Attn: Waterfowl fanatics!

[NR_Hunter]

It has been a very odd season for me so far. Warm weather, birds not decoying well. Shot some teal this last weekend, the latest we have shot teal by far-usually maybe get a few opening weekend and then they are gone. Wood duck numbers way down in my honey hole. Lots of divers around that will not decoy.

*And yes I do shoot the sawbills, gotta have chili meat!
View attachment 198140

One chocolate dipped strawberry short of an edible arrangement.

 

[TheGreek]

For the record we took the boys out this morning for youth season. They sailed one goose. Lots of woodies but there just a little too fast for them Haha. No pic as my cam on my phone is not working. They had a good time and got a good laugh at me falling down in 3 ft of swamp water at 5 am.

@nick87 Good luck tomorrow for the opener! I’m traveling home from my grouse hunt so I won’t be out. Let us know how you do.

 

[Nick87]

@nick87 Good luck tomorrow for the opener! I’m traveling home from my grouse hunt so I won’t be out. Let us know how you do.

Thanks dude! Won't be out til Sunday gotta work tomorrow which works out since tomorrow will be a blue bird day anyhow.

 

[Nick87]

Thanks dude! Won't be out til Sunday gotta work tomorrow which works out since tomorrow will be a blue bird day anyhow.

Well I guess everybody slept in today. Both my brother and cousin no showed. So went by myself. Shot 3 mallards, not much of a morning to brag about. But it was good to get the dog out and workin.

 

[Nick87]

I will say one thing the was no lack of people out this morning. There were four different groups set up in 1 section. Times are changing, five years ago I'd of been the only one in that section and maybe one other group in the next three sections.

 

[Runnin_Chupacabra]

Well I guess everybody slept in today. Both my brother and cousin no showed. So went by myself. Shot 3 mallards, not much of a morning to brag about. But it was good to get the dog out and workin.

We went out yesterday afternoon at Mendota, got a single gadwall and a lot of mosquito bites. Felt great to get out again

 

[WestKyHunt]

Well I guess everybody slept in today. Both my brother and cousin no showed. So went by myself. Shot 3 mallards, not much of a morning to brag about. But it was good to get the dog out and workin.

I'd kill for 3 mallards in a day here... hell id kill for 3 in a week sometimes

 

[AlaskaHunter]

I hunt solo 99 percent of the time.
So I have a boat I can get unstuck myself.

I am minimalist and simply layout in a jet sled with my lab
behind me:

Jet Sleds are so versatile....

1. Stackable so easy to drag in 2 (one for the lab, one for me)
2. Put under the outboard to catch any parts that fall while changing out the water pump.
3. Use for picking up and setting out the decoys
4. Use for hauling gear up the hill to duck camp
5. Use for keeping moose quarters dry while butchering in shallow water.
6. Use for hauling moose quarters to the boat.
7. Use for hauling firewood to the boat
8. Layout shooting in sparse cover (extremely low profile helps)

When setting up, I like to be crosswind to the decoys...
that way birds working into the wind and the decoys
are not looking directly at me.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Some highlights of the ND trip

 

[JShane]

Purty purty purty. And I could probably fertilize my yard with that dirt in the field. After a second look i'm diggin the first picture.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Purty purty purty. And I could probably fertilize my yard with that dirt in the field. After a second look i'm diggin the first picture.

My first Canadian mallard, his head was the size of a baseball!

 

[JShane]

congrats on that. That's awesome

 

[Nick87]

Little mixed bag today, 5 geese 4 mallards, 2 shovelers and a bufflehead hen.
Got my 3 year old out in the duck blind for the first time with his obligatory beef sticks and milk breakfast. Still a pretty slow migration here for sure.

 

[jrabq]

Got my 3 year old out in the duck blindfold.....

I know some guys go to great lengths to keep their hunting spots secret, but keeping your 3 year old blindfolded seems a bit extreme!

 

[Nick87]

I know some guys go to great lengths to keep their hunting spots secret, but keeping your 3 year old blindfolded seems a bit extreme!

damn auto correct.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

damn auto correct.

Any signs of migration down there?

 

[Nick87]

Any signs of migration down there?

Not much, some geese but nothing like it normally is this time. Very few ducks saw more spoonies yesterday than I ever have tho.

 

[Deleted member 38069]

Not much, some geese but nothing like it normally is this time. Very few ducks saw more spoonies yesterday than I ever have tho.

I can personally attest to seeing the migration. I saw it in ND and MN. I think patience will be key this year.

 

[JShane]

nice haul on the mixed bag. "Kids say the darndest things." Hence they must be blindfolded prior to a duck hunt.

 

[glass eye]

Missed the opener of duck season in CA but that's because I was hunting ducks in Kodiak.
On my way home now and can't wait to take my dog out for her opener.