T
ThunderNocked
Guest
I'm in a quandary. I love Waterfowl Hunting. I was a late starter - I grew up in a hunting family but didn't start hunting myself until I moved to Juneau, Alaska (wife's Hometown). I tried to pickup big game but stuck in Juneau with no boat big game is limited, HIGHLY pressured, and not a real pursuit. Shortly after I made the unfortunate comment to a friend that shotguns sucked (sorry forgive me) as my dad hated them. He owned an old break action single shot that had no pad and he said was the worst gun to shoot of all time. So my friend made me go and shoot clay pigeons with him using a hand thrower. I loved it - I went out and bought a Remington 870, one of only a couple of guns I'm sad I sold, and a bunch of clays. I asked what else we could do and he suggested waterfowl hunting. I became obsessed - and it was glorious. Juneau Waterfowl season started Mid September through December 31st. I would go out EVERY DAY before work and as I learned I picked up decoys and calling. I spent every day riding home from work practicing calling and listening to calling tips, how tos, etc. in the end I became the most dedicated Waterfowler I knew of in Juneau. I loved the horrible rainy days when everyone else stayed home and when I could have 2 hours of outgoing low tides on the wetlands alone or with my one friend - especially in those first three weeks while the Green Wings and Widgeons were still coming south from Northern Alaska.
Fast forward and in 2016 I moved to Fairbanks Alaska - big game is plentiful and feeds a family of 7 much better then birds do . However the birds leave early as everything freezes pretty solid pretty quick when you have 8 months of winter. So the Waterfowl and Moose seasons overlap. I always try to take a couple of days to go out and hit the birds but it just isn't the same and I haven't been able to figure out how to try to focus on getting a moose to fill my freezer vs doing something I love in decoying waterfowl. I got my kids, all 5 of them, Duck Whistles and a Hen call just to have and use sometimes when we are out. I try to take them all out annually at least once.
I've gotten bad at wing shooting, really need to try to hit the trap club this summer a few times to try to get back into the swing as last year I missed all my shots on the one opportunity I had with the kids. Oh well..... just talking to some folks about how much I love watching birds decoy and it got me reminiscing and thinking.... so thought I'd put this hear.
Plan after bear baiting, and in between football/Sheep/Moose and Caribou to go to the club and get some practice in and whack a couple ducks this season.... maybe finally get a nice Widgeon to mount or a Harlequin if I can make it to the coast.
Fast forward and in 2016 I moved to Fairbanks Alaska - big game is plentiful and feeds a family of 7 much better then birds do . However the birds leave early as everything freezes pretty solid pretty quick when you have 8 months of winter. So the Waterfowl and Moose seasons overlap. I always try to take a couple of days to go out and hit the birds but it just isn't the same and I haven't been able to figure out how to try to focus on getting a moose to fill my freezer vs doing something I love in decoying waterfowl. I got my kids, all 5 of them, Duck Whistles and a Hen call just to have and use sometimes when we are out. I try to take them all out annually at least once.
I've gotten bad at wing shooting, really need to try to hit the trap club this summer a few times to try to get back into the swing as last year I missed all my shots on the one opportunity I had with the kids. Oh well..... just talking to some folks about how much I love watching birds decoy and it got me reminiscing and thinking.... so thought I'd put this hear.
Plan after bear baiting, and in between football/Sheep/Moose and Caribou to go to the club and get some practice in and whack a couple ducks this season.... maybe finally get a nice Widgeon to mount or a Harlequin if I can make it to the coast.
