The Robber arrives on Virginia's Eastern Shore
- Thread starter Chuck J
- Start date
michael barnes
Active member
where abouts on the shore?
Chuck J
Well-known member
Michael,
I'm not real familiar with the shore, but I think PG is located rather centeral (in a north south sense) but if I recall he said he hunts both the ocean side and bay side. He also, if I recall correctly, hunts/guides some with Grayson Chesser, whom I believe is further north. My geography and/or memory may be off a bit, so please excuse me if either is the case.
I saw on his package tracking that our little Traveling Decoy came through the UPS terminal in Salsbury, Maryland, less than a hundred miles from where he left on his first hunt of the tour from Dave Sikorski's house.
He drew first blood in Manitoba:
Got tatooed in Michigan:
Was kept in good comapny in Iowa (and by good company, I in no way am refering to that HuntinDave charactor):
Went on a road trip to Nashvillle to honky tonks and guitar stores:
Headed back home to Missouri, just in time for the DUTV cameras:
Stopped in Kansas for a hunt with Rocky:
Headed to Barnegat Bay for an old timey hunt:
Quite the journey so far. After Virginia, he heads to Florida, Texas gulf coast and finishes up in California.
Chuck
I'm not real familiar with the shore, but I think PG is located rather centeral (in a north south sense) but if I recall he said he hunts both the ocean side and bay side. He also, if I recall correctly, hunts/guides some with Grayson Chesser, whom I believe is further north. My geography and/or memory may be off a bit, so please excuse me if either is the case.
I saw on his package tracking that our little Traveling Decoy came through the UPS terminal in Salsbury, Maryland, less than a hundred miles from where he left on his first hunt of the tour from Dave Sikorski's house.
He drew first blood in Manitoba:
Got tatooed in Michigan:
Was kept in good comapny in Iowa (and by good company, I in no way am refering to that HuntinDave charactor):
Went on a road trip to Nashvillle to honky tonks and guitar stores:
Headed back home to Missouri, just in time for the DUTV cameras:
Stopped in Kansas for a hunt with Rocky:
Headed to Barnegat Bay for an old timey hunt:
Quite the journey so far. After Virginia, he heads to Florida, Texas gulf coast and finishes up in California.
Chuck
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Dave Sikorski
Well-known member
Great re-cap Chuck.
You're doing one heck of a job with this little project. Thanks for taking the reigns.
-D
You're doing one heck of a job with this little project. Thanks for taking the reigns.
-D
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michael barnes
Active member
grayson chesser is a very well known carver and guide on the shore. he is a very famous brant guide, on the seaside of the shore. assawomen (no joke) bay is where he hunts alot. he and curtis badger wrote a book on decoy carving, a really great book. a hunt with him would be a true waterfowling experience. good to see the robber close to my home!
David Robinson
Well-known member
Chuck,
Great recap! I needed that - I wish duck season was still open
On well, at least we've got Thursday night carving
Great recap! I needed that - I wish duck season was still open
On well, at least we've got Thursday night carving
P.G. Ross
Member
Sorry for the late update to follow-up on Chuck's note. Apparently my computer got a "worm" over the weekend. If it was a dog you can give him a pill, but apparently that doesn't work with computers..."worm" has now been "cleaned", however (whatever that means).
The Robber did indeed arrive to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I live in upper Northampton County which is about 45 mi south of Salisbury, MD. We've gotten off to a slow start: high winds on Saturday forced a cancellation of our planned hunt & I have a prior obligation today. But, the plan is to take 'ole Rob sea ducking the next 2 days, which I dont' think he's experienced yet. One day I hope to concentrate on surf scoters and the other old sqaws. Then we plan to trek up to Holden Creek Gun Club and spend an interesting day with Grayson Chesser (right now the plan is to hunt brant, but may change). We'll soak the Robber in the Atlantic brine and the steel gray of Chesapeake Bay.
I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences so far. What a neat idea! Thanks to the organizers, especially Chuck who should think about a side job as a travel planner!
More to come in the next couple days....PG
The Robber did indeed arrive to the Eastern Shore of Virginia. I live in upper Northampton County which is about 45 mi south of Salisbury, MD. We've gotten off to a slow start: high winds on Saturday forced a cancellation of our planned hunt & I have a prior obligation today. But, the plan is to take 'ole Rob sea ducking the next 2 days, which I dont' think he's experienced yet. One day I hope to concentrate on surf scoters and the other old sqaws. Then we plan to trek up to Holden Creek Gun Club and spend an interesting day with Grayson Chesser (right now the plan is to hunt brant, but may change). We'll soak the Robber in the Atlantic brine and the steel gray of Chesapeake Bay.
I've really enjoyed reading about everyone's experiences so far. What a neat idea! Thanks to the organizers, especially Chuck who should think about a side job as a travel planner!
