Hey there guys and gal(s),
Thought I'd write up a post to bring everyone up to date with Robert's travels so far this season.
Robert was scheduled to be hunted Saturday and Sunday the 27th and28th with myself, my BIL and my brother who was driving up from Missouri. Due to not being sent off in a timely manner, Robert missed the planned weekend hunt and arrived in Iowa on Monday the 29th.
Tuesday the 30th he went out with me for a morning hunt on a small local river. Arrived at an empty ramp well before daylight and got the boat launched. Motored across the main lake and into a back bay. Got Robert and the rest of the decoys deployed and settled in to wait for daybreak. Beautiful sunrise.
Nice morning, but didn't see a single duck all morning.
View attachment sunrise-001.jpg
Wednesday Oct.31th found us set up at a local marsh with adjoining refuge. We were in a small pocket all by ourselves with only one other party hunting several hundred yards away. Just at shooting time a single duck buzzed thru the decoys and landed on the other side of some taller brush, to the west of the area we were hunting. Then out of nowhere, a hen landed right out in front. I shouted, she jumped up and I shot. Ginger reluctantly got in the cold water and made quick work of the retrieve. Funny thing with my dog Ginger, she does fine once she is actually in the water. She just doesn't like, entering the water. Later in the morning, I dropped a drake Mallard into some flooded vegetation off to my left. Ginger and I got out of the boat and started searching the weeds and water. During the search we came up with 2 dead carcasses (they appeared to be dead by a couple days) but were unable to find the drake I had just shot. I hate losing birds.
Friday Nov. 2nd we are back on the river. A light drizzle has been raining down on us, as we set up in the predawn darkness. I crawl under the cockpit cover in an attempt to stay a bit dryer, while we wait for daylight and shooting hours to arrive. Daylight breaks and the sky's are dark, cloudy and void of duck activity. Soon the drizzle started up again. Then the wind shifts and the sun breaks thru. I am still cold, it feels much colder than the thermometer is indicating. The decoys sway and bob in the shifting winds.
View attachment decoys-2.jpg
I hear a quack and notice a lone drake Mallard making a swing around the decoys. He swings way wide once, twice and again another wide swing. Finally he commits and is coming right into the desired pocket. His landing gear is out, he is 5 feet over the water,,,,,,,,, BOOM,,,,,,, he lands with a splash just beyond Robert and friend.
View attachment retrieve-2.jpg
Ginger again was not pleased to enter the water, but once in, made a nice retrieve.
[strike][/strike]
View attachment retrieve-3.jpg
Nice fat drake Mallard and a couple nice sounding duck and goose calls. (they look good too!)
View attachment 20181102_mallard.jpg
It is now Sunday Nov.4th and it is raining. Been raining all night. The farmers have been working hard to get the crops in before the rain and the predicted snowfall coming later this week. Robert will be packaged up later today and sent off to New Jersey first thing Monday morning. I am sure Craig F. has big plans for him.
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]It has been a pleasure hunting over Robert. Thank you Chris Finch for carving and donating him. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Good luck and safe hunting to the remaining hosts and their friends.[/font]
[strike][/strike]
Thought I'd write up a post to bring everyone up to date with Robert's travels so far this season.
Robert was scheduled to be hunted Saturday and Sunday the 27th and28th with myself, my BIL and my brother who was driving up from Missouri. Due to not being sent off in a timely manner, Robert missed the planned weekend hunt and arrived in Iowa on Monday the 29th.
Tuesday the 30th he went out with me for a morning hunt on a small local river. Arrived at an empty ramp well before daylight and got the boat launched. Motored across the main lake and into a back bay. Got Robert and the rest of the decoys deployed and settled in to wait for daybreak. Beautiful sunrise.
Nice morning, but didn't see a single duck all morning.
View attachment sunrise-001.jpg
Wednesday Oct.31th found us set up at a local marsh with adjoining refuge. We were in a small pocket all by ourselves with only one other party hunting several hundred yards away. Just at shooting time a single duck buzzed thru the decoys and landed on the other side of some taller brush, to the west of the area we were hunting. Then out of nowhere, a hen landed right out in front. I shouted, she jumped up and I shot. Ginger reluctantly got in the cold water and made quick work of the retrieve. Funny thing with my dog Ginger, she does fine once she is actually in the water. She just doesn't like, entering the water. Later in the morning, I dropped a drake Mallard into some flooded vegetation off to my left. Ginger and I got out of the boat and started searching the weeds and water. During the search we came up with 2 dead carcasses (they appeared to be dead by a couple days) but were unable to find the drake I had just shot. I hate losing birds.
Friday Nov. 2nd we are back on the river. A light drizzle has been raining down on us, as we set up in the predawn darkness. I crawl under the cockpit cover in an attempt to stay a bit dryer, while we wait for daylight and shooting hours to arrive. Daylight breaks and the sky's are dark, cloudy and void of duck activity. Soon the drizzle started up again. Then the wind shifts and the sun breaks thru. I am still cold, it feels much colder than the thermometer is indicating. The decoys sway and bob in the shifting winds.
View attachment decoys-2.jpg
I hear a quack and notice a lone drake Mallard making a swing around the decoys. He swings way wide once, twice and again another wide swing. Finally he commits and is coming right into the desired pocket. His landing gear is out, he is 5 feet over the water,,,,,,,,, BOOM,,,,,,, he lands with a splash just beyond Robert and friend.
View attachment retrieve-2.jpg
Ginger again was not pleased to enter the water, but once in, made a nice retrieve.
[strike][/strike]
View attachment retrieve-3.jpg
Nice fat drake Mallard and a couple nice sounding duck and goose calls. (they look good too!)
View attachment 20181102_mallard.jpg
It is now Sunday Nov.4th and it is raining. Been raining all night. The farmers have been working hard to get the crops in before the rain and the predicted snowfall coming later this week. Robert will be packaged up later today and sent off to New Jersey first thing Monday morning. I am sure Craig F. has big plans for him.
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]It has been a pleasure hunting over Robert. Thank you Chris Finch for carving and donating him. [/font]
[font=Verdana, Helvetica, Arial, sans-serif]Good luck and safe hunting to the remaining hosts and their friends.[/font]
[strike][/strike]
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