First hunt of our regular duck season here in Texas after season opening last weekend. With the front that showed up this last week we saw a decent push of birds and wasn't going to sit out another weekend.
Date: 11/8
Time: Morning
Location: Split Island
Cloud Cover: Cloudy early and breaking up
Wind Direction and Velocity: Almost none but North
Temperature: 48-65
Barometer: 30.12 falling
Moon phase: full
Special Notes: Was a great start to the season when the first flock of 8 greys hit us at first light and stoned the first bird I pulled on ending with 4 from the flock.
Waterfowl Activity: Not just a whole lot of activity yet.
Waterfowl Responsiveness: Good early but once the sun started getting up everything stayed high with nowhere to really hide the boat.
Hunters: Jack
Guns: Silver
Malfunctions: Hit the first flock with the MVP to find the call seeming rather high pitched and thought I've never heard a cork that bad. As it kept sticking on me I finally pulled it apart to see my teal cut reed still in it... Gotta love first hunts of the season.
Dog(s): Milo, was fun to watch him work this morning as he made some longer than usual retrieves on a couple crips and handled well over all. Jack also commented much improved from previous years.
Special Equipment: 1 1/2 dozen and spinner
Kudos: Good to be out agin, finally.
Curses: Hit the first flock with the MVP to find the call seeming rather high pitched and thought I've never heard a cork that bad. As it kept sticking on me I finally pulled it apart to see my teal cut reed still in it... Gotta love first hunts of the season.
Birds By Species: 4 greys, 1 widgeon, 1 GWT and one hen spoony to blow the drake streak.
Photo Ops:
Then played around for a bit with the new boat. Carbs still need new jets but just too much fun.
Re: First Split
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 3:17 pm
by DComeaux
Re: First Split
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 4:01 pm
by Rick
Flightstopper wrote:
Must have been take 17, they're both looking disgusted with you.
Re: First Split
Posted: Sat Nov 08, 2014 4:33 pm
by Flightstopper
Rick wrote:
Flightstopper wrote:
Must have been take 17, they're both looking disgusted with you.
Just don't screw up and say "Show us your tits." That doesn't always work out well:
Re: First Split
Posted: Sun Nov 09, 2014 3:01 pm
by Flightstopper
Haha! The mileage from that picture continues.
Re: First Split
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 6:20 pm
by Flightstopper
Date: 11/14
Time: Morning
Location: The Island
Cloud Cover: Overcast
Wind Direction and Velocity: N 6
Temperature: 30
Barometer: 30.3 falling
Moon phase: waning cresent
Special Notes: Mallards in central Texas?? In November????
Waterfowl Activity: Slow
Waterfowl Responsiveness: Larger group was hard to work and had to stay on them until a pair finally broke. Smaller two groups came with just a greeting.
Hunters: Jack, Ryan and Payton
Guns: Silver
Malfunctions: None
Dog(s): Milo, after having bulking up a bit, enough he busted clean out of last years vest, the cold didn't seem to bother him much at all. Very glad to take that worry down a notch.
Special Equipment: Two teal spinners, my mallard w/ remote was left in the bed of my truck before leaving and believe it would have helped with the distant groups we had. 18 decoys
Kudos: Mallards! Not much of what came in left.
Curses: Short pre work, for the others, morning hunt.
Birds By Species: 6 mallards, 2 drake 4 hens, and one grey at first light. Total 7
Photo Ops:
Re: First Split
Posted: Fri Nov 14, 2014 8:48 pm
by Rick
Look the mallards.
Re: First Split
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 10:35 am
by Flightstopper
Date: 11/26
Time: Morning
Location: Hiltop
Cloud Cover: nil
Wind Direction and Velocity: Nil
Temperature: cool
Barometer: 30.2 rising
Moon phase: new
Special Notes:
Waterfowl Activity: decent early
Waterfowl Responsiveness: nil
Hunters: Ryan
Guns:
Malfunctions:
Dog(s): Milo couldn't find the chipped mallard
Special Equipment:
Kudos: Didn't get shot I suppose.
Curses: Curses, curses. Spot was washed out from rain, iron curtain at 50 yards, lost a mojo wing, lost 3 decoys to current, lost mallard and ran over my phone.
Birds By Species: 1 wide lipped hen
Photo Ops: Didn't want photo evidence of this catastrophe
Re: First Split
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:23 pm
by DeadEye_Dan
We all have days like that.
Re: First Split
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:26 pm
by Deltaman
Bummer about the phone Flight Damn things are spensive........and I hope you have your phone numbers backed up somewhere I upgraded to an iphone earlier this year, and the only cover I could find that would not slip on a slick surface was the otter box, but now it won't fit in most of my shirt top button pockets.......dammit!
Re: First Split
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:28 pm
by Flightstopper
Sure do, birds were aggravating but it is what it is. Breaking phone was the icing on the cake that put me in a fowl mood. They cost way too much for stupid mistakes.
Re: First Split
Posted: Wed Nov 26, 2014 12:36 pm
by Flightstopper
Deltaman wrote:Bummer about the phone Flight Damn things are spensive........and I hope you have your phone numbers backed up somewhere I upgraded to an iphone earlier this year, and the only cover I could find that would not slip on a slick surface was the otter box, but now it won't fit in most of my shirt top button pockets.......dammit!
This one fell from my shirt pocket that wasn't buttoned. Damn wader pants need more than just a back pocket! Probably backed over it in the way out and got it again pulling in for good measure worse part of the deal is I have to go back to an iphone my mother in law has
Pretty hunt. Shoulda let Mrs. Flightstopper handle the move and been hunting.
Re: First Split
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 2:06 pm
by Flightstopper
Rick wrote:Pretty hunt. Shoulda let Mrs. Flightstopper handle the move and been hunting.
Too bad I've already played out that hand last two moves she explicitly said she's not doing squat this move. Been a great year for numbers here just need to start capitalizing
Re: First Split
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 3:06 pm
by DComeaux
Nice hunt, Flight!
Re: First Split
Posted: Fri Nov 28, 2014 4:59 pm
by Flightstopper
Thanks, the early flight was just unreal for my place. A treat in itself
Re: First Split
Posted: Sat Nov 29, 2014 8:34 pm
by Flightstopper
Date: 11/29
Time: Morning
Location: Warf Tank
Cloud Cover: Bluebird
Wind Direction and Velocity: 15-20 SW
Temperature: 55-60
Barometer: 29.94
Moon phase: waxing quarter
Special Notes: Didn't see the early flight we did yesterday with the high winds.
Waterfowl Activity: Much less than day before
Waterfowl Responsiveness: Very good
Hunters: Kyle
Guns:
Malfunctions: Waited for the 'one more pass' on three greys that never happened and got to watch tail feathers instead.
Dog(s): Milo and Kendall. Milo did better today with the second dog but nowhere near where I'd like. Kendall showed up unkown to me the first day and knew she would be there again today but will not be welcome back next time at no fault to her. Great dog but having to try and accustom my dog to another on a hunt is obviously not the way to do it and can't have it.
Special Equipment: Homemade mallard machine
Kudos: The lone mallard that worked us did it sweet. Buddy figured all bets were off with his first pass high and strong. Hit a hard hail as he was tailng away when I caught a pause in flight, told Kyle to get ready cause I got 'em. Worked a few circles until he made his final hard altitude drop front and center like he was told. Was a real treat considering most birds I get to work don't give near the show and last pass just being gliding in without the drop.
Curses: Most birds left with the high winds but enjoyed the show the of the ones that did work