More to come in the next couple days....PG
Lee Harker
Well-known member
Hey PG, have Grayson sign it if he hunts over it.
Jay Anglin
Well-known member
He left some kind of odd mojo with me. I've been taking widgeon for two weeks. We got into them on an incredible day on St Clair a couple weekends ago and this past Sunday myself and couple friends limited out on birds in a picked beanfield believe it or not. Among the robotized ducks....12 mallard, 3 shoveler(first light bizarro stuff), a bluewing(latest I've taken one and maybe the latest I've ever seen one here...in a dry bean field no less)and a pair of widgeon.
Last day of the season today and I think I may go jump a ditch like the old days. It's frigid!
Last day of the season today and I think I may go jump a ditch like the old days. It's frigid!
P.G. Ross
Member
Update on the Robber gunning on the Eastern Shore...
12/16--Slipped out for a solo hunt rigged out for baldpate at a small saltmarsh island in Chesapeake Bay; point blind overlooking open water and eelgrass flats. This blind usually requires a decent goose rig which attracts all dabblers, but especially gadwall and baldpate (they like to "Rob" the geese of eelgrass tubers!). Falling barometer with north wind at 20 kts and drizzle off and on. The big ducks did not cooperate, but the "Robber" did get some dippers shot over him. Also we had about 30 Canada geese toll right in. Unfortunately, goose season is out until Friday. But it was a beautiful toll with the "Robber" riding proud in among a half dozen home made cork baldpates and 24 big foot goose floaters. I'm going to try this area again in a couple days with my Dad, brother and nephew! I took a couple pics using my camera phone (a little to rainy and wet for our digital), but haven't figured out how to get them to the computer (will work on that shortly and they may not be that good anyways).
12/17--Figured I'd do something with him that I don't think has been done yet...we took a baldpate decoy sea duck hunting. Hunted with a couple friends and colleagues (Edward Smith, from Tangier Island) and Alan Birch (from England). We were out in the open Chesapeake Bay about 8 miles southeast of Tangier Island. It was pretty rough, so we were in the big white boat. Rigged out with home made scoter decoys made from salvaged crab pot floats and with plywood silohuette heads on long lines...and the "Robber" of course. We got some surf scoters and southerlies (old-sqaw...ooops, long-tailed ducks). It was a rugged open water day (in one of the pics below you can sort of see the 3' seas breaking in the background) and we probably freaked the "Robber" out, but an awesome day was had by all.
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12/16--Slipped out for a solo hunt rigged out for baldpate at a small saltmarsh island in Chesapeake Bay; point blind overlooking open water and eelgrass flats. This blind usually requires a decent goose rig which attracts all dabblers, but especially gadwall and baldpate (they like to "Rob" the geese of eelgrass tubers!). Falling barometer with north wind at 20 kts and drizzle off and on. The big ducks did not cooperate, but the "Robber" did get some dippers shot over him. Also we had about 30 Canada geese toll right in. Unfortunately, goose season is out until Friday. But it was a beautiful toll with the "Robber" riding proud in among a half dozen home made cork baldpates and 24 big foot goose floaters. I'm going to try this area again in a couple days with my Dad, brother and nephew! I took a couple pics using my camera phone (a little to rainy and wet for our digital), but haven't figured out how to get them to the computer (will work on that shortly and they may not be that good anyways).
12/17--Figured I'd do something with him that I don't think has been done yet...we took a baldpate decoy sea duck hunting. Hunted with a couple friends and colleagues (Edward Smith, from Tangier Island) and Alan Birch (from England). We were out in the open Chesapeake Bay about 8 miles southeast of Tangier Island. It was pretty rough, so we were in the big white boat. Rigged out with home made scoter decoys made from salvaged crab pot floats and with plywood silohuette heads on long lines...and the "Robber" of course. We got some surf scoters and southerlies (old-sqaw...ooops, long-tailed ducks). It was a rugged open water day (in one of the pics below you can sort of see the 3' seas breaking in the background) and we probably freaked the "Robber" out, but an awesome day was had by all.
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Chuck J
Well-known member
Great report PG! Looks like your showing the 'Robber' a good time. This would be his first sea duck hunt and it looks like he took to it well. Did you by chance get a picture of him bobbing around in the 3 foot seas? We might just have to change his name from 'Robber' to 'Bobber'.
Again, great report, and I am anxious to hear what you guys do next.
Best
Chuck
Again, great report, and I am anxious to hear what you guys do next.
Best
Chuck
P.G. Ross
Member
A brief update...The Robber is on his way to Florida, but we had a great time in Virginia
12/19--Headed out to the Seaside out of Wachapreague, VA with Grayson Chesser of Holden Creek Gun Club and Harold Braggs and Dennis from Michigan. Brant did not cooperate, but the snow geese did! A great day in the brine...
