Saturday, December 17
Dad's sick...couldn't hunt. We're trying to gear up for a hunt with Cris and Christiane, but need to wait till the plague clears out first. Flip and I hunted on Edward's side. The ice was all gone, so we sat on the edge of the marsh instead of wading to the cattails. It really didn't matter. Used two black duck decoys and had two groups of mallards drop in ten minutes before legal. They left before shooting time and we didn't get another bunch all morning.
I could see plenty of ducks working the creek, so waded up and down looking for a promising spot. Flushed a hundred or so big ducks at the upper end of the property in a new beaver swamp....got to check footing carefully here...plenty of deep, wader dunkin' holes. Marked this spot on the other side so we can get there with the mule. We'll try it with Cris and Christiane once everybody's feeling better.
I gave Dad a jerk rig for Christmas, plus a remote for the Mojo. We'll see how they work when we go.
Monday, December 29, 2008
Friday, December 26, 2008
Widgeons
Saturday, December 13
December's full moon is always nearer than the others for the year. This night's was special....closer than any time in the past fifteen years. At its perigee, near setting as we approached George's field, the moon hung bright and clear....fourteen percent brighter and thirty percent bigger than normal. No need for flashlights setting out this morning. Those who think hunting is all about the killing have never spent time with these two hunters when the cold is so crisp as to catch your breath and the moon so bright and beautiful as to make you wonder at God's glory.
We set up by the beaver dam on George's side. Realizing now that most who visit don't know about George's and Edward's and other secret spots gives me pause to explain, and so I will in the next post.....for now, George's side of the creek is next to a big field that this summer was thick with soybeans on one side and forage sorghum on the other. On cold, frosty days like this you could walk all the way to the edge of the beaver swamp, a small pond astride a smaller creek, in your bedroom slippers without getting wet or muddy. From this side, you face east into the rising sun, so duck identification and first light shots are tough. Beyond is a large marsh, full of boot sucking mud and hat-floater holes. The spot in front of us was calm water, just above the beaver dam and full of acorns, a favorite morning spot for whatever puddle ducks move through.
This morning we were lucky. Plenty of birds were trading up the creek from their roosts on the lake, and although Croc yipped in her excitement, the ducks decoyed well. I killed the first mallard drake into the dekes and another minutes later that fell into a cedar bough twenty feet up a tree...thankfully he eventually tumbled down without assistance and Croc made her second retrieve.
A pair of widgeons decoyed and we put both on the water....both drakes....widgeons here are more unusual than they once were when there was plenty of hydrilla in the lake, before the damned carp were put in. That both were drakes seemed even more unusual. Croc made a long retrieve and hunted hard to find the first, which had gone out of sight up the pond. Then she nabbed the second one from where he had scooted under a big cat brier patch....good girl.
Widgeons, called baldpates in some regions, are pretty birds. Smaller than mallards, they get the baldpate moniker from the appearance of their heads. Gray with a green streak across the eye, the color fades to a pale, almost white crown.
Widgeons have very pretty chestnut, black, and gray hackle feathers on their backs and the tops of their wings. I should have saved these for CG, my fly-tying buddy.
As always on bluebird mornings, the birds were done flying by 7:30, so back to the house we went for breakfast and coffee. As we crossed the yard, I noticed the sun highlighting the American holly in the yard.
What a fine morning....what a great place to live.
December's full moon is always nearer than the others for the year. This night's was special....closer than any time in the past fifteen years. At its perigee, near setting as we approached George's field, the moon hung bright and clear....fourteen percent brighter and thirty percent bigger than normal. No need for flashlights setting out this morning. Those who think hunting is all about the killing have never spent time with these two hunters when the cold is so crisp as to catch your breath and the moon so bright and beautiful as to make you wonder at God's glory.
We set up by the beaver dam on George's side. Realizing now that most who visit don't know about George's and Edward's and other secret spots gives me pause to explain, and so I will in the next post.....for now, George's side of the creek is next to a big field that this summer was thick with soybeans on one side and forage sorghum on the other. On cold, frosty days like this you could walk all the way to the edge of the beaver swamp, a small pond astride a smaller creek, in your bedroom slippers without getting wet or muddy. From this side, you face east into the rising sun, so duck identification and first light shots are tough. Beyond is a large marsh, full of boot sucking mud and hat-floater holes. The spot in front of us was calm water, just above the beaver dam and full of acorns, a favorite morning spot for whatever puddle ducks move through.
This morning we were lucky. Plenty of birds were trading up the creek from their roosts on the lake, and although Croc yipped in her excitement, the ducks decoyed well. I killed the first mallard drake into the dekes and another minutes later that fell into a cedar bough twenty feet up a tree...thankfully he eventually tumbled down without assistance and Croc made her second retrieve.
