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Thread: Day 2: Always learn from your mistakes.

  1. #1
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    Default Day 2: Always learn from your mistakes.

    Had to go to work this morning to tie up some loose ends and deal with a student emergency. By the time I had things finished I had missed the morning flight but still hit the marsh around lunch time to see what the afternoon would bring. I had high hopes with the wind forecast being 10-20mph. The higher the winds the more the birds can’t raft up on the open bays and they generally have to come back into the marsh ponds to seek refuge.

    When I got to the marsh I was pleasantly surprised at the number of birds in the pond I had chosen. Looks as though a big push of birds had occurred this week. The rafts were spread out but there was a good number of wigeon, gadwall, shovelers, and canvasbacks but the number of pintails is what was amazing! They were everywhere mixed in with the other birds.

    As I poled the AquaPod across the pond I watched as flock after flock of birds jumped up and headed out. I noticed a single drake wigeon that held tight. His head was down and I wondered if maybe he was a cripple. He was in my path and when he didn’t jump at my approach I slowly reached down and slid a couple shells into my gun. At 25 yards I suddenly realized that the bird was asleep. I’m not sure if he heard me at that point or if his survival instinct just kicked in but all in one motion his head popped up and he sprang into the air. I scrambled to swap the push pole in my hand for the gun from the floor of the boat but managed to do so in time to fold him clean with a single shot. The noise was enough to clear the rest of the birds from the pond.

    When I got to my blind the wind was indeed blowing pretty good but not from a direction that works well for my hide. I tried to compensate by putting my spread farther out in hopes that the birds would skirt by the edge of the blind on their way to the decoys and not have to fly over me while making their approach. As I was putting out the last of the six dozen decoys the birds began to return in singles, pairs, and small groups. One of them, another drake wigeon, locked his wings from way out and sailed straight towards me as I stood in the boat in the middle of my decoys. I couldn’t believe he wasn’t flaring but I shouldered my gun and knocked down the second bird of the day before I even got into the blind.

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    For the first couple of hours the wigeon came to the pond fairly steadily. The first couple groups gave me enough of a look to provide a couple more drakes for the pile. Then the pintails started working back in as well. A four pack came in from behind me but worked up the string of wigeon decoys just as I had hoped. They were grouped up tight but as they started to land one of the drakes separated enough to give me a clean shot. He hit the water and the wind pushed him straight to me.

    Then came the lull. The skies emptied and it seemed like forever before another bird made an appearance. A swan came in low and landed only 20yds out to my left. I wish I had my big camera with me as it was quite a sight! He stayed beside me feeding and preening until the canvasbacks started making a show just before dark.

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    Usually canvasbacks are a gimmie bird for me in the salt marsh. However, due to a slight change in the wind direction they just wouldn’t come by close enough for a shot. They were actually landing into a cross wind to keep from coming over the brush that I was hiding in. It was very frustrating to watch group after group dive in and land just outside the spread and just outside of my range. I did have a couple that came close enough for a hopeful shot but with the strong winds it just wasn’t meant to be. I ended my second hunt of the year with four wigeon drakes and a pintail drake. I think it’s going to be a good year and I can’t wait for my son to get here in two weeks so we can start stacking them up!!

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    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

  2. #2
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    Strong as always!
    Never confuse enthusiasm for capability

  3. #3
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    That is good hunting there. Nice work

  4. #4
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    This was fun to read. Keep it coming. Currently sitting in the SC marsh getting rained on...and have only seen a half dozen wood ducks. How long before the west coast hunting declines to how it is on the east?? I really need to get out there soon.

  5. #5
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    Great story.
    .
    Foothills Golden Retriever Rescue
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    "Keep your powder dry, Boys!"
    ~ George Washington

    "If I understood everything I said I'd be a genius." ~ 'Unknown'

  6. #6
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    I can't wait to get a like button...

  7. #7
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    Awesome

  8. #8
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    Love the write ups and details. Keep em coming.
    Carolina Counsel

  9. #9
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    Strong. Keep em coming!

  10. #10
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    Enjoyed that

  11. #11
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    Quote Originally Posted by YoungBuckTX View Post
    This was fun to read. Keep it coming. Currently sitting in the SC marsh getting rained on...and have only seen a half dozen wood ducks. How long before the west coast hunting declines to how it is on the east?? I really need to get out there soon.
    Read up on the decline of the California mallard and the disaster shit sandwich that is lower Klamath. One of the greatest marshes in the us is dying right before our eyes. All for saving some dumb ass fish and watering almond groves.


