The day before the last day of Duck season

Well I went to do some pass shooting at the same spot. I think the ducks are more aware of me being there. They flew over but a little higher and a little off center. I was able to drop one on my second shot only to have it glide to the middle of the lake. I was so disgusted with this turn of events I packed it in with 2 hours of daylight left. This is probably a good time to tell you that the lake is covered in ice, but it's still only an inch or three thick.
I went home to formulate a plan to retrieve my prize. The first thing I thought was I would wait til morning. It was pretty warm that day and it would firm up the ice. I called my neighbor and he let me borrow his john boat, so with that, all my Potlatch rope, along with 2 metal spikes, 1 hook, 2 wood poles, and some duct tape. I should be able to claw my way out the 200 yards then just use the rope to pull myself back to shore. So after spending all night going over the plan and trying to think of anything else that would help I went to bed knowing the amount of work that I was in for the next day.
Saturday I got up before light, grabbed my rope and supplies threw them in the back of the truck. Went over to my neighbors put his boat in the back of the truck and headed off to the lake. When I got there I pulled out my binos and scanned the surface for my duck....... no duck. I looked for a good 10 minutes for something that I saw the day before with the naked eye. Nope no duck, something ate my duck and it wasn't me. So back home I went, unpacked all the gear and sat down at the computer to tell you the story.
So sad......

My Christmas Vacation

When my vacation started I was really optimistic about the last week push of duck season. I decided early not to burn any fields until duck season started on the 21st. I scouted for birds everyday twice a day hoping I would find some using any one of my fields. Two days before the opener I had ducks and geese start using a field, I knew that would be the field I was hunting on Sat. When Saturday finally rolled around I was knee deep in mud and water hurriedly putting decoys and blinds out with a couple of my buddies. When shooting time arrived I was still putting my blind together but my buddies were dropping ducks. When the day was all said and done we had a total of 10 ducks and 2 geese between the three of us, my gear took 3 days to dry out.

Matt and myself with Jay taking the pic

I continued scouting the next day and have had 0 waterfowl in my fields.
Since I didn't have anything hitting any of my other fields I was hoping to get down to a local river.
With all the rains and warm weather the last couple of weeks, it completely flooded the river and made it impossible to hunt. I did however find a spot to hunt and have gone out there the last 3 days.
Christmas day I got a mallard and a wounded golden eye that had some open water in front of me, but it was freezing up fast.

Yesterday I went to the same spot and got 2 mallards but one of them got washed down river before I could get him. I worked real hard to retrieve him to no avail, and in doing so wadded into the river up to my waist to try and reach him. The only thing that makes me feel better about the whole ordeal is that I know he was dead and not suffering. Something will find him and have a grand meal just not me.

Today I'm going back to the same spot I have been the last couple days, and even though I'm fairly certain nothing will come of it I am planning on hitting a field tomorrow ...... maybe.

Waaawho

Long story short my place of employment just paid out all vacations that were suppose to roll over if not used. So since we were given 0 notice my boss allowed us to get some days off before the end of the year, since we have already been paid for them. Well I was able to get about 12 days off when it's all said and done. That makes me happy and very sad, I was saving 40 hours to either go to Arkansas on a duck hunt this year or a Spring Turkey hunt next year.
Neither of which will now happen.
Anyway, I now can spend spend some much needed time afield.
Tuesday I spent scouting and finishing little projects around the house.
Since there are no geese using any of my fields I decided to go pheasant hunting today. I got to Huntington a little after 8 am and started in my usual spot. After an hour of working I was pushing a corn field and finally kicked up a hen, she took flight and my initial shot was actually faster than usual. She was still over the corn when I let the second shot go. I knew I hit her and from her trajectory and it looked like she cleared the corn, so off I went at a jog to try and catch up to her. When I got to the edge of the corn, she was nowhere to be seen. So I did my best bird dog impression and looked for tracks. I found her track and started following her down the edge of the corn, then she cut into the corn. The spot she went in at was pretty grassy and tangled, so I slowed down and started kicking the grass. I actually kicked this bird and she didn't move until I started to kick out the grass more. Finally she popped out and I was able to jump on her, that's why she doesn't have any tail feathers left.
On the next corn field nothing but the next one I pushed had some tracks in it. So I started following them, now the interesting part is I didn't know if I was going the right way or how old the track was. Well I'm here to tell ya I was going the right way and the track was really fresh. I followed the track to the end of the corn and through some crap along side the corn. When low and behold there was a pheasant hiding in some crap on top of the snow less than 3 feet from me. After a couple seconds of looking at him to figure out it he was still alive and where his head was. I decapitated him with a single shot with the most awesome from the hip shot I have ever made. Actually it is the only from the hip shot I have ever attempted, I got really lucky I didn't put one pellet in the meat.

So after less than 2 hours I had my limit, a picture and was heading back home. Not bad for a couple hours with no dog on late season "spooky" birds.

Lucky or Good??

Muzzleloader began on the 7th of Dec and the first day that I could get out is Tues. I went to Tom's old property, that's the property I have been hunting for the past 15 or so years. I really didn't expect to see anything but I had to try.
I got there before sunrise with a chair and an idea of where I wanted to sit. I sat until I got too cold to sit and all I got for my efforts was wind burnt and chilled to the bone.
Wednesday I had planned on going to Huntington to try and walk one up. I was able to jump a rabbit and an owl before the snowstorm hit. Once it did vis went to nearly nothing and it was already 1pm so I decided to drive home. On the way I thought I should stop at Tom's and sit until I get cold, then call it a day.
When I got there the sun was shining, and the wind was blowing, I only had a couple layers on so I knew I wouldn't be staying long. Now if you have been following this blog, the property I am on is the same one the new owner has taken all the fence-rows off of. So I am sitting on the corner of the only woods that Tom still owns, bordering his old property which is now a huge field.
I had probably been there for an hour and a half when to my amazement I saw a deer come out of the woods at about 150-200yards (Google earth) away and decided to cross the field. She was just getting up speed when I "bayed" at her and she stopped, and looked at me. I put the crosshairs about a foot above her back and let one fly. I knew I hit her and she started across the field stopping to lay down every 20 yards. So I reloaded and waited for her to crest a small high spot in the field. When she did I started an intercept course for her, when I got close enough I peeked over the hill where I thought she would be. I didn't see her right away but then I looked back to my right 20 yards and I saw her head pop up with those big ears and look right at me. I waited for her to get up and when she did she turned broadside to me. I raised my gun and again put the crosshairs about a foot above her back and let another one fly. This time she jumped into the air at least 6 feet and went straight down. I knew then I would be tagging a deer this year.

Now I'm on the hunt for more geese, and ducks are back in the week of Christmas.
Meeerry Christmas.

Free-Range Chicken

Tuesday it was suppose to be warm and rainy, the warm happened but not the rainy. I thought it would be fun to try some pheasant hunting. It's been kind of a tradition for me, to go the first week of clean up. Last year I did a little better, but I still did pretty good this year for not having a dog. I saw 5 birds including this one and out of those birds I should have gotten one more. Oh well at least I'll be eating pheasant instead of empty shell soup. If you have the need for empty shell soup I have a great recipe.

Wednesday I got up on time but didn't arrive at the lake until late. I was motoring out at shooting time and when I got to my spot someone else was already set up. Now to say he was set up is only a polite way to let you know someone else was there already. His "set up" consisted of 6 goose,6 divers, a couple mallards and a mojo.
I motored out to an island that I have never hunted from, but had seen and heard of people hunting from it. It was a little deeper than what I like but I proceeded to put out my duck and goose spread which consists of 15 mag goose and 42 duck decoys. The reason I mention it is because when there's competition it's a sheer numbers game, and I was on the winning side. I heard the other shoot only 2 times unfortunately I couldn't see him from where I was, so I don't know if he even got a bird.
I tried and tried to get my boat set so it didn't stick out like a sore thumb, finally I settled on just dragging it up on the island.

With my boat so stealthily hidden I was able to knock some ducks down.

3 mallards and a hen redhead, (the second one I've gotten this year.)
Thursday I got up and went hunting and then came home.