Al Hansen
Well-known member
Yesterday was one of those duck hunting days that will go into my memory bank and not be forgotten. I never saw many ducks but when duck hunting sometimes you don't need many ducks to fulfill a limit.
Probably the foremost thing in my mind as I tossed out the four decoys was the fog. This was the thickest/soupiest batch I have ever hunted in down here and with that being so rare, I found it fun.
The coffee was tasting good as I sat with my back up against a stand of some great looking weeds that totally blocked my silhouette. I much prefer not to have anything in front of me other than weeds that go up to about the seat of my chair this to conceal Chip more than anything. With my face mask concealing the most vulnerable part, I am comfortable sitting in the wide open, enjoying duck hunting to the fullest.
My season started out typically with teal. Two of them had come out of the fog and land not just outside my spread like "most" ducks do, but inside my spread. Since my farthest decoy was 20 yards out, I was now whispering to my blind partner, "Stay, Chip!" I'm thinking that they were but a mere 20 feet in front of us. Well I stood up and let the bird I chose to follow get out a ways, which it did. Just as I pulled the trigger, he landed once again. Of course I missed. The next shot I also missed and so began my morning.
The morning fog began to burn off as the brilliant New Mexican sun began to rise and all I could think about was my camera that was behind me on a very dry part of the landscape. Please remember that in the past week to ten days we have received over half of our annual rainfall. The timing of this rain was perfect for our teal season. We have had somewhere between 4 and 5 inches rain so far in September.
It was just then that a flock of perhaps 25 Mexican ducks/mallards came flying by. No way could I reach my camera so I just grabbed my duck call and started having some fun. The big flock made a wide circle and came back for a look then circled once again with about a third of the ducks with set wings, then some of them began backpedaling. It was great. I loved seeing that drake mallard hybrid just as he flared above me not 25 yards up. Chip held his ground, the calling was fun and I learned a lot. With things so deathly quiet with the fog I tried blowing the call as quietly as I could and it worked beautifully.
Finally we had some action. When I was looking to the east where there was some good light breaking through, this lone GWT came in from the west out of no where. By the time I happened to glance at my partner who was now very wired, I knew what to expect as I raised my eyes to look without moving my head. There it sat very comfortably in the water not too far from my pair of mallard decoys. This time when I stood up and fired it came down and Chip put another notch in his belt when he came back with the bird.
After inspecting it, I reached into my pocket and grabbed a large milk bone for Chip. He was sitting by me once again, just like a rock. He has never forgotten what Habi taught him when he first came with us last year in January. Well, I got the shock of my life when my boy never gave it a look. Heck, I expected him to grab it and darn near swallow it whole but he never opened his mouth. "Good boy, Chip." I scratched his ear and he never lost his concentration of looking for ducks.
We had been there for over an hour, the sun was now beginning to burn off the fog pretty good and it was just one of those fun mornings.
Right about then a flock of teal showed up flying east to west but slightly out of range. In a matter of minutes I could hear a couple of hens calling softly as they fed in the wild millet patch that was to my right. They didn't stay there long when a hawk glided by. It made me think of "silent death".
I called Bev and asked if she had breakfast yet. She told me that she hadn't so I told her I was going to be home soon. I reached over to pet my partner and then stood up, thought all I need is five more teal to make my limit, set my shotgun down on my chair, then removed my jacket and set it down on top of my gun. It was now getting quite warm out and I needed to pick up my decoys, go home and have eggs, bacon, and toast.
As I turned around, I looked out at my 4 decoys just as 5 bluewings landed not 20 yards out. All I could do is chuckle to myself. Of course, Chip is still too young to give me "that" look, that hunting dogs are famous for when you miss a duck or don't shoot. Murphy's law was now fully engaged, as the teal suddenly found themselves in an awkward position and with post haste, left the area.
You just have to love teal hunting. The little guys are so unpredictable. Well, my limit of one was just that. I couldn't be happier. It was quite a morning.
