What a day! Started out a bit rocky, but quickly turned into an absolutely fantastic day!
I met up with my hunting buddy bright and early, hoping that today would bring more birds than I've been seeing recently. Got out to our spot at about 5am, only to find someone had gotten there before us!
Rats! Oh well... plenty of water for everyone. Taking in to account wind and what we know of the site, we set up diagonally from them, on the other side of the water. Now, when I say other side... I mean WAY other side. Probably a good 250 yards away. Thinking this is more than enough room, we start setting up. Fast forward to TWENTY MINUTES before shooting light, when a young man walks over.
"Hey how's it going?" Good, we reply, how about you?
"Good good.... you guys know you're right in our shooting lane right?" ..... What?
"Yea you set up right in our path. " You guys are set up near the cove in the back right?
"Yea sorta" Are you hunting the cove or the open water to the side?
"Well... we're sorta hunting the lake. You guys could move over there.... *pointing to the opposite side of the water with no cover*"
UGH
, it's not worth arguing. We hurriedly pack up and find a new spot that actually has cover we can use, and throw up a makeshift blind.
Shooting light arrives quickly, and so do the birds! Unfortunately, trying to get them to decoy was proving difficult since any time birds came near us the guys would start calling at them.
We're patient though... or maybe stubborn? Either way
BIRD!! Ducks swoop down. Get em!!! *BLAM* I dropped one!!! Hooray!!! I crawl out of the blind to claim my prize.
Now, this is the start of my lessons for today. First lesson : Double tap.
-Apparently ducks do not want to die. I walk up to grab it and it bolts into the water!! I try to shoot it, only to hit WAY under it and do no damage to the duck.
Lesson Two: Ducks are capable of becoming submarines
-As I try to correct and aim higher, I'm shocked to see my duck..... nowhere! The duck has disappeared! Then my eyes catch movement and I realize that this duck has dropped everything but it's nostrils underwater and is swimming away!!! The chase to follow it is quickly abandoned and as soon as I get back to shore I bolt to the other side of the water so I can cut it off. No duck, no submarine, nothing! I dig through the reeds and bushes along the shore... nothing. I'm starting to get sick to my stomach... I don't even want to cripple a bird in the first place... much less lose it
Then I look up and see a thin stand of reeds about 20ish yards offshore. Out in the water I go, scanning for any little detail that looks out of place. Finally I spot something that doesn't look right, so I start creeping closer. It's my duck!!! I can't tell if it's dead or alive.. it's eye is open but it's not moving at all. I'm not taking a chance so I shoulder my shotgun.
Lesson Three: At close range, aim WAY higher than you originally think is necessary
SPLASH SPLASH *BOOOOOOM*!!!!! Hahaha! I got y...... DAMNIT WHERE IS THE DUCK!!! Once again, high, or the duck dove before it was hit. Either way. Finally it surfaces!! Ok.... hold extra high... BOOOM! Yes! Finally connected solidly with the head. Only problem now is the water is too deep for me to wade. Fortunately, I notice the duck twitching is slowly bringing it closer to me. Eventually it twitches close enough that I can snag it with the shotgun. Hooray first duck down! A nice pintail hen!
Back to the blind I go. It doesn't take long before another duck swoops in. My partner fires, hit! Nice Ringneck drake! Shortly after another speeds by. Another hit! Gorgeous fat Ringneck hen! We wait, quite happy with how the day is turning out, and one of, if not the coolest thing I've experienced duck hunting happens.
We spot a lone bird coming in straight at us, fast and right along the water. Another Ringneck! He's coming straight at the decoys, he'll present a great shot! Wait.... he's not stopping!!!
This bird pulls up hard, and I'm not exaggerating when I say he missed the top of the blind by inches!!! He was so close we could feel the wind from his wings on our faces. Forgot shooting... I could have used the shotgun like a baseball bat! What a rush!
After a little more waiting, two birds start coming in, wings cupped. We can tell they're both Pintail Drakes!! Waiting.... waiting.... Get em!! *BOOM* *BOