Wed. 12/27/2017
S. Bunkie rice
Johnny, FIL Mike C. and I with Harry
Wind 10-20 from NNE, light rain off and on, 37 when I got out the truck
Seemingly epic conditions for a field hunt and ended up seeing plenty of action. Ducks big and small were all over the field from the start but we played hell getting them to the levee. Lots of pintails but fewer green wings working us, also saw grays, mallards and increasing numbers of spoons. Still lots of geese around. It became apparent that many of the birds had spent the night (and maybe the day before too) to our front and left in field, it was obvious that they wanted in over there no matter how much calling. They'd respond and circle but soon got back in line on approach out there, plenty landed. Did not shoot well on the few group ops so that hurt our total but still got a few. Also let a lone snow that darn near dragged his feet across the blind get by while I was out of the blind. Way more pins than usual, to the point where we had to watch ourselves once two were in hand. A couple of times had a sprig in range while working geese or a group of other ducks that we could all shoot on. Ended up losing one sprig and a teal, both diving never to resurface. Grrrrrrrr
(8) 2 BW teal, 1 GW teal, 1 spoonie, 2 mallards, 2 pintails
Lending Harry a hand or two
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Happy FIL who would have been all smiles even without the strap
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The trouble getting birds to the guns is having me thinking we might benefit from the now-opened cut behind us having a few decoys with the idea being getting more traffic over the levee (and hopefully us). Only thing I dont like about it is not giving me a duck-free zone to put speck dekes out. Tried spinner on and off. Right now everything is out front, downwind in the case of a northerly wind, so made sense that so much was checking up just downwind of the dekes. Will tinker and see how it goes
Post-hunt made the trek down to the Shell Beach camp and have good conditions for a marsh hunt down here. We'll give 'em a try in the AM down this way.
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