Waterfowl, let’s see them!

Finally got out for the first duck hunt of the season this morning. Every year it's the same so busy big game hunting, working, the kids baseball, etc. I miss 2/3 of the season and the birds are super educated. The upside the birds plumage is gorgeous this time of year.imagejpeg_1(11).jpg
 
We have been watching a few dozen birds fly by our jobsite in the country last week, 20231217_170040.jpg asked the owner if we could go. Got the go ahead, we got 7 total, I was able to get 2. Nice couple hour break in the work day
 
Jump shooting a spring creek in MT, this mallard flushed way out of range, flew 300 yards
and then quickly dropped back into the creek. I had a good mark on the spot.
When we got there, the mallard dived in a pool and pup jumped in and caught her.
I think she either heard a hawk or saw a hawk and was afraid to flush.
I've had ducks in decoys in AK afraid to flush when a peregrine falcon was in the area.
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What started out as a foggy morning with no action, transitioned to a bluebird day. But in between we did pretty well. 7 shy of a limit.

My Dad, Sister, Niece, and I on a hunt in OK. It was my sister and niece's first waterfowl hunt, and a bday gift for my niece turning 16. She made a beautiful shot on the last bird of the day. A big greenhead came down solo, cupped into the pond, and as he put down the landing gear 3 feet off the water, our blind popped open. All four hunters had guns drawn, but only my niece shot. The elders knew better than to blow the bird apart and had waited. My niece's one shot from her 20 gauge o/u folded it, feet to the sky. Thats the one shot I will not forget from the hunt, and we are having the bird mounted for her. We also shot all 4 gadwalls in a group as they decoyed perfectly into our set.
 
Always experimenting, this time with a packraft to make the pedal into this spot a little easier than trailering my kayak. Not a lot of bird movement, but enough with the time I had. Trying to lay off the spoonies so I just picked out the best looking drakes for the first few birds before giving them a pass the rest of the time. Muffed it on a really nice pintail but can't really complain.

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