A pair of widgeons decoyed and we put both on the water....both drakes....widgeons here are more unusual than they once were when there was plenty of hydrilla in the lake, before the damned carp were put in. That both were drakes seemed even more unusual. Croc made a long retrieve and hunted hard to find the first, which had gone out of sight up the pond. Then she nabbed the second one from where he had scooted under a big cat brier patch....good girl.
Widgeons, called baldpates in some regions, are pretty birds. Smaller than mallards, they get the baldpate moniker from the appearance of their heads. Gray with a green streak across the eye, the color fades to a pale, almost white crown.
Widgeons have very pretty chestnut, black, and gray hackle feathers on their backs and the tops of their wings. I should have saved these for CG, my fly-tying buddy.
As always on bluebird mornings, the birds were done flying by 7:30, so back to the house we went for breakfast and coffee. As we crossed the yard, I noticed the sun highlighting the American holly in the yard.
What a fine morning....what a great place to live.
Tuesday, December 9, 2008
The Ducks are Finally Here
Saturday, December 6
Hunted on George's side....colder than a well digger's grave. Finally, Ducks! Right at legal time pairs, threes, and some big groups started piling in. We didn't put out dekes....no need when you're set up in the honey hole.
The ice was bothering Flip, so he cheated by returning on the beaver dam. At one point we had too many birds down...confused him a bit.
All mallards today. Didn't see a woodie or black all morning. We'll rest this spot a few days and bring Cris next week.
All in all, the best day so far this year. Keep 'em coming!
Hunted on George's side....colder than a well digger's grave. Finally, Ducks! Right at legal time pairs, threes, and some big groups started piling in. We didn't put out dekes....no need when you're set up in the honey hole.
The ice was bothering Flip, so he cheated by returning on the beaver dam. At one point we had too many birds down...confused him a bit.
All mallards today. Didn't see a woodie or black all morning. We'll rest this spot a few days and bring Cris next week.
All in all, the best day so far this year. Keep 'em coming!
Stella!
Wednesday, Nov. 19
Bob and Robert came early for ducks. We hunted George's side and saw two groups of woodies early. Later, I walked them up and Dad killed one on a pass shot. Flip winded the little drake before I sent him...the bird had fallen into a thicket of briars....no problem for the dog....great retrieve.
Larry eventually arose from his beauty sleep and met us at the house for a rabbit hunt after we finished our big post-ducks breakfast. I went home and got the puppy and Bob turned his mob out by the machine shed. We probably jumped five or six rabbits. The dogs had trouble keeping on the trail....too dry? Stella did fine. She doesn't know what she's about yet, but she kept up with the rest of the hounds, and at least she knows she's a beagle now. Robert killed one rabbit and gave the pup a snootful...that got her plenty excited!
Another fun hunt with good friends. Hey, any day in the field's a good'un!
jts
Bob and Robert came early for ducks. We hunted George's side and saw two groups of woodies early. Later, I walked them up and Dad killed one on a pass shot. Flip winded the little drake before I sent him...the bird had fallen into a thicket of briars....no problem for the dog....great retrieve.
Larry eventually arose from his beauty sleep and met us at the house for a rabbit hunt after we finished our big post-ducks breakfast. I went home and got the puppy and Bob turned his mob out by the machine shed. We probably jumped five or six rabbits. The dogs had trouble keeping on the trail....too dry? Stella did fine. She doesn't know what she's about yet, but she kept up with the rest of the hounds, and at least she knows she's a beagle now. Robert killed one rabbit and gave the pup a snootful...that got her plenty excited!
Another fun hunt with good friends. Hey, any day in the field's a good'un!
jts
Geese
The Day after Thanksgiving--
I scouted a couple hundred geese by the big blind Thanksgiving Day. Next day, Dad was heading to Kilmarnock for more fishing. Wellesley and I hunted the bottom, coming in from our side and sitting near the canoe. We ran a butt load of geese out when we came in 45 minutes before legal time; then set out maybe a dozen dekes and hunched up in the weeds. We got some very early geese in but they set up too far around the point for shooting. Finally got a group of ten or so in, outside the decoys and barely in range....we promptly wasted several high dollar shells with nothing to show.
Later, a merganser set in the duck decoys close in. Normally I wouldn't bother with a fish duck, but Flip was getting fidgety, so what the heck. Up I stood, across the water ran the merg and "blam"! I shot two feet behind the dumb ole duck....but I nailed the decoy she ducked behind while trying to get airborne with a pretty good load of #3 steel.
In a bit, I added insult to injury. Telling Wellesley it was time to head to the office, I said, "Stay here and keep loaded. I'll pick up. That's sure to bring in the birds." Sure enough, as I stood in the midst of the decoys a hundred or more geese decided to lock up and come on in, landing, of course, eighty yards beyond shooting range. Wellesley didn't quit chuckling till we got in our trucks and went our separate ways. Oh well. Some days chickens, some days feathers.
jts
I scouted a couple hundred geese by the big blind Thanksgiving Day. Next day, Dad was heading to Kilmarnock for more fishing. Wellesley and I hunted the bottom, coming in from our side and sitting near the canoe. We ran a butt load of geese out when we came in 45 minutes before legal time; then set out maybe a dozen dekes and hunched up in the weeds. We got some very early geese in but they set up too far around the point for shooting. Finally got a group of ten or so in, outside the decoys and barely in range....we promptly wasted several high dollar shells with nothing to show.
Later, a merganser set in the duck decoys close in. Normally I wouldn't bother with a fish duck, but Flip was getting fidgety, so what the heck. Up I stood, across the water ran the merg and "blam"! I shot two feet behind the dumb ole duck....but I nailed the decoy she ducked behind while trying to get airborne with a pretty good load of #3 steel.
In a bit, I added insult to injury. Telling Wellesley it was time to head to the office, I said, "Stay here and keep loaded. I'll pick up. That's sure to bring in the birds." Sure enough, as I stood in the midst of the decoys a hundred or more geese decided to lock up and come on in, landing, of course, eighty yards beyond shooting range. Wellesley didn't quit chuckling till we got in our trucks and went our separate ways. Oh well. Some days chickens, some days feathers.
jts
Wednesday, November 5, 2008
Muzzle Opener
Saturday, November 1
Put the tree stand out Friday afternoon just off the pasture. Climbed up Saturday morning and sat for a few hours with the Hawken. Must've seen a gazillion squirrels...the freshly fallen leaves made for a veritable cacophony of hopping rodents. Didn't see any deer..since it was getting pretty warm by about 9, I quit and headed to the house. Watched the Hoos drop one to Miami in OT.
Put the tree stand out Friday afternoon just off the pasture. Climbed up Saturday morning and sat for a few hours with the Hawken. Must've seen a gazillion squirrels...the freshly fallen leaves made for a veritable cacophony of hopping rodents. Didn't see any deer..since it was getting pretty warm by about 9, I quit and headed to the house. Watched the Hoos drop one to Miami in OT.
Monday, October 27, 2008
Last Day of Early Ducks
Monday, Oct. 13--
Dad and I hunted the last morning for early ducks on George's side of the creek. Beavers have built a new dam and flooded the "honey hole". Looked really promising, but again, no ducks. Immediately adjacent Will has just chopped some forage sorghum silage, but there were no doves on the wires as we left. I scouted the Bibb place. They're shelling corn in the bottom, but again, no doves. Dunno where they are.
Amy and I took a long walk around the loop in the afternoon and got up a big gang of turkeys in the bottom, near the lower turn. They flew down the lake toward Kevin's. Next project is a clean up at the cabin for winter.
Dad and I hunted the last morning for early ducks on George's side of the creek. Beavers have built a new dam and flooded the "honey hole". Looked really promising, but again, no ducks. Immediately adjacent Will has just chopped some forage sorghum silage, but there were no doves on the wires as we left. I scouted the Bibb place. They're shelling corn in the bottom, but again, no doves. Dunno where they are.
Amy and I took a long walk around the loop in the afternoon and got up a big gang of turkeys in the bottom, near the lower turn. They flew down the lake toward Kevin's. Next project is a clean up at the cabin for winter.
Sunday, Oct. 12
Will, Willie, Dad, Anna, and I cleaned up around the "loop" today....Dad on the John Deere, Willie and Anna in the Mule, and Will and I walking with power-saws. Had to cut up several downed pines and plenty of scrub, but it's well cleaned and ready for deer and late duck season.
Saturday, Oct. 11
Despite seeing no birds yesterday, we had to try 'em at least once in the early season. Dad and I hunted Edward's. Heard just a few Woodies squealing. Saw one lone duck about dawn and quit early.....still worth the trip. I wonder if the lack of ducks up here has anything to do with the water being back to regular levels in the lake...dunno.
Switched gears for the afternoon. Will and Willie arrived in time for a dove hunt in the sunflower field, which is pretty picked over. Saw very few doves. I shot at one and thought I missed. Saw Will walk over under the sycamore. Turns out I hit the bird and it went into the tree. Will said it hopped up and down for several seconds and fell out of the tree. Flip got the bird up and it flew across the pond, where he hunted hard and made a good retrieve.
Things were so slow we traded guns for fishing poles. I hooked a big bass, but lost him at my feet while trying to lip him out of the moss at the bank. Oh well.
