Last day of our season in New Mexico

Al Hansen

Al Hansen

Well-known member
My computer has been on the fritz for about a month but I finally had a youngun fix it which took all of two seconds.

For not being able to hunt the Rio Grande for over half the season, I have to admit that it was a very good season for me. Please remember that if I shoot one duck in an outing I think of that as a successful hunt.

On the final day right at the opener I had three gaddies come in. I did not like the way they came in and opted to use some lonesome hen calls to coax them back. Luckily they made a wide circle and came in perfectly. Just as I pulled the trigger on one of the two drakes, it flew below the tree line and I had no idea if I hit it or not because it was so dark. I thought I had when I saw Chip out there. Well the other two ended up flying directly over me and I was fortunate enough to take out the other drake that fell to the ground not too far from the blind. Habi was on it in no time. When Chip saw her. he came dashing back to join in her fun but with no duck. As it got lighter it was evident that I guess I missed because there was no duck around in the pond. We sat there for another 2 1/2 hours and had no other ducks come in.

I was using 4 black duck decoys and one hen mallard on that final day. It was time to go, so I waded out to retrieve them. Habi decided to come with and that is when I saw her head jerk up when the wind kicked in and she made a bee line across the pond into the cockleburs. In a matter of moments she nailed the still alive drake gadwall that Chip had originally gone after. Since he is still a pup and not used to ducks that dive and hide, I now know why he came back to us.

What a great way to end the season, with Habi having found that downed duck. Nothing was lost and that made me feel darn good.

To tell you the truth, I really miss the season already. I sent all my wings in for the Wing Bee study and now I am counting the days until our early teal season begins.
Al

I have often talked about my two pups in the duck blind with me. Chili taught Habi how to sit and now Habi is teaching Chip. These two pictures are different but only if you look at Chip's tail and maybe the sunlight/shadows. The pictures were also taken 21 minutes apart. They just don't move, other than for their heads when following the flight path of birds and I love that!

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The little pond out in the middle of no-where!

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Habanero coming back with that wounded drake gadwall.

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So to appease Chipotle because he didn't have a duck to retrieve, I tossed this one and I'm hoping that he felt better about the hunt.

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It didn't take long to dismantle my luxury blind. I stacked all the limbs in a pile behind the bush hoping the cattle don't trample them. I'll be all ready for next season if there is water here. This year it came in about a month after the season had started so I was pretty lucky. As you can see, I am already to go cut firewood for the day. It only takes a few minutes and I'll be to my area to cut. Called convenient.

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Al~

Great to have you - and your fine photos and tales back!

I am upset, though, that you seem to have stolen my Luxury Blind plans without attribution......

All the best,

SJS
 
Al, No sympathy for a closed season from Minnesota, I'm not even sure I can remember last season without digging out the pictures. ;-)). Glad to hear your electronic woes were not so serious, we should all have a 12 year old on call for such problems. You did really have a great last hunt, thanks for sharing again. Those recovered birds really do make a day. What wood are you cutting for firewood? Is that a common heat source there? Some people say the Colt 6 shooter was the great equalizer but I believe the chain saw is at least as important. What would Paul Bunyan have done with one his size? BTW do you know about Paul's boat anchor?
 
Al, looks like a neat little spot , do you ever use a jerk cord in your spread to give the decoys a little movement?
 
Al do you ever hunt the Bernardo Refuge? I stopped by there last spring when I was going down to New Mexico Tech from Albuquerque. It looked like a good place to hunt.
 
Al, great post, thanks for sharing. Love the pics of the pups 21 min apart. It's always a pleasure to hunt with dogs that are quiet and still in the blind. Well done.

Best - Paul
 
Al,

Thanks for the story and glad you ended your season on a high note. Looking forward to next season myself.
 
Hey Steve,
Here all of this time I thought I had the original plans to that well planned blind. Of course if this has been in your family for eons you win because I come from a non-hunting family both sides that goes way back.
Al
 
Tom, when Habanero found that drake gaddie that made my season. I was thrilled.

As for wood, the federal and state gov't has put a push on to eradicate all the tamarisk aka salt cedar, that they can. They have formulated a poison that can kill it but not harm the native New Mexican trees that we have like our cottonwoods. Larger type salt cedar trees will consume up to 200 gallons of water per day. They have monitored the ground water levels and have seen them rise after the trees are killed. The tree also drips from its leaves a saline solution that kills any other type of plant/vegetation that could grow in the area, thus giving it no interference in growing other than that from other salt cedar trees. To describe this tree you don't walk into a forest but into a jungle. It comes from the Mediterranean area and was brought here in late 1920s or early 30s. It even wiped out farming back then because it spread faster than they could try to kill it.

Tom, I can still remember when they celebrated the fact that huge slab of granite was put in place to represent Paul's anchor. Lem Kaercher had a picture and article in the Ortonville Independent.

By the way, thank you for your recent help.
Al
 
Fred, I had just taken it out the day before. I use it all the time. Most of the time it is deathly still in this spot, so some action is necessary. If the breezes kick in then the decoys dance.
Al
 
BJ, I have hunted that area and have done well, however, I am a loner and that spot has way too many hunters. That is one reason that I won't hunt weekends just so I can hopefully hunt alone. By that I mean, with no one within a mile or two of me.
Al
 
Thanks, Paul. I'm a stickler for my dogs holding to a spot in the blind. It is just something that they must do, that's all. I sure agree with what you had to say about the pups.

I hope you had a good season, also.
Al
 
You are so right about the pups when the light goes on. Chip has been a pure joy to train and hopefully with a few more reps next year he will develop into a better retriever.

I can't begin to tell you how much fun I actually have, Brad. It is wonderful and I am always looking forward to the next year's season. I know my pups and I will be ready for what ever happens. When you live in the desert southwest, you learn how to do the rain dance!
Al
 
Great stuff Al!

What's all that liquidy stuff your dogs are running around in? I vaguely remember seeing that stuff around here but it's been so long I can't remember what it's called.
 
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Great pics Al! Love your hunting companions. The cockle burrs in the picture remind me of our duck club at times. Great time to have a short coated Lab instead of a golden or springer...

Thanks for sharing brother! Pat
 
Good to see you back online Al
Nice end to your season, mine ended on the 6th of Jan,that was 6 days after the birds showed up in numbers.
Been a weird season, to warm. Even now its been warm , was 40 degrees yesterday when it should be in the minus.
 
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