Grayson, Dennis and Harold with the Robber in the foreground and brant "y-boards" nearby
(snow goose decoys are in the marsh just to the right of this image)
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Dennis & Grayson with The Robber in the background
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"The Robber" meets the "marsh decimator"...
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Grayson and PG at the lodge after a looooooong day afield
(note Grayson's "roothead" brant on the wall)
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Dennis & Harold pose with The Robber before sitting down
to Dawn's clam chowder and rockfish stuffed with crab meat
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12/19--Headed out to the Seaside out of Wachapreague, VA with Grayson Chesser of Holden Creek Gun Club and Harold Braggs and Dennis from Michigan. Brant did not cooperate, but the snow geese did! A great day in the brine...
Grayson, Dennis and Harold with the Robber in the foreground and brant "y-boards" nearby
(snow goose decoys are in the marsh just to the right of this image)
View attachment robber-esva-brant1.jpg
Dennis & Grayson with The Robber in the background
View attachment robber-esva-brant3.jpg
"The Robber" meets the "marsh decimator"...
View attachment robber-esva-snow goose.jpg
Grayson and PG at the lodge after a looooooong day afield
(note Grayson's "roothead" brant on the wall)
View attachment robber-grayson-pg.jpg
Dennis & Harold pose with The Robber before sitting down
to Dawn's clam chowder and rockfish stuffed with crab meat
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View attachment robber-esva-harold and dennis.jpg
P.G. Ross
Member
Brief update continued...
12/20--Hunted with my Dad, Paige Ross in a juniper point blind on the edge of Chesapeake Bay near Pungoteague Creek. My brother Mark and nephew Justin were gunning nearby. My family has gunned this water and marsh for at least 5 generations (probably more) and it is a special place for me. So it seemed like a good way to spend the Robber's las t day afield in Virginia. Some pics below...by the way, I muffed a baldpate shot over the decoys (5 tolling in) right at the end of the hunt. Could only sit back and smile and enjoy the smell of salt, juniper and spent powder.
"South End" blind on Levin's Island (this was the Robber's view looking west out on the Chesapeake
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PG with Robber in the background before the goose decoys
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Bayside portrait
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Mark, Justin and Paige Ross (Eastern Shore mainland in the background)
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Dad and PG in the blind with the Robber
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12/20--Hunted with my Dad, Paige Ross in a juniper point blind on the edge of Chesapeake Bay near Pungoteague Creek. My brother Mark and nephew Justin were gunning nearby. My family has gunned this water and marsh for at least 5 generations (probably more) and it is a special place for me. So it seemed like a good way to spend the Robber's las t day afield in Virginia. Some pics below...by the way, I muffed a baldpate shot over the decoys (5 tolling in) right at the end of the hunt. Could only sit back and smile and enjoy the smell of salt, juniper and spent powder.
"South End" blind on Levin's Island (this was the Robber's view looking west out on the Chesapeake
View attachment robber-esva-bayside3.jpg
PG with Robber in the background before the goose decoys
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Bayside portrait
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Mark, Justin and Paige Ross (Eastern Shore mainland in the background)
View attachment robber-esva-mark justin and Dad.jpg
Dad and PG in the blind with the Robber
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View attachment robber-esva-bayside portrait.jpg
View attachment robber-esva-mark justin and Dad.jpg
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Rutgers
Well-known member
Glad to see it getting used in the salt! Nice pics everyone. PG, Your pics, as always, make me miss being there. Especially seeing a couple more Michiganders having fun. Did Grayson do some re-arranging in the lodge? Don't tell him, but we go for the ultrasound next Tuesday. If we are to have a son, then his name will most likely be Grayson. I tried for P.G. But Michele said no! (hehe)
P.G. Ross
Member
Paul,
Yeah, I was thinking about you when we were out on the "Brant Tump". Remember the day with you and your Dad and the pea soup fog? Good times...good times! I don't blame Michele on "P.G.", but how does she feel about the name "Chunky"? Works for either sex, but might make a better middle name. Good luck with the ultrasound and looking forward to hearing more news. Talk to you later! PG
Yeah, I was thinking about you when we were out on the "Brant Tump". Remember the day with you and your Dad and the pea soup fog? Good times...good times! I don't blame Michele on "P.G.", but how does she feel about the name "Chunky"? Works for either sex, but might make a better middle name. Good luck with the ultrasound and looking forward to hearing more news. Talk to you later! PG
Rutgers
Well-known member
All Depends...If the baby looks like his/her dad, then Chunky could be in the running!
I have one of the pictures from the pea soup day on the wall of my museum. How could I forget.
Find me a job and a house for cheap down there...I have the guns and decoys...Your pics are killing me!