Scott Farris
Well-known member
She's a great little deek! I don't know if she had much duck pulling power on salt water in the late Dec snow showers, but she did draw the usual great crew of duck hunters. From L to R we have Wendell's long time buddy, Dave T, Wendell Avery, and Dave Morton. Hidden by the glare of the bag, is a surviving (but short lived) cranberry, white chocolate muffin and Thelma herself.
View attachment CrewtailgateR.JPG
It was a bit rough for the 7 mile run across the bay we were planing on, so we set up off the beach for the top of the tide / sunrise hunt. Mr. Morton being the great host let us take our single legal RI black ducks before he tried for his. Unfortunately the opportunities dried up quickly and the tide dropped. Since nothing but blacks had flown anywhere near our set we called it a spot and picked up to look for a better opportunity.
Excuse the horizon editing I don't want to burn Dave's spot. Picture is like a where's waldo picture, where's Thelma? (hint, sun bathing on the beach.)
View attachment beachedrigR.JPG
I left the top of the next shot un-cropped for you inland hunters not used to dealing with tides. When we set up in the dark the water was roughly up to the grass line. The blind is a simple fast grass panel up against the natural grass. Thelma was in good company, with decoys representing lots of the site's past and present members/carvers.
View attachment puddle rigR.JPG
My new Pat G. wigeon are up front, getting wet for the first time, a pair by George W. and a pair of mine accompanied them. Black ducks by Pete, BillyE., Nate, Bill Wasson, and Tommy Gun, a hen Mallard by M. Smyser and a drake by Perry helped fill out the puddle ducks. There were even a few of Bomber's GE's and a buffy filling out my B&W rig. It's fun floating a good portion of the DHBP rig I've assembled. Oh and let's not leave Wendell out, he had his blocks floating out there along with a Yukon Mike Ruddy. Wendell did you carve the buffies in the picture?
After picking up we relocated to a small harbor which had a number of buffy flights tooling around. For speed we only put out my B&W rig in 3 pre-assembled lines. 8 buffies on one and 2 strings of 6 GEs. Thelma stayed in the boat cheering us on as we gunned from the boats. I thought I was getting all three lines in this photo but guess I didn't. Tough getting old and blind! Fortunately the buffies liked the rig and gave us some shooting, as the smoke cleared we even had a GE hen in the bag.
View attachment BlackWhiteR.JPG
I wish I would learn to take more pictures of the guys hunting, I'm told it really doesn't take their souls.
I had a great time and the others made the same claims and agreed to get Thelma out again next week when the brant are open. Thanks Dave M, and great hunting with you guys, Wendell & DaveT!
Looking forward to next week,
Scott
View attachment CrewtailgateR.JPG
It was a bit rough for the 7 mile run across the bay we were planing on, so we set up off the beach for the top of the tide / sunrise hunt. Mr. Morton being the great host let us take our single legal RI black ducks before he tried for his. Unfortunately the opportunities dried up quickly and the tide dropped. Since nothing but blacks had flown anywhere near our set we called it a spot and picked up to look for a better opportunity.
Excuse the horizon editing I don't want to burn Dave's spot. Picture is like a where's waldo picture, where's Thelma? (hint, sun bathing on the beach.)
View attachment beachedrigR.JPG
I left the top of the next shot un-cropped for you inland hunters not used to dealing with tides. When we set up in the dark the water was roughly up to the grass line. The blind is a simple fast grass panel up against the natural grass. Thelma was in good company, with decoys representing lots of the site's past and present members/carvers.
View attachment puddle rigR.JPG
My new Pat G. wigeon are up front, getting wet for the first time, a pair by George W. and a pair of mine accompanied them. Black ducks by Pete, BillyE., Nate, Bill Wasson, and Tommy Gun, a hen Mallard by M. Smyser and a drake by Perry helped fill out the puddle ducks. There were even a few of Bomber's GE's and a buffy filling out my B&W rig. It's fun floating a good portion of the DHBP rig I've assembled. Oh and let's not leave Wendell out, he had his blocks floating out there along with a Yukon Mike Ruddy. Wendell did you carve the buffies in the picture?
After picking up we relocated to a small harbor which had a number of buffy flights tooling around. For speed we only put out my B&W rig in 3 pre-assembled lines. 8 buffies on one and 2 strings of 6 GEs. Thelma stayed in the boat cheering us on as we gunned from the boats. I thought I was getting all three lines in this photo but guess I didn't. Tough getting old and blind! Fortunately the buffies liked the rig and gave us some shooting, as the smoke cleared we even had a GE hen in the bag.
View attachment BlackWhiteR.JPG
I wish I would learn to take more pictures of the guys hunting, I'm told it really doesn't take their souls.
I had a great time and the others made the same claims and agreed to get Thelma out again next week when the brant are open. Thanks Dave M, and great hunting with you guys, Wendell & DaveT!
Looking forward to next week,
Scott