Al
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Some day when I have some time, I will attempt to refine Chip's driving skills. That should be a challenge.
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Probably the foremost thing in my mind as I tossed out the four decoys was the fog. This was the thickest/soupiest batch I have ever hunted in down here and with that being so rare, I found it fun.
The coffee was tasting good as I sat with my back up against a stand of some great looking weeds that totally blocked my silhouette. I much prefer not to have anything in front of me other than weeds that go up to about the seat of my chair this to conceal Chip more than anything. With my face mask concealing the most vulnerable part, I am comfortable sitting in the wide open, enjoying duck hunting to the fullest.
My season started out typically with teal. Two of them had come out of the fog and land not just outside my spread like "most" ducks do, but inside my spread. Since my farthest decoy was 20 yards out, I was now whispering to my blind partner, "Stay, Chip!" I'm thinking that they were but a mere 20 feet in front of us. Well I stood up and let the bird I chose to follow get out a ways, which it did. Just as I pulled the trigger, he landed once again. Of course I missed. The next shot I also missed and so began my morning.
The morning fog began to burn off as the brilliant New Mexican sun began to rise and all I could think about was my camera that was behind me on a very dry part of the landscape. Please remember that in the past week to ten days we have received over half of our annual rainfall. The timing of this rain was perfect for our teal season. We have had somewhere between 4 and 5 inches rain so far in September.
It was just then that a flock of perhaps 25 Mexican ducks/mallards came flying by. No way could I reach my camera so I just grabbed my duck call and started having some fun. The big flock made a wide circle and came back for a look then circled once again with about a third of the ducks with set wings, then some of them began backpedaling. It was great. I loved seeing that drake mallard hybrid just as he flared above me not 25 yards up. Chip held his ground, the calling was fun and I learned a lot. With things so deathly quiet with the fog I tried blowing the call as quietly as I could and it worked beautifully.
Finally we had some action. When I was looking to the east where there was some good light breaking through, this lone GWT came in from the west out of no where. By the time I happened to glance at my partner who was now very wired, I knew what to expect as I raised my eyes to look without moving my head. There it sat very comfortably in the water not too far from my pair of mallard decoys. This time when I stood up and fired it came down and Chip put another notch in his belt when he came back with the bird.
After inspecting it, I reached into my pocket and grabbed a large milk bone for Chip. He was sitting by me once again, just like a rock. He has never forgotten what Habi taught him when he first came with us last year in January. Well, I got the shock of my life when my boy never gave it a look. Heck, I expected him to grab it and darn near swallow it whole but he never opened his mouth. "Good boy, Chip." I scratched his ear and he never lost his concentration of looking for ducks.
We had been there for over an hour, the sun was now beginning to burn off the fog pretty good and it was just one of those fun mornings.
Right about then a flock of teal showed up flying east to west but slightly out of range. In a matter of minutes I could hear a couple of hens calling softly as they fed in the wild millet patch that was to my right. They didn't stay there long when a hawk glided by. It made me think of "silent death".
I called Bev and asked if she had breakfast yet. She told me that she hadn't so I told her I was going to be home soon. I reached over to pet my partner and then stood up, thought all I need is five more teal to make my limit, set my shotgun down on my chair, then removed my jacket and set it down on top of my gun. It was now getting quite warm out and I needed to pick up my decoys, go home and have eggs, bacon, and toast.
As I turned around, I looked out at my 4 decoys just as 5 bluewings landed not 20 yards out. All I could do is chuckle to myself. Of course, Chip is still too young to give me "that" look, that hunting dogs are famous for when you miss a duck or don't shoot. Murphy's law was now fully engaged, as the teal suddenly found themselves in an awkward position and with post haste, left the area.
You just have to love teal hunting. The little guys are so unpredictable. Well, my limit of one was just that. I couldn't be happier. It was quite a morning.
Al
Some day when I have some time, I will attempt to refine Chip's driving skills. That should be a challenge.
