2017-2018 Season Log

[Rick]

Good to see Rick.



Got a call an hour or so ago from a guy that hunts south of us on the same property. He hunted solo this morning and told me on the way out the duck rise in the last mile of marsh around our blind was amazing. He took Pintail, grays and GW. He's a retired gentleman, who sounded like a kid at Christmas.

Hope they're there for you this weekend.

[DComeaux]

Good to see Rick.



Got a call an hour or so ago from a guy that hunts south of us on the same property. He hunted solo this morning and told me on the way out the duck rise in the last mile of marsh around our blind was amazing. He took Pintail, grays and GW. He's a retired gentleman, who sounded like a kid at Christmas.

Hope they're there for you this weekend.

Should've been here yesterday.

[Rick]

Or tomorrow.

[simplepeddler]

Always enjoy coming back and seeing the reports!

[Rick]

Good to see you, stranger.

[Rick]

Date: 12/29 Fri

Time: morning

Location: Mudhole

Cloud Cover: cloudy to partly

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE moderate

Temperature: upper 30s

Moon phase: waxing 78%

Special Notes: "Interesting," in the Chinese curse sense of the word, morning.

Waterfowl Activity: Next to no little ducks on our end, but enough high mallards around that we "woulda, coulda, shoulda..." (killed 16)

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Most birds were extremely high, but the more moderate than most recent winds let me break down bunch after bunch from "too high" altitudes, in large part with the Stanley Deceiver. Also ran the bored-out MVP on some of the same, but I've it set to a lower pitch that didn't seem as effective as the Deceiver, which is set much the same as my old faithful, standard MVP. Maybe just a confidence thing, but I've seen clean and crisp win the breaking battle time and again with several popular models. Anyway, I'm getting more and more comfortable finishing birds with the Deceiver - or nearly so...

Hunters: 3, long time regular John (79), son, Mike, who hadn't hunted in over 30 years and 16ish grandson, Shawn, on his first hunt and seriously wanting to know if they could "...shoot those ducks on the water, if no real ones come?" Those "ducks," of course, being my decoys.

Guns: A-5 "Sweet 16," Miroku SXS 20 and a Remington 1100 20

Malfunctions: First malfunction of the day was my running out of gas on the way to the blind. Had put gas in the tank Christmas morning, but apparently too little to make my customary week between gassing up. Next was that John had never shot his little double and couldn't work its locking lever or open its breech until I oiled and worked it in some, but that didn't help with hands that stayed cold, even with my hand warmers, and a stiff safety. (Since he was beside me we eventually went to his safety staying off and my eyes staying on the gun handling - and saying goodbye to the cover lost to breaking the action over the front of the blind, as has been the case with all doubles. Grrr...) Then we learned that the legendary A-5 was a single shot, which has long seemed their custom in my blinds. Oil and toil eventually loosened it up, as well. Next we learned that 3" shells won't eject from a 2 3/4" 1100. And so our morning went...

Dog(s): Marsh was the only one among us who didn't malfunction.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: We stayed caught and educated a heck of a mess of mallard ducks. Bunch, after bunch, after bunch. We've been hunting John standing crouched the past few years, but my hand on his shoulder isn't always, or often this morning, enough to keep him from trying to shoulder his gun when birds are on final approach but still too far out. And I simply could not get the new hunters to quit ducking fast or watch with their hat bills near the lip of the blind, instead of cocked back and mooning birds that were trying to work. We smiled through it, but "frustrating" doesn't begin to cover what should have been a 16 mallard hunt.

Kudos: Love John like family, and Mike and Shawn proved fine folks, and we managed to make a fun first hunt of our mess. That, and so many birds tried to work and so much craziness was going on that it was nearly curfew the first time I checked my watch since LST.

Birds By Species: 1 gw teal, 1 mallard, 2 pintails, 1 ringneck and 1 shoveller

Photo Ops: Our gang:

006.JPG

[Darren]

What a morning! Can only imagine.......

[Ericdc]

They don’t pay you enough


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[Rick]

Tomorrow's another day. Hunting a fellow who was a regular here in the "way back when..." we were ate up with geese. First time I met him, Doug told me he'd scratched on his first four hunts with us, and would I please find him a goose to shoot. Not sure if it was the unlikeliness of anyone scratching four times in a row or of said person coming back for more, but I was certain it was typical Doug BS until Brian confirmed it and explained that he came back because so many others were getting their birds. We got ours that day and most thereafter until bad marital turn after bad marital turn after bad marital turn cut out all but very rare visits here. If the hunting's off and conversation's thin, I'll be afraid to ask how it's going with number four...

[DComeaux]

Ran out of gas?....What a rookie move.

[Rick]

Ran out of gas?....What a rookie move.

Seems to me I've heard that a time or two or... before. Like at the boat house and the guides' brunch table and...

Might even hear it again. And all I can say is "Don't get old." Can distinctly remember the last time I put gas in the boat and even being sure to leave enough in the can to make a day if I forgot to bring another full one or someone else was in a bind. First thought was even "Some SOB took gas from my tank!" Apparently just forgot the small matter of not actually filling the tank.

But I had to go back and clean up the mess we'd made of the blind's cover yesterday and filled the tank while I was at it. I think...

[Rick]

Date: 12/30 Sat

Time: morning

Location: Mudhole

Cloud Cover: heavy to partly to drizzle

Wind Direction and Velocity: E moderate to dead calm

Temperature: low 50s

Moon phase: waxing 87%

Special Notes: There were next to no hunters other than regular guides at the Tiger Mart this morning, especially for a Saturday. Maybe freak happenstance, maybe folks are giving up?

Waterfowl Activity: Also precious few pushed-from-the-rice appearing birds. Only two teal chances all morning, and big ducks were virtually all "too high" and flying due north to south. Much tougher than yesterday.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Nearly all of our big ducks were pulled from the heavens with the Stanley Deceiver, which has really grown on me.

Hunters: 3, a one time regular from the "way back when...", Brian, his SIL Dominic, who'd made a couple hunts with him, and son, Casey, on his first.

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Marsh had a pretty easy morning.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: I was disappointed by not being able to show them nearly as many ops as we blew yesterday and get even with the mallards.

Kudos: They were tickled with what came, and we had a big time.

Birds By Species: 1 gadwall, 4 gw teal, 4 mallards, 2 pintails, 1 ringneck and 1 shoveller

Photo Ops: First mallard downed became quite the production:

001.JPG

006.JPG

[Rick]

Ran out of gas?....What a rookie move.

Seems to me I've heard that a time or two or... before. Like at the boat house and the guides' brunch table and...

Might even hear it again. And all I can say is "Don't get old." Can distinctly remember the last time I put gas in the boat and even being sure to leave enough in the can to make a day if I forgot to bring another full one or someone else was in a bind. First thought was even "Some SOB took gas from my tank!" Apparently just forgot the small matter of not actually filling the tank.

Had hardly sat down with my coffee and sausage biscuit at Tiger Mart this morning, when Clark, who manages Cherry Ridge, told me, "You won't believe this, but just after I left the boat house yesterday morning, I ran out of gas. Felt like a compete idiot, making such a rookie move."

Embarrassing news travels fast.

[Bud]

Seems to me I remember reading where you had to run back and forth to help a dead Predator's family. Don't be so hard on yourself and laugh with them. Nobody got shot and Marsh is still alive. You've had to redo your blind a couple of times. You've had to chase chipped birds in the boat. You've had to study guns not working, a gun with the safety off, people that would rather watch than kill by not listening to time-proven little things that make big differences, and I feel anyone who kids you knows all that. Educated too many mallards, blown your lungs out for your parties, and he is human after all.

I tried to crank my john with a gas hose that was too old to pump gas any longer, use gas that was too many years old, and a young friend diagnosed the problems without looking. Sometimes we are awakened.

[Rick]

...laugh with them...

If I wasn't, I'd never have ratted on myself here.

[DComeaux]

Not a bad mornings hunt..... I'm jonesing to work big birds.

[Ericdc]

Not a bad mornings hunt..... I'm jonesing to work big birds.

You’re more than welcome to migrate north and hunt with me in January.


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[Rick]

Not a bad mornings hunt..... I'm jonesing to work big birds.

If you had the call I'm reaching them with, you might be embarrassed to use it. Have long heard that the Stanley Deceiver was the loudest made, but Alan told me he was taking a break from call making, and I had to buy on the used market. First potential seller didn't like my "attitude" when I asked about condition and modification, but I found and bought another sight-unseen from California. Perhaps shouldn't have been so surprised to find it's a lovely lavender.

[DComeaux]

Not a bad mornings hunt..... I'm jonesing to work big birds.

You’re more than welcome to migrate north and hunt with me in January.


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Appreciate the offer, I'll see how things go on this end.

[DComeaux]

Perhaps shouldn't have been so surprised to find it's a lovely lavender.

HAHAHAHA! Seems fitting.

[Bud]

Here's to a 12 mallard day, all cupped and locked... and a few Specklebellies. Maybe an upland bird or three for you in the evening. Happy New Year and current year's end.

[Rick]

"Maybe an upland bird or three..." Woodcock's been open since the 16th, and we've had no shortage of northerly winds that bring them, but I've not made a single hunt in the low wooded area my deer came from. Need to rectify that.

[simplepeddler]

We had wood cock in Tensas in the FIRST split.........actually had one walk up behind us in a timber blind........it was neat to watch the little guys muck around so close to us.........I could have hit him with my Benjamin........kinda like the old days........

[simplepeddler]

BTW- I could take that Miroku off his hands.........since it don’t work and all ...........

[Rick]

Still a cherry, scarcely shot little 20 that would be sweet for woodcock. Splinter (though not as much so as some) forearm, instead of the beaver tail the Browning version all seemed to come with.

[Rick]

Date: 12/31 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: heavy and misty

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE strong to stronger

Temperature: mid 40s and falling

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Surprised by both the teal we saw and the mallards we didn't, though the later may have been hidden by the weather.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Was relatively little shooting in our marsh or Cherry Ridges, but it's timing when we had birds working was about as good as its ever been. Might not be a shot fired for fifteen minutes - until we had something on final approach.

Hunters: 3, same as yesterday

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Marsh found no sign of teal we gave too much of a head start.

Special Equipment: SOS

Curses: Could but won't - other than the missing green-wing.

Kudos: Had a good time with good folks.

Birds By Species: 1 bw teal, 3 gadwall, 8 gw teal, 2 pintails and 1 wigeon

[DComeaux]

I was talking about you and your profession this morning in the blind. I'm not sure I would have enjoyed taking new to me hunters out in this weather, trying to make things happen in this wind.

Damn! It was a face numbing ride into the wind on the way in.

[Rick]

I've a young grandson making his first duck hunt in the morning - that's daunting.