like these move them off the millfoil in search of fresh new food. We headed to a spot that was in need of water last week. When we pulled up the water was indeed up but even better WE HAD IT TO OURSELVES woohoo.
Joey and I tossed out three dozen decoys while Andrew kept me in steady supply. Nice to have little helpers along. Wasn't too long after we set up a nice flock of ringnecks barrelled down the center of the slough. A little calling and they hooked over hard on us. A few shots and two crashed. One did the pachinko on the way down a tree. As the afternoon passed we didn't set any records but did have several opportunites. It was a ton of fun having Andrew along to educate us on presidential history and movie trivia and I think he really liked seeing working ducks.
While I'm thinking about it I've got to let a little secret out about Joey, and this is no lie. When Joey meets us in the mornings he's already had breakfast. Get this, his wife wakes up with him and cooks breakfast before he leaves, usually about 3:30 a.m.. But wait it gets better. When he gets home she cleans the ducks. No wonder he's been happily maried for close to 30 years. What duckhunter would let that gal get away. Lucky fella.
As we crossed the Paint Rock River we saw it was out of it banks. We got more rain than I thought. That means half of North Sauty Refuge's ducks hit the flooded fields and Jones Farm (private) is covered up. Sure enough as we crossed the refuge it was short on ducks. Conditions like these move them off the millfoil in search of fresh new food. We headed to a spot that was in need of water last week. When we pulled up the water was indeed up but even better WE HAD IT TO OURSELVES woohoo.
Joey and I tossed out three dozen decoys while Andrew kept me in steady supply. Nice to have little helpers along. Wasn't too long after we set up a nice flock of ringnecks barrelled down the center of the slough. A little calling and they hooked over hard on us. A few shots and two crashed. One did the pachinko on the way down a tree. As the afternoon passed we didn't set any records but did have several opportunites. It was a ton of fun having Andrew along to educate us on presidential history and movie trivia and I think he really liked seeing working ducks.
While I'm thinking about it I've got to let a little secret out about Joey, and this is no lie. When Joey meets us in the mornings he's already had breakfast. Get this, his wife wakes up with him and cooks breakfast before he leaves, usually about 3:30 a.m.. But wait it gets better. When he gets home she cleans the ducks. No wonder he's been happily maried for close to 30 years. What duckhunter would let that gal get away. Lucky fella.
