Managed to tick one off the bucket list

Cody Williams

Cody Williams

Well-known member
I was fortunate enough a few days ago to have one of those rare hunts when everything comes together, and was able to fill a long-term goal by shooting a straight limit of greenheads. I've come close before but never managed to pull it off, so when a good friend called to tell me about a spring he had been watching that was filling up with mallards we had to give it a try. This particular spot is between two hayfields so there is almost no cover, making hunting out of a layout blind a necessity. Turns out that a layout dug into a snowbank with a snow cover makes you almost invisible-I've never been so privileged to get to see so many birds up close before! We had mallards circling at 5 yards overhead, landing in the snow next to us, and landing in the creek 5 yards away the whole time we were hunting. I've never seen anything like it in my life and I'm still amazed that it all came together. We have all had days when it's a small victory to even have ducks come nearby, so it makes the rare days when everything seems to fall into place seem that much sweeter.

We were joking as we were pulling our sleds across the hayfield about shooting a 7-7-7 limit (7 ducks, 7 drakes, 7 shots), and by some miracle of ballistics I was able to go 7-7-8 only because one duck was hit on the first shot but it took a second shot to bring him down. I'm sure that next time I go hunting I will probably end up shooting a dozen shots to bag one bird. Once again it was just an amazing day, that I will always remember. I sincerely hope that every duck hunter will have the chance to have a few days like this one.

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My buddy with a white-winged mallard that he got-I've never seen one like this before!

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Cody,
7-7-8 Sure is a day to remember. Snow the ultimate camo. It's like your invisible, I love hunting in snow for everything. Sometimes its amazing how easy a hunt can be compared to the days were nothing works and everything is fubar. Thanks for sharing, reminds me of some great hunts I've had the privilege of being a part of.

Gene R.
 
Man That Looks COLD!!! Great story. Thanks for sharing. Found a creek in south eastern Arizona that was filling up with Mallards over Thanksgiving back when I was in High School. Didn't sit a blind there but the jump shooting was light s out. I would have forgotten about that. Thanks!!! Merry Christmas!!
 
Cody& Gene~

Hunting is the snow is surely magic - and hunts like these stay with us forever.

Looks like a Merry Christmas is a sure thing,

SJS
 
What a fantastic hunt. Glad you did so well. That is an interesting greenhead with the white wings. I agree with Jake. Just looking at the pictures had me shivering!
Al
 
Those are the days that keep you going back, no matter how hard or sparse the shooting is between times. Each day has its own special moments, but a day like that is all one long special moment! Like that old TV show used to say, you gotta love it when a plan comes together...
Thanks for sharing your special moment with us. Better than a Christmas card.
 
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