    Sent from my iPhone using Tapatalk

  12. #12
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    Quote Originally Posted by YoungBuckTX View Post
    This was fun to read. Keep it coming. Currently sitting in the SC marsh getting rained on...and have only seen a half dozen wood ducks. How long before the west coast hunting declines to how it is on the east?? I really need to get out there soon.

    I don’t know that we’ll have to worry about that out here. With all the new gun and ammo laws it’s getting harder and harder to hunt here. That particular marsh where I do most of my hunting is state land. It’s open Saturdays, Sundays, and Wednesdays. It’s also located on the side of a very very busy highway that is a main thoroughfare for commuters in the area. It’s the same place that most of my pics came from when I lived here before. I’m saying all that because there are literally thousands of people that drive by every time I hunt and can see me and the birds out there. No one was there but me for these last two hunts. There just isn’t that much pressure on the public land out here. Now, on the other end of the spectrum is the rice blinds around the Sac Delta that cost $10,000 and up per year. There are waiting lists a mile long for the better clubs. The Refuge lottery hunts are also packed. I’m not sure why that is. A friend of mine that makes decoys out here hunted yesterday at Grizzly Island on a draw hunt. He and a partner killed two teal and two wigeon after driving the two hours from where we live to get there. It’s one of the top Refuges out here right now. I drove 45min and killed what you see above and could’ve easily limited out of I wanted to shoot hens or spoonies. Of course my hunts require a lot more work and effort. I tell my son all the time that SC can go anywhere and kill ducks. We are raised up having to put in maximum effort just to have a chance to fire the gun. When you go some place that actually has birds and apply that same effort it usually has impressive results!
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

  13. #13
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    Pretty work.
    Vegetarian: Native American for Piss Poor Hunter

  14. #14
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    Excellent and your last sentence is absolutely correct on many fronts.
    Genesis 9;2

  15. #15
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    Awesome as usual!

  16. #16
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    Quote Originally Posted by Ring King View Post
    I tell my son all the time that SC can go anywhere and kill ducks. We are raised up having to put in maximum effort just to have a chance to fire the gun. When you go some place that actually has birds and apply that same effort it usually has impressive results!
    Fact. It isn't coincidence that you see SC plates all over North America on or near "The X" time after time. Just the effort put into figuring out where to start can separate the men from the boys before the boat ever comes off the trailer...

  17. #17
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    Jealous - I really, really, really want to do a "Blue Feet" photo like that.
    Ephesians 2 : 8-9



    Charles Barkley: Nobody doesn't like meat.

  18. #18
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    Great read and photos as usual. Thanks for sharing!

  19. #19
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    Quote Originally Posted by Rubberhead* View Post
    Jealous - I really, really, really want to do a "Blue Feet" photo like that.
    I've told you before that you're always welcome to fly out. It would blow your mind to see what's sitting on the public water right next to where I shot those photos. There are around 2000 canvasbacks and an unbelievable number of GWT rafted up right now. I'm talking a flock of GWT that is several hundred yards long and as thick as the coots rafted on the river sitting right next to the parking area! I haven't quite figured out how to hunt them yet. The area they stay in is completely open water with nothing for cover. It's too deep for my little brush blinds, and you can't hunt within 150 yards of the road and levee which is of course right where they pretty much always stay. The other reason I haven't been trying them is b/c it's too easy to go out and shoot wigeon and pintails from my little blinds to fool with trying to figure out how to kill the teal! I have a good number of cans coming to the blind as well but my screw up with the distance to my spread on the last hunt is the reason that photo was finished off with two big can drakes. I won't make that mistake again. The puddle duck decoys being far out worked like a charm but from now on the can decoys will be at 15 yards so that I can make sure to get my two kings!!!

    My son flies in on Monday and Wednesday we'll be out there seeing what we can put on the water!!
    Living in Moncks Corner but looking forward to moving back to the West Coast in 2020 where there are more ducks and less duck hunters!! LOL

  20. #20
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    That's awesome. Always enjoy reading about your adventures.

    It's a dang shame how much work we have to put in these days to kill birds consistently. Bring back the hydrilla!

    Sent from my SM-G970U using Tapatalk
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    Delta in a nutshell: Breeding grounds + small wetlands + big blocks of grass cover + predator removal + nesting structures + enough money to do the job= plenty of ducks to keep everyone smiling!

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