Who had their opener this morning???
- Thread starter Carl
- Start date
Luke Berkey
Well-known member
NJ south zone opened today. Slow morning. Tried a new area and didn't see a whole lot. Didn't hear much shooting either. Ended with one black duck.
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Carl~
I cannot provide you with the candy you so richly deserve, but....
We opened on Columbus Day weekend here in our Southeastern Zone, but got off to a very slow start. Enough ducks around but Bad Luck put very few in front of our guns. Things started picking up Thursday morning, though, when a visiting friend got pretty good shooting and 2 Woodies in the first 45 minutes or so.
The next morning, my partner and I each got a couple of birds and the unquestioned highlight was when a small bunch of Wigeon visited us. They flew a wide circle around us, each bird in studied unison with its flockmates. Between their elegant silhouettes and the Blue Angels-like synchrony, they gave us a sight we will remember for a long, long time. We came out on the third pass and each brought one home with us. Neither of us had shot at Wigeon in this area over our decades here in dairy country.
This morning was crystal clear with dropping mercury and a brisk northwest breeze. Two bunches of Mallards stooled right in at shooting time, not into the rig but into their favored corner of the farm pond. I had to sneak around and push them about 45 minutes later. I approached the birds by walking up a streambed and then emerging through a gap in the tall dike - almost as if it were made with ambush in mind. Complete surprise and mayhem ensued - and 4 remained with us.
I did not have the camera with me most days - but these should give a sense of the glorious Autumn we are enjoying this year.
So, instead of the early season frustrations, we are now smiling, carrying around both vivid images and that wonderful, unequalled feeling of well-being that comes only after fine times afield. Tomorrow, though, is the last day of our first half. And, we are expecting a hard freeze....
All the best,
SJS
I cannot provide you with the candy you so richly deserve, but....
We opened on Columbus Day weekend here in our Southeastern Zone, but got off to a very slow start. Enough ducks around but Bad Luck put very few in front of our guns. Things started picking up Thursday morning, though, when a visiting friend got pretty good shooting and 2 Woodies in the first 45 minutes or so.
The next morning, my partner and I each got a couple of birds and the unquestioned highlight was when a small bunch of Wigeon visited us. They flew a wide circle around us, each bird in studied unison with its flockmates. Between their elegant silhouettes and the Blue Angels-like synchrony, they gave us a sight we will remember for a long, long time. We came out on the third pass and each brought one home with us. Neither of us had shot at Wigeon in this area over our decades here in dairy country.
This morning was crystal clear with dropping mercury and a brisk northwest breeze. Two bunches of Mallards stooled right in at shooting time, not into the rig but into their favored corner of the farm pond. I had to sneak around and push them about 45 minutes later. I approached the birds by walking up a streambed and then emerging through a gap in the tall dike - almost as if it were made with ambush in mind. Complete surprise and mayhem ensued - and 4 remained with us.
I did not have the camera with me most days - but these should give a sense of the glorious Autumn we are enjoying this year.
So, instead of the early season frustrations, we are now smiling, carrying around both vivid images and that wonderful, unequalled feeling of well-being that comes only after fine times afield. Tomorrow, though, is the last day of our first half. And, we are expecting a hard freeze....
All the best,
SJS
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Carl~
You are correct about the furbearers. I do not trap but a son of a good friend will be setting some traps soon.
All the best,
SJS
You are correct about the furbearers. I do not trap but a son of a good friend will be setting some traps soon.
All the best,
SJS
Geo Kaiser
Active member
Hi Steve, Looks like a bunch of fun had by all.
How come Craig never gets any older looking? Did he fall onto the fountain of youth?
How come Craig never gets any older looking? Did he fall onto the fountain of youth?
Kevin Puls
Well-known member
I am not part of the fortunate few that were drawn for controlled hunt or have the cabbage to be a member of a shooting club, and without those two options we really don't have much to work with in the Lake Erie Marsh zone until diving ducks make their way into Maumee bay.
The "rest of us" will be opening next Weekend, fighting the crowds. Hoping to scratch a woody or two so that my puppy can get some honest work.
The "rest of us" will be opening next Weekend, fighting the crowds. Hoping to scratch a woody or two so that my puppy can get some honest work.
Keith Bittner
Active member
Great pictures of the early morning on the changing trees. I have to agree Craig must have found the fountain somewhere. Hope to see you at the show next week.
Mark Spolarich
Well-known member
We had our opener this morning. It was a nice morning with a chill to the air that provided us with much optimism. Even when my boat wouldn't start and the gas line broke while i was working on it the optimism was still there. This was my 17-year old son's first ever duck hunt! A quick call and a boat came to get us from the blind. We had just enough time to get settled before shooting time and the early wood duck flight. I chose to call and not gun so i could coach my son and ensure safety since it was his first hunt. According to the time honored duck hunting tradition the first time hunter would get the first shot. Soon after shooting time arrived a lone wood duck came over the decoys and my son folded it with one shot. I have to admit it brought a tear to my eye!...okay a few...we saw many ducks but only a handful weren't wood ducks. We ended the day with the lone wood duck but it was a duck that made a young man happy and a old dad proud! A day made even better by sharing it with friends!... Thanks for helping Ed L!
The young hunter enjoying a duck blind breakfast
A proud dad with the successful hunter
The young hunter enjoying a duck blind breakfast
A proud dad with the successful hunter
Steve Sanford
Well-known member
Good morning, Mark~
Congratulations to you both! Funny how that chill in the air seems to warm things up.
All the best,
SJS
Congratulations to you both! Funny how that chill in the air seems to warm things up.
All the best,
SJS
Mark Spolarich
Well-known member
Thanks guys!.....i don't think he felt any of the chill out there
I usually goose hunt and the occasional walk in spot on the marsh where I get into teal and black ducks. I never hunted wood ducks before, but last week I scouted a small pond I found last year woodcock hunting. I was pumped that the dogs bumped about a dozen off the water.
Setup in the flooded laurels, not really knowing what to expect. Heard a few birds start talking in the trees about a 20 mins before legal time and I was worried they where going to hit the spread before we could shoot. Luckily, everything worked out and we had one land 5 mins after shooting time. Had my brother wait to shoot since I heard more rustling in the trees around us and hoped that more were about to come in.
Then the flood gates opened and wood ducks where EVERYWHERE. Must have seen close to 80 birds with many giving us second looks. Had birds landing 10 fee from us. Shooting was fast, wild, crazy and very poor on our part! Those guys are tough when they leave the contrast of the sky and hit the shadows of the trees. I'm not proud of how many shots per bird it took to get our limit, but it was a blast.
Beginners luck I guess.
Checked two other small ponds on the way out and woodies where swimming around in them as well. I can't wait til next weekend, but hopefully I can get a quick hunt in before work this week before the birds move on.
Setup in the flooded laurels, not really knowing what to expect. Heard a few birds start talking in the trees about a 20 mins before legal time and I was worried they where going to hit the spread before we could shoot. Luckily, everything worked out and we had one land 5 mins after shooting time. Had my brother wait to shoot since I heard more rustling in the trees around us and hoped that more were about to come in.
Then the flood gates opened and wood ducks where EVERYWHERE. Must have seen close to 80 birds with many giving us second looks. Had birds landing 10 fee from us. Shooting was fast, wild, crazy and very poor on our part! Those guys are tough when they leave the contrast of the sky and hit the shadows of the trees. I'm not proud of how many shots per bird it took to get our limit, but it was a blast.
Beginners luck I guess.
Checked two other small ponds on the way out and woodies where swimming around in them as well. I can't wait til next weekend, but hopefully I can get a quick hunt in before work this week before the birds move on.