Weekend Duck hunt

[CAJUNLAWYER]

If this weekend was to be my last duck hunt before I die, I would die a happy man. That's how good it was!
Saturday was cold and windy-we were hunting a new piece of marsh. We had about 100 ducks in the decoys before shooting time and the rest wee buzzing us like a bunch of fighter pilots.
Shooting time came and we had limits in 15 minutes. A couple of teal, two beautiful drake Widgeon and the rest big greys. We packed away the guns and that is when the real fun began! Those ducks poured in like we had baited the pond! We just sat back and enjoyed! Sunday was warm and raining. A little slower-took about an hour to get limits. We gave up our Saturday blind to another group of hunters and they had the same shooting we had-came back with a three man limit of greys and Widgeon with a couple of Spoonies sprinkled in. I have been hunting with my blind mate since we were in college. We are now 68 & 69 years old. We don't really talk much as we pretty much know what each other is thinking before he says it, but this weekend we talked a lot-about family, grandkids spouses and things that still piss us off. We were still the two college kids who used to bring beer to the blind (we now bring water, Diet cokes and thermacells) play poker all night until it was time to go hunting, drinking obscene amounts of whisky with everyone else in the camp (I think I had one beer and one scotch the whole weekend this time as did he and we were both in bed by 8).
We ate like kings and the football games were great. We both agreed that if this one was it, we were good with it. We are at the stage that who knows???
The only bad thing is that I've got 24 ducks on ice in the back yard waiting to be either plucked or breasted out ( I took an out of towner's limits as he didn't want to travel with them-I was legal ).
Things I learned this weekend.
My nice "waxed" cotton Filson hat isn't waterproof at all. Gonna fix THAT once it dries out.
Flex Seal does NOT work repairing waders actually I made this discovery about tree weeks ago when I tried to fix leaks in my old pair. Totally a waste of time. Which leads me to
TideWe makes some pretty good inexpensive waders-The ones I finally bought were $189 delivered.
The guides were all wearing Sitka gear-said it was worth it. I started out hunting with these guys' fathers and uncles and now I'm hunting with their kids
Nothing beats a lab for digging out those ducks that drop in the grass or are wounded.
Gawd I do so love duck hunting!!!
Oh and Georgia won!

 

[jdlii]

The only thing that would have made it better, for me, is that if I had been invited and was there! Post photos if you have them. Sounds like a grand time and I can taste a roasted duck breast over a bed of wild rice and sautéed mushrooms.

 

[Alk8944]

When I was still interested in eating ducks I would hunt them in the want ads of the local newspaper. Far better eating than those wild ones that can be nasty sometimes. Most of them came from local golf courses when they became over-run with them. Fatter too. I have never shot a duck of any species, just plenty on pheasants.

We used to hunt pheasants on Christmas day. I even got four one day on the deer hunt with my F-350 Ford. they flew right in front of the truck with a stake body on it, on the highway. I can't remember ever taking a pheasant legally, but the statute of limitations ran out many years ago.

 

[THE PILGRIM]

Have taken Pheasants, Legally!
This is the last one I saw. He reminded me that he was in a Game Refuge.

 

[Rudi]

A great day Caje! Happy for you. I gave up water fowling over 30 years ago. Miss it. Our memories are priceless. Wood Ducks on the Bar B Q. Yum.

 

[Old 44 Guy]

Good hunting story, Caj. Reminds me of my youth when the wind was blowing and the Snows came down and I filled my limit. Got 4 with 3 shots with my old Browning hump back. Those were the days.

 

[YeshuaIsa53]

Thanks for the story, Caje. That GA win was awesome, too. I have read quite a few stories this season, and their stories sound like there are very few ducks out there. My quick limits seem to have always been mostly GWT.

Some of my fondest hunts were guided in LA. We always brought limits home from your state. The owner of the lodge we went to died and the missus sold the place, I think. I sure miss them. Love to hear good duck stories, and love preparing the meat for freezing. Also love eating them.

Keep us posted on more duck hunts, if you feel like it.

