h20fowler
12-26-2006, 10:26 AM
Spent some great moments in the field this past holiday week.
Started things off on the 22nd on a hunt with a buddy. We managed to scratch 4 out of the first group that came in. After that we got sidewinded and a group of "gentleman" felt the need to skybust the birds headed our direction. We decided to pick up the decoys and call it a day. No hero picture with the two of us. He was off to a family gathering and I volunteered to clean the birds so he could get out of town.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03201.jpg
Then moved on to the 24th. This was a great hunt that proves the age old saying "You snooze you lose" My dad was going to go out with me on a quick morning duck hunt. He said that he heard things were slow and he was not going to go. I told him that I would go on out, get things sit up, and he could just come join me in the pit at shooting time. He thought that sounded OK and said he would see me out there around shooting time. Shooting time came and he was pulling over the dam just as I put the smack on a mallard in the decoys, watching the other one flare off the truck I didn't get a shot. Dad parked the truck and was about 100 yards away when there was a single mallard back in the decoys. I squeezed the trigger and down it came. Go out to get it and what do I find... a double banded bird complete with a $100 reward band. Would have been his bird had he been there, but he wanted that extra sleep time! Finished out the day with 3 widgeon to fill my limit.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03205.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03208.jpg
The 25th found me back in town with a brand new Christmas present and a hunt with my partner in crime Eric and Nick. I broke out the new .410 for a goose hunt, complete with visions of geese crumpling filling my head. I told them to let the geese work as I needed them close. Comments such as "Shoot for the fence cause pop gun over here doesn't stand a chance" soon followed.
First group in what do I do... pull a double with the stack .410. All I could do was jump up and scream the usual small bore phrase "That's a double with the .410...." Finished up our day with 8 in the bag and a lost cripple that sailed on us to complete the limit. Just to point out that the .410 was not the one that sailed it. Must have been those less then lethal 3 1/2" 12 gauges to my right!
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03245.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03249.jpg
Started things off on the 22nd on a hunt with a buddy. We managed to scratch 4 out of the first group that came in. After that we got sidewinded and a group of "gentleman" felt the need to skybust the birds headed our direction. We decided to pick up the decoys and call it a day. No hero picture with the two of us. He was off to a family gathering and I volunteered to clean the birds so he could get out of town.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03201.jpg
Then moved on to the 24th. This was a great hunt that proves the age old saying "You snooze you lose" My dad was going to go out with me on a quick morning duck hunt. He said that he heard things were slow and he was not going to go. I told him that I would go on out, get things sit up, and he could just come join me in the pit at shooting time. He thought that sounded OK and said he would see me out there around shooting time. Shooting time came and he was pulling over the dam just as I put the smack on a mallard in the decoys, watching the other one flare off the truck I didn't get a shot. Dad parked the truck and was about 100 yards away when there was a single mallard back in the decoys. I squeezed the trigger and down it came. Go out to get it and what do I find... a double banded bird complete with a $100 reward band. Would have been his bird had he been there, but he wanted that extra sleep time! Finished out the day with 3 widgeon to fill my limit.
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03205.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03208.jpg
The 25th found me back in town with a brand new Christmas present and a hunt with my partner in crime Eric and Nick. I broke out the new .410 for a goose hunt, complete with visions of geese crumpling filling my head. I told them to let the geese work as I needed them close. Comments such as "Shoot for the fence cause pop gun over here doesn't stand a chance" soon followed.
First group in what do I do... pull a double with the stack .410. All I could do was jump up and scream the usual small bore phrase "That's a double with the .410...." Finished up our day with 8 in the bag and a lost cripple that sailed on us to complete the limit. Just to point out that the .410 was not the one that sailed it. Must have been those less then lethal 3 1/2" 12 gauges to my right!
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03245.jpg
http://i95.photobucket.com/albums/l125/j_anschutz/2006hunt/sm_DSC03249.jpg