Friday, October 10, 2008
Early Ducks, duh
OK, so we forgot ducks started Thursday...by the time I figured it out last night it was too late to gather up all the gear and get ready for this morning..oh well. We'll go tomorrow. I got up and scouted at Edward's this morning. Saw very few ducks, but heard shooting over on the N. Anna and on the Lake. I took the tripod and camera and played with some pre-dawn shots....still need some practice on the low light photos.
Monday, September 22, 2008
Saturday, Sept 20 DU Banquet
The Louisa DU banquet was Saturday. Everybody had a good time. For Amy and me, it was nice to be able to sit and enjoy dinner.....no "chairman" duties. Andy and Troy put on a good event. Helping without interfering was tough.....if you hand over the reigns, you've got to let go. Finally winning a Benelli raffle and watching Arlene's reaction to the "raffle girl" made the evening.
The crowd was a little thin and prices in the auction were down some. The media frenzy over the Wall Street meltdown probably didn't help. I felt for Andy a little, but as I told him....you prepare and plan....then it's banquet night. Let the chips fall and send the check to DU. We have no control over some things.
As pressure continues to mount to plow up and develop wetlands, the need remains for support. If you couldn't make the banquet, you can still lend a hand. Every dollar helps.
Sunday, September 21, 2008
Friday, Sept. 19
Called Dad, who said there'd finally been more birds in the sunflowers. Drove out for an impromptu hunt, arriving at 4:15 and hunted until about 5:30. Fall weather's arrived, along with big flocks......ten to twenty at a crack. The shooting was fast and so was the wind. We each lost several dead into the treeline....shot at thirty yards and windblown into the trees behind us. Since I was rushed to get to Goldmine, I left Flip in the pen. Croc pulled double duty picking up for both of us. On the way back I noticed the dogwoods were just taking on some color. Fall will be in full swing soon.
Wednesday, September 10, 2008
Saturday
No hunting last weekend......Tropical Storm Hanna rained us out. Question is, did she move the birds out? We'll see this week.
Shot in the Twyman Open at the club instead. Those were some nasty birds Saturday. Can you say 79 in the .410? Sheesh!
Till next time......
jts
Shot in the Twyman Open at the club instead. Those were some nasty birds Saturday. Can you say 79 in the .410? Sheesh!
Till next time......
jts
Thursday, September 4, 2008
September 3
Storm's coming. With Hurricane Hannah threatening for the weekend, Dad decided to hunt today rather than resting the field till Saturday. We hunted from about four to six. Still slow. I stood and watched the doves piling into the uncut part of the church pasture....landing on the sunflower stalks in the thick stuff instead of coming up the hill to the mowed part. Interesting.
Dad killed a fat pigeon. Asked if it counted as two doves since it was so big, or as none. "Whatever you want it to count as, I guess." I killed eight doves.
No pics today....forgot the camera. Gave half the dove breasts to John and Shelby. Never saw any more of the pigeon....mebbe Croc ate it.
jts
Dad killed a fat pigeon. Asked if it counted as two doves since it was so big, or as none. "Whatever you want it to count as, I guess." I killed eight doves.
No pics today....forgot the camera. Gave half the dove breasts to John and Shelby. Never saw any more of the pigeon....mebbe Croc ate it.
jts
Tuesday, September 2, 2008
Opening Day
What a great day! Cool enough to be comfortable in the shade....that's a switch. Awesome company.......
The birds were slow; Colemans' started chopping corn. Dunno, maybe that pulled the birds some. Everybody got some shooting; we cleaned and grilled maybe thirty birds. We'll rest the field and try again Saturday if the storms allow. Missed Will and his boys.....they'll be along Saturday.
- Christiane's first dove hunt, in the shade with Cris in the 'hot' corner;
- Jay and Kathy, unfettered by obligations and savoring retirement time;
- Larry's first dove hunt in years, 196 days and a wake-up to retirement;
- Bill and Greg with the human retrievers Robert and Tyler;
- Neighbor Brian with daughter Courtney and trusty Buttercup;
- Ed from church;
- Kurt, Dad and I representing our clan;
- Croc and Flip doing better than average for an opener.
The birds were slow; Colemans' started chopping corn. Dunno, maybe that pulled the birds some. Everybody got some shooting; we cleaned and grilled maybe thirty birds. We'll rest the field and try again Saturday if the storms allow. Missed Will and his boys.....they'll be along Saturday.
Saturday, August 30, 2008
Getting Ready
Monday starts a new season. Today the first of the sunflowers were mowed. Neither of us said it....no need.......both thinking of her today.
The dogs are ready and invites are done. Everyone got your license and shells?
The dogs are ready and invites are done. Everyone got your license and shells?
Friday, August 22, 2008
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