 

[dockmurgw]

Now that's a day to die for...I'm envious and wish places like that weren't so far from home. My season never happened this year, I just couldn't bring myself to walk down to the blind. A day after setting up my blind, itching to enjoy two years of training my dog, 2 1/2-year-old Zeke injured his back in a freak accident chasing a ball. 2 days later paralyzed and put down on the 3rd day. A road trip to Wisconsin for a new pup named Gus, and now I'm working on getting ready for next year's season. But I don't think I'll ever get over losing Zeke.

 

[Onomea]

Caje, happy for you. Well done.

 

[JET4]

A great day and a good time with friends. Thanks for sharing.

 

[Farmer17]

Growing up duck hunting was very popular in Oklahoma, right up there with deer hunting. Now I don't know many people who hunt ducks and I see ducks everywhere. My dads duck hunting gear consisted of a WWII army coat, hip waders, M12 Winchester 16 gauge and an Army satchel bag with about 15 Deeks. The Deeks were duck decoys that filled with air when you through them into the water, they worked great! We would crouch in icy water behind willows for hours, and I hated it! Never wanted to duck until I was about 16 and a buddy talked me into going hunting with his dad. We sat in a warm, elevated wooded blind, with heaters, donuts, hot coffee, and hot chocolate. There was a Jon boat, about 60 decoys, and a black lab that was smarter than a lot of college professors. From then on I liked duck hunting.

 

[jimmyj]

Jimmy is not a Hunter. However in the late 1960s I was invited to duck hunt in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. We were in the flooded rice fields well before dawn. (wearing borrowed waders). I was explained how not to look up when the ducks were being called in. After a hour everyone had their limit. Back at the camp the Host had a big wheel with rubber spikes that when turned on would take the feathers off within a minutes. My ownly duck hunt but it was a great time and outstanding people.

 

[mtgianni]

Jimmy is not a Hunter. However in the late 1960s I was invited to duck hunt in Cherry Valley, Arkansas. We were in the flooded rice fields well before dawn. (wearing borrowed waders). I was explained how not to look up when the ducks were being called in. After a hour everyone had their limit. Back at the camp the Host had a big wheel with rubber spikes that when turned on would take the feathers off within a minutes. My ownly duck hunt but it was a great time and outstanding people.

A friend raised 500 chickens a while back. He was able to luck into a plucking machine that he got running for only $1000. It still gets used but they aren't cheap.

 

[pawngal]

Caj, my late hubby was a big time waterfowl hunter but never hunted in the south. What is a grey duck?

 

[Nevada Ed]

How sweet it is..............

I also had one of those days but I was lucky enought to have brought my old 35 mm camera along.
Flights of of ducks came in and left for a few hours as I peaked out from my tule cover.
Picture 19A on the roll of film has over 100 ducks coming in to my decoys with wings set and feet down.

There are more than one way to "Shoot" ducks.

However I do enjoy them picked, cut in half, lengthwise and cooked over charcoal,
to a medium rare, pink.

"Grays" ?
Is that like a Sprig or Pintail duck?

 

[CAJUNLAWYER]

Caj, my late hubby was a big time waterfowl hunter but never hunted in the south. What is a grey duck?

Gadwall. Down here we stick to single syllables when possible. Less slurring that way

 

[Rule3]

. I have been hunting with my blind mate since we were in college.

How does he know where to aim? Do you guide him?

 

[fiasconva]

I'm so envious. You're a lucky man.

 

[Leslie Sapp]

There's nothing else like that, Caj. - Walking away from a hunt knowing that you'll remember that day for the rest of your life.

We've both been blessed to have had experiences like that.
Here's to many more!

 

[llowry61]

Nice work Caj - duck hunting has been my passion, but it is a young mans game.

We had some incredible hunts in SD and here in Ohio over the years. They stick with you forever.

I would love to have one more. We always breasted them never plucked them. Cook over the hot coals with a wrap of bacon and some sweet BBQ sauce. Teal and Woodies are my favorite to eat but any puddlers except spoonies eat good.