Al Hansen
Well-known member
My farmer friend called me on the evening of the 27th and said, "Al, you told me to call you if I saw any ducks. Well, if they seem to be crawling all over the pond, do you think you should come here tomorrow morning?" Good gosh, it was darn hard to wipe the smile off my face.
Chip and I were there at least a half hour before the last day's opener. I like going in early especially with a new dog because they can learn so much. Most importantly how to hold in a duck blind. As for us, we didn't have a blind, we just sat on a small grassy island with a smattering of taller weeds to the side of us. Not moving became a must. So with that in mind, I was really happy when a drake mallard landed about 15 feet from us and all I had to do was whisper to Chip, "Stay!" He held his ground but sure wanted to dash out there and catch that bird which I thought he was sure he could do. The young drake took off just because he finally saw what was staring at him. Another good thing for being in early is for your pup to get acclimated to sounds---those made by ducks whether it be vocal or wings and other things. On that final day, Chip saw his first muskrat at about 8 paces. It was an interesting time.
It was a fantastic closing day and I ended the season taking a nice limit of bluewing/cinnamons. To clarify, 5 bluewings and 1 cinnamon because I checked their eyes.
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Yesterday as we watched some Monday night football, I made sure my envelopes were all done correctly (the paper work) and now all I have to do is stuff a wing in each of them and I can bring them to the post office. I feel so lucky to have been chosen again for this opportunity to be part of an interesting program that the waterfowl biologists are in involved in.
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Chip is now 15 months old and has learned a lot during this early teal season. The most important as far as I am concerned is how to sit in a blind. Not moving is imperative and he has a good handle on that. I really don't like hiding in a blind and would much rather sit in the wide open with just my back side covered/no silhouette. We just don't move much and it works just fine since ducks have a thing about inanimate objects because they don't pay much attention to them.
In 23 days our regular season will open and I am really looking forward to that. I sure hope it rains some more because the Rio Grande is flowing but just at 32cfs. Well, it least it is flowing!
Al
This is how we hid.
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Chip and I were there at least a half hour before the last day's opener. I like going in early especially with a new dog because they can learn so much. Most importantly how to hold in a duck blind. As for us, we didn't have a blind, we just sat on a small grassy island with a smattering of taller weeds to the side of us. Not moving became a must. So with that in mind, I was really happy when a drake mallard landed about 15 feet from us and all I had to do was whisper to Chip, "Stay!" He held his ground but sure wanted to dash out there and catch that bird which I thought he was sure he could do. The young drake took off just because he finally saw what was staring at him. Another good thing for being in early is for your pup to get acclimated to sounds---those made by ducks whether it be vocal or wings and other things. On that final day, Chip saw his first muskrat at about 8 paces. It was an interesting time.
It was a fantastic closing day and I ended the season taking a nice limit of bluewing/cinnamons. To clarify, 5 bluewings and 1 cinnamon because I checked their eyes.
Yesterday as we watched some Monday night football, I made sure my envelopes were all done correctly (the paper work) and now all I have to do is stuff a wing in each of them and I can bring them to the post office. I feel so lucky to have been chosen again for this opportunity to be part of an interesting program that the waterfowl biologists are in involved in.
Chip is now 15 months old and has learned a lot during this early teal season. The most important as far as I am concerned is how to sit in a blind. Not moving is imperative and he has a good handle on that. I really don't like hiding in a blind and would much rather sit in the wide open with just my back side covered/no silhouette. We just don't move much and it works just fine since ducks have a thing about inanimate objects because they don't pay much attention to them.
In 23 days our regular season will open and I am really looking forward to that. I sure hope it rains some more because the Rio Grande is flowing but just at 32cfs. Well, it least it is flowing!
Al
This is how we hid.
