John Robinson
Well-known member
Hi Guys,
The whole month of December was cold stagnant air with the river completely frozen most of the time. All of the reports I got was that the ducks had left the area, but a front moved in Friday night and the wind picked up with the temp just above freezing. I decided to get my friend's Snow Goose and go hunting one last time before the season ends this week.
It was noon by the time I found someone to hunt with and we got it together to pick up the boat, gear and launch. We found a good spot of open water where a spring fed creek empties into the river, forming a 300 yard wide, open water, cattail lined pond just before the river. We set up against the cattails on the leeward side of the pond. Had to hunt from shore as the water level was down and there was nowhere to hide the boat.
Well, it was nothing but drake mallards coming in two, to ten at a time for the next three hours. Most of them were wary of landing within range of the cattails, preferring the safety of the bay a 100 yards from any cover, but enough flew within range that we were able to limit out by 4:00 pm.
I'm particularly proud of my 8 year old Golden, Yoda. We have shot well over a hundred ducks this season, and he has retrieved every single one. We haven't lost even one cripple, and there have been a few that fell in the cattails, or swam all the way across the pond to disappear into cover. My hunting buddy wants me to will Yoda to him, but I'm afraid I might fall victim to an "accident" if I did that.
The whole month of December was cold stagnant air with the river completely frozen most of the time. All of the reports I got was that the ducks had left the area, but a front moved in Friday night and the wind picked up with the temp just above freezing. I decided to get my friend's Snow Goose and go hunting one last time before the season ends this week.
It was noon by the time I found someone to hunt with and we got it together to pick up the boat, gear and launch. We found a good spot of open water where a spring fed creek empties into the river, forming a 300 yard wide, open water, cattail lined pond just before the river. We set up against the cattails on the leeward side of the pond. Had to hunt from shore as the water level was down and there was nowhere to hide the boat.
Well, it was nothing but drake mallards coming in two, to ten at a time for the next three hours. Most of them were wary of landing within range of the cattails, preferring the safety of the bay a 100 yards from any cover, but enough flew within range that we were able to limit out by 4:00 pm.
I'm particularly proud of my 8 year old Golden, Yoda. We have shot well over a hundred ducks this season, and he has retrieved every single one. We haven't lost even one cripple, and there have been a few that fell in the cattails, or swam all the way across the pond to disappear into cover. My hunting buddy wants me to will Yoda to him, but I'm afraid I might fall victim to an "accident" if I did that.
