Yukon Mike and Mac sighting in the Florida marsh

Hitch

Hitch

Well-known member
Mike, Mac and I had a great time, though the hunting was slow. Mike and Mac did take beautiful Mottled drakes though, something they won't see in Yukon, nor forget about Florida.

Here are a few photos of our day yesterday. Mike takes great photos too so I'm sure eventually, he'll post a few up.

Mac smacked this pure Mottled drake with a great shot from my old rusty 870...w/o a youth stock I might add.

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Shah in action on Mac's bird...

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We ended with two Mottled drakes. As those who know, these are pure as can be, not hybrid.

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No wind until we left kept many Teal from moving around much. We did bump a bunch of teal on our airboat tour out and their flights and locations suggest they are new birds.

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Snapped a few photos while picking up. Mike got his first chance to see up close some of MLBob's and Ron's decoys. It's fun to listen to Mike comment, all good as you can imagine. Ron Smith's Mottled decoy pair look sweet out in the light ripple and that along with the other decoys did the job on the Mottleds.

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Also had last year's traveling decoy, one of Ira's fine decoys out with Bob's Frond Wigeon.

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And a last shot before we ran the Middle River.

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Great fun, and thanks Mike for the great decoy for Czar, and the Caribou antler assortment. Hopefully we will have luck with the Mottled ducks and more teal, maybe divers too soon.

Hitch
 
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Looks like a great time, that spread must have been something to see on the water!

Thanks for sharing,

Chuck
 
Thanks for sharing Hitch...looks like a very cool outing.

Speaking of cool, since I imagine you hunting in Florida in short sleeves and Mike in the Yukon with -80 winters...you guys look dressed for some brisk weather. How cold was it during your hunt?
 
Hitch
That had to be quite a switch from Canada to S. Florida and it's evident that Mac was enjoying it Mike also. Thanks for sharing that.
wis boz
 
Thanks guys,

It was chilly on the ride in and early, high 40s. It was very humid, foggy in spots, so the chill cuts pretty good. Ask Mike, they were chilled a little.

Hitch
 
Hitch,

Looks like a great hunt. One they won't forget for awhile. It still amazes me how chilled you get out there at dark thirty. We took a walk along the causeway yesterday morning. My wife says "you'd better bring a jacket". My response was "I'll be fine" I won't tell her this but I wished I'd brought a jacket!

Take care,

Ed L.
 
Great pictures John! I'm still recovering! That was definately one of the top ten funnest hunts I've ever been on, and we topped it off with a bunch of fried alligator back at the launch. Mac cashed in on the ride back here and I went down for 14 hours of much needed sleep when I got to the hotel. Shooting a mottled duck was a bonus for Mac, he loved the air boat ride. We saw so many different kids of birds I still can't believe it. A Florida swamp is a very biologically diverse place and smells like it too. I plucked the one bird Mac shot and will roast it with a small turkey Christmas Day, the other one John got was hit a bit harder and I breasted it to fry up for a snack tonight. Very yellow fat, like an old milk cow or a bison. Very cool looking birds!

It was really cold on the ride out. I wore as many clothes as I would snowmobiling but was still chilled. It must be the humidity or else I'm a wuss. I wished I had hair the other evening when me and Meg were out mini golfing. Great vacation so far!

MIke
 
I think Mac's smile says it all... Great pictures and a ton of fun!! Thanks for sharing Blake and I really enjoyed!!!


Bridget and Blake
 
Hitch and Mike - This is truly a great example of the goodness of this forum. How else can you connect two hunters from worlds apart and bring them together to enjoy this kind of fellowship.

Friendships and relationships are made on this forum. God bless it! Pat
 
Very true Pat. What a great group of folks.

But keep an eye out. The great duckboat seminar...orchestrated by the great pay per view mavens of UW-F is yet to come.

God willing, we will have a duck hunting event next Tuesday at Florida's premiere duck conservation area, TM Goodwin Waterfowl Management Area - also known as "The Can".

The TMG duck doctor Joe UW-F's - VP/treasurer and yours truly - UW-F VP/Secretary and pay per view management team leader are setting up a world class hunt/rendezvous next Tuesday morning.

If all goes as planned, many UW-F and Duckboats regulars and rogues will meet for a classic impromptu event.

Hopefully it will all fall together...photos of course.

The Tank gets dressed for the event tomorrow.

Hitch

 
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