I take a first time duck hunter West

**mudflat** · 11-20-2023, 09:22 AM

Planned our annual OS hunt, as usual the weather isn't in our favor. Call a few people who tell us to stay home, 10in of snow fell and temps in the teens. Plane tickets been bought, vacation time been arranged, what do we do? After a lil discussion, newby says we got to go, I've been looking forward to this trip for months. Jump on the plane, met 19° temps when we got there.
Snow everywhere, corn hasn't been harvested yet, bean fields barely visible. We scout following day, find what appears to be only feed around. Small sloughs are frozen, big water is starting to freeze.
I had prepped newby on cold weather like you've never felt so they were prepared.
First morning out, we get to area, set up and wait. Think a few small ducks flew at first light but not many. Then they came, around 9, it was on. Newby wasn't getting out the blind fast enough nor prepared fast enough, shotgun handling skills haven't been in their experience as hunting came late in life. Up until this trip, they never killed a flying bird, shot at a few doves but no kills.
So me and my buddy wacked a few and they getting better at getting out of layout and getting a few shots off. I think they even claimed a few as theirs. I wasn't so sure about that but whatever. We had a pile behind the blinds, birds pouring in, we letting the 50-75 packs go as to not educate em. Well it's their time to shoot solo, see what they made of, so I tell em next group, your shooting alone. Well here they come, and what do you know, upon first shot, big ol greenhead folds. I tell em I'll go get it, sit tight. Duck was still alive but I get him, but instead of throwing him in the pile, I throw him in the foot of my blind. Hunts over, they can't believe it's already over, it was one of those hunts you can wish for. Packing up I reach into blind and pull out a greenhead that they payed no attention to what I done with it. Told em it was theirs and I KNOW you killed this one and it's your first greenhead. It will be taking a ride back to SC and I will mount it for ya. Surprised I had done that she insisted for a pic of HER duck. We had an epic hunt that day, the following day, third day things were freezing up and we only killed 4, but we found a feed late that afternoon we should of set up on. We called trip short because the freezing temps, what a mistake. Second morning it was 5°, 10mph wind, she has a new definition of what cold is.IMG_20231031_155706356_HDR.jpg