I shot my first canvasback!

Capt. John

Capt. John

Active member
I have been trying to shoot a can for most of my adult life and have always been at the wrong spot or wrong time etc. We dont see many here on the coast in my area so a neighbor asked me to go hunt Choke Canyon resevoir yesterday because he new how crazy I was about cans. A little back info here, I actually booked a trip on pool 9 this year and had to cancel due to the no can season thing. Then this year during the two week split of our season I was out scouting and found one I could have sculled right up to but was forced to just take pics. I know its not just about the killing of ducks but I really thought I was Jinxed with cans. Back to yesterday. We set up in some old flooded timber and right at first light guess what was coming my way. A big Canvasback. I was actually shaking. One shot later and Earl was chasing it. It played the diving game for about ten minutes with him but Earl LOVES that game and stuck it out and finally got him. My buddy was nice enough to shoot a hen Can and give it to me so I can do a Pair mount with them. I just wanted to share my good news. I wouldnt be happier shooting a 200 inch whitetail. Sorry for the change in font, I must have hit something and didnt know it. Oh yeah, I try and end each season on a good note and our season ends sunday so I think this is a proper ending point for me.
John

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Nice job on the Can. Hunters Choice ended up having a somewhat positive ending with some of us being able to shoot c-backs this yr. I was not a big fan of the project especially here in ND where all our ducks are brown the first couple weeks of the season. IDing birds on the wing can get dicey especially if you are out with a newer gunner. Many times we would not shoot until we could ID birds by their bills. My friends can testify.... when a hen mallard gets shot the the pintails and canvasbacks show up!!

I was eyeing up the hollywood in your bag though!!! I wish our Spoonies looked so nice up here. Many people around here rag on them as garbage ducks but I look at them as "Greater" Teal.

Thank you for sharing your pictures.

-hunters choice was an experimental program USFW has done the past few yrs..... ND, SD, WY and TX I think. The hunter is allowed to "choose" between 1 hen mallard or 1 canvasback either sex or one pintail eiter sex.
 
Just to clear up any confusion, yes canvasbacks are open in the State of Texas this year. One of few states. I wasnt just shooting one not caring if it was open or not. Like posted earlier, you can shoot one of the following, canvasback, pintail, hen mallard, mottled, black. I guess I can thank usfws for the can. Dont need anyone thinking I'm an outlaw
 
Capt. John, Nice going on the Can. I to have gone most of my life with out bagging a can ,only because Delaware did not have it in their season.ALAS there was a season they allowed1-can per day(don,t remember the year)but they don,t show up till late in the season.The eventfull day took place on the Delaware River at the public blind sites at augustine beach. My son (16yrs. old ) and I set up some deeks including 6- foam(decoys unlimited) canvasback decoys early that morn. I know it was late Dec. we had riddin my aluminum Grizzly boat thru lots of ICE flows. when we finaly got squared-away in the blind legal shooting time came,and the sun rise was upon us, when my son said Dad to your left ducks coming in , what are they?there flying funny (he never saw cans before) I shouted CANVASBACKS get ready their setting up 5 of them,take the one on your right I'll take the left BOOM-BOOM,togethere we fired and one dead ,and one crippled,we finally chased it down firing another round or two and retreived it.Today there still mounted mine on the wall and my son 's mounted on a log(took to many hits for flying mn,t.)but it,s some thing we did as father and son that i,ll always remeber.So Capt.John,I know the proud feeling of that first King- of- ducks, THE CANVASBACK P.S. now I re-call the year 2002 or 2003 which ever it still was a fun day to remember.Good luck on your next one.CAS in delaware.
 
Yeh it spooked me when I saw this cause I was under the thought that the whole nation shut em down this year. that an awesome looking spot. also nice bull can and the spoonie is to die for! awesome way to end the season! good job.
 
Way to go! Our season here in NODAK was open for cans as well this year and i was lucky enough to end the season with a half dozen of them. Beautiful birds and as matt said, We envy your spoonbill!
 
Nice job, John. Great way to end a season!

How low is Choke Canyon? Looks like a long way to the normal shoreline.
Any gators out sunning in the balmy weather?
 
Good job Cap'n,

We couldn't shoot Cans this year and I have never seen so many. The FWS folks must be blind or can't count.

Hope everybody raises cane about that.
Best,
Harry
 
John

I don't see a Redhead in that bag! But looks like an impressive bunch of birds in any event. Those Ringnecks can be a blast.

A good hunt brings together all the great facets of this sport.
 
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thanks for the compliments guys, and damn, that video is friggin great! It seems to be a common theme here, lots of cans that you cant shoot. I wonder if they will reopen it next season?
 
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