2020-2021 Season Log

[Rick]

Right up front (where it's easy for me to copy), here is the template I will be using:

Date:

Time:

Location:

Cloud Cover:

Wind Direction and Velocity:

Temperature:

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity:

Waterfowl Responsiveness:

Hunters:

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s):

Special Equipment:

Curses:

Kudos:

Birds By Species:

Photo Ops:

Lagniappe:

[Rick]

Date: 9/12/20 Sat

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: easterly moderate

Temperature: comfortable

Moon phase: 27% waning

Special Notes: September teal opener

Waterfowl Activity: Spooky slow for a while with an odd-to-me kinda-sorta flight of presumably mottleds coming out of the marsh high (likely moved by marsh hunters going in), plus a few woodies passing low. Then plenty of teal for our purposes.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Teal getting banged out of the rice were initially high and hauling, but tamed as the morning went on - per usual. Lot of high-balling followed by momma kacking.

Hunters: 2, brothers Dave, who's hunted with us a good bit and Scott who was new to it.

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): The bug was on his best behavior without need of breaking or whining warnings while not being allowed in the pond for lively crips and handled well on a couple blinds that would have been dicey, tataille-wise, if he hadn't.

Special Equipment: couple spinners and the splasher, but didn't bother with the later much.

Curses: None, zip, zero.

Kudos: Feel blessed by such a pretty morning for such nice folks.

Birds By Species: 18

Photo Ops: First retrieve of 2020:

004a.jpg

Bothers, Dave and Scott, with a duck butt sniffing bug:

009a.jpg

[Ericdc]

As far as hunters in the marsh, I felt like we had most of little chenier ridge to ourselves.


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[Duck Engr]

And we’re off! Great start Rick.

[Duck Engr]

Rick did you note sex ratio?

[Ericdc]

Rick did you note sex ratio?

We had several females


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[Rick]

Rick did you note sex ratio?

Didn't think of it until dropping them off the string into Chris's truck. (No idea why I called Chris "Dave" in the log. Maybe thinking of Comeaux - who he looks not a bit like.) And didn't want to hold him up to get the ratio. But seeing a very immature one slid off the strap was what made me think of it.

Have six guns tonight and will try to pay better attention.

[Rick]

Addendum to 9/12: for some reason called Chris "Dave" and switched he and Scott's names in the photo caption, calling Scott "Dave" and Chris Scott. Lost in time and space, I am.

[Rick]

As far as hunters in the marsh, I felt like we had most of little chenier ridge to ourselves.

Would guess the Miami Land ban...and, of course, a lot of folks with bigger fish to fry.

[DComeaux]

Rick did you note sex ratio?

Didn't think of it until dropping them off the string into Chris's truck. (No idea why I called Chris "Dave" in the log. Maybe thinking of Comeaux - who he looks not a bit like.) And didn't want to hold him up to get the ratio. But seeing a very immature one slid off the strap was what made me think of it.

Have six guns tonight and will try to pay better attention.

Believe me, my thoughts were strong with you guy's in the field this morning.

[Rick]

Date: 9/12

Time: afternoon, met at 4:30

Location: Big 4

Cloud Cover: rain cells in the area

Wind Direction and Velocity: easterly

Temperature: hot early on, but cells kept breeze cooler than usual for this time of year

Moon phase: 18% waning

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Not as hot and heavy as hoped, but birds were moving some from the time we got there until they hit their last at 7:15. Slowed nearer LLST.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Some plainly remembered the morning crew, too many were put off by the activities of six casual hunters in relative open and enough eventually bought in. Momma call lost a lot of its charm to crowd control, so I'm guessing the steady beat's mesmerizing effect more important than memories of Mom's commands.

Hunters: 6, much the same crew I've been hunting on opening weekend afternoons for a decade or so: Mike, John, Wayne, Lance, Ryan and Bruce.

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): After showing stellar manners this morning, Marsh was a mess! Broke like someone else's mutt. Time and again.
And got balky about leaving the search for a bird that beat him in the deep tractor ruts. Seemed the more I fussed, the worse he got. So I made up with him, and we got along much better.

Special Equipment: Standard and teal spinners

Curses: The guys shot just like they usually do, meaning way the hey too many long fly-offs for the dog and not filling out before mosquito time for me.

Kudos: Good guys and a fine time.

Birds By Species: 36 bw teal. (I had to be sleep typing when I opined that I'd be better about tracking sex ratio on the afternoon hunt than the mornings.)

Photo Ops: Our gang, Glen, Mike, Bruce(?), Lance, John and Ryan:

002a.jpg

Lagniappe: Mike was among the callers checking on us while I was tarping our roof (DComeaux was another), and I'd told him we were lucky and still had a roof to tarp, while others, like Chereaux's oldest daughter's family were left with slabs. When we settled up post hunt, there was also an envelope for that daughter's family.

[Rick]

Date: 9/13 Sun

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: overcast

Wind Direction and Velocity: easterly moderate

Temperature: comfortably cool

Moon phase:

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Near carbon copy of yesterday.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Hard to break down early and getting much easier as the morning wore on.

Hunters: 2, Mike and Dusty

Guns:

Malfunctions: Mike's Super-X 1 had some failures to fire.

Dog(s): The bug was his good old self.

Special Equipment: 2 spinners, didn't fool with splasher much again this morning

Curses: Took a while to get the too-little-hunting misses out of the barrels.

Kudos: Got to tease Mike about only bringing one box of shells (for which I'm well prepared) and nice fellows had a big time.

Birds By Species: 18 bw teal (14 drakes and 4 hens)

Photo Ops: Mike and Dusty:

005a.jpg

[DComeaux]

Limits..... I come here and read with with only one eye half open.

[Rick]

...with only one eye half open.

Pretty sure that's how we've been shooting.

[Duck Engr]

Blistering start. Hope it continues for you on into the week days.

Very nice gesture by that fellow. Speaking of, is there a “go fund me” or something similar set up for them in case some folks on here are interested in helping them out as well?

[DComeaux]

...with only one eye half open.

Pretty sure that's how we've been shooting.

Must be plenty of traffic.

[Rick]

Date: 9/13

Time: afternoon

Location: big 4

Cloud Cover: partly

Wind Direction and Velocity: cool east to northeast breeze

Temperature: breeze saved us

Moon phase: small crescent waning

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Yesterday they were flying when a 4:30 start got us there, so we met at 4 and, naturally, next to nothing flew until after six. Flying best when we left.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Some plainly knew the drill and dropped in well out in front or looked and went on, but most were generally more obedient than yesterday's birds.

Hunters: 6, same crew as yesterday afternoon (Note, see that I called Wayne "Bruce" above and need to correct that.)

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): The bug and I started the hunt with a leash - that I forgot to hold my end of for the first volley and that went along on his first and only break. Would like to think we've convinced him that he's no more allowed to break on rice field teal than any other time, but will bring the lead the next time or two, just in case.

Special Equipment: 2 spinners large and small

Curses: not a one

Kudos: Breeze (and bug dope) kept us from having a curse, and a big time was had.

Birds By Species: 36 bw teal

Photo Ops: 3 duck salad:

002a.jpg

[Rick]

Very nice gesture by that fellow. Speaking of, is there a “go fund me” or something similar set up for them in case some folks on here are interested in helping them out as well?

Thanks for the thought, but they are really much, much better prepared to handle the lick than most. Already have a (higher ground) land purchase in the works.

[Rick]

...with only one eye half open.

Pretty sure that's how we've been shooting.

Must be plenty of traffic.

So far...

But as DE alluded, the question will be what happens between now and next weekend. Am thinking the ag land flight difference between the past two afternoons a sign that a lot fewer guys boycotted NFL football than have claimed they would.

[Rick]

Date: 9/14 Mon

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: northerly sweet

Temperature: perfect in the breeze

Moon phase: 10% waning

Special Notes: Only other time Ed's hunted my blind with me, we were the only ones in the marsh, so this was the first time he got to sit with me and listen to what was his end of the marsh shoot for what seemed ever before we had our chances.

Waterfowl Activity: Very slow getting started on our end, but eventually enough for experienced shots to do the trick.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Thankfully excellent.

Hunters: 2, long time camp regular, Tom, and now ex-guide, Ed

Guns:

Malfunctions: Ed, who is a long time front-safetied Beretta shooter, was shooting his wife's 20ga Montefeltro with a rear safety, and it was great fun try to make the switch.

Dog(s): The bug was aces.

Special Equipment: 2 spinners and a splasher

Curses: none lasting

Kudos: What started out looking like a scratch turned out well, which is always extra nice.

Birds By Species: 18 bw teal (12 drakes and 6 hens)

[Deltaman]

Nice season start Rick, and i hope it continues!As always, Thank You for the reports

[Duck Engr]

[quote="Rick"]

Malfunctions: Ed, who is a long time front-safetied Beretta shooter, was shooting his wife's 20ga Montefeltro with a rear safety, and it was great fun try to make the switch.

[quote]

I’ve always shot behind the trigger safeties save for once about a decade ago with a borrowed gun on an impromptu dove shoot. I hope that’s my last in front of the trigger safety experience.

[Duck Engr]

Malfunctions: Ed, who is a long time front-safetied Beretta shooter, was shooting his wife's 20ga Montefeltro with a rear safety, and it was great fun try to make the switch.

I’ve always shot behind the trigger safeties save for once about a decade ago with a borrowed gun on an impromptu dove shoot. I hope that’s my last in front of the trigger safety experience.


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[Rick]

Nice season start...

Dog is so whipped that I declined a party this afternoon. But if ya gotta have problems...

(''Sposed to be politicking for a fellow's company business in the morning, so we may not see a duck.)

[Rick]

I’ve always shot behind the trigger safeties save for once about a decade ago with a borrowed gun on an impromptu dove shoot. I hope that’s my last in front of the trigger safety experience.

Ed was about falling our of the blind leaning into recoil that didn't come.

But I've similar issues with my Model 12 "goose gun" after a lifetime of tang and rear safeties. Made it this summer's "office gun" that I mount and dry-fire a few times most days to help make finding its safety more instinctive and feared I might struggle with the Benellis after that, but haven't missed a lick with them. How it will go when I take the Model 12 afield remains to be seen.

[Ericdc]

Since we talking about guns, my Maxus is headed back to browning with trigger malfunctions.

Dealer had told me that he will trade for it when they fix it. I've lost confidence in that gun after this happened during duck season last year, and now again.

In the meantime, I'm shooting my old browning gold and just dealing with the follower issue after each volley. But the main thing is, it'll shoot 3 shells consecutively each and every time I need it to.


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[Rick]

In the meantime, I'm shooting my old browning gold and just dealing with the follower issue after each volley. But the main thing is, it'll shoot 3 shells consecutively each and every time I need it to.

No one's ever told it it's a 3 1/2" Gold. Saw on one of these boards just a few days ago that they fixed that version's issue after a certain date - that I immediately forgot. But there sure seem a lot of boogered ones, even after return to the shop for receiver re-milling.

[Ericdc]

Mine wasn't a lemon or anything. The small notch of metal on the receiver where the magazine tube threads in has wore down over the last 14 years of shooting to the point that when the magazine tube is emptied of shells the follower pops out about a half of an inch out of the magazine tube into the receiver. I've had 2 certified browning repair dealers look at it.

Like I said, all i have to do is push it back in with my thumb and load it, so there's no issue with it firing and cycling 3 shells.

I've checked this notch on my brothers and a friend of mines Golds, and it's noticeable. Where they have a notch, mine is smooth.

The only fix, is a new receiver, and those aren't available anymore, I've done a pretty exhaustive search and emailed browning parts.


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[Rick]

Date: 9/15 Tue

Time: morning

Location: mudhole

Cloud Cover: clear

Wind Direction and Velocity: NE brisk

Temperature: perfect

Moon phase: sliver waning

Special Notes:

Waterfowl Activity: Same as it's been: listened to easterly blinds shoot for a while before getting our chances when the more open water flights could see my spinners. Saw a spoon with one bunch, maybe the lone one we saw a couple days ago found friends.

Waterfowl Responsiveness: Couldn't have been much better than this morning's.

Hunters: 2, father and son, Jeff and Beau

Guns:

Malfunctions:

Dog(s): Easy morning with all but three in the pond for "chauffeured retrieves".

Special Equipment: 2 spinners and splasher

Curses: None, zip, nadda.

Kudos: Best shots of the season to date.

Birds By Species: 18 bw teal (10 drakes and 8 hens)

Photo Ops: Beau and Jeff at the mudhole:

002a.jpg

[DComeaux]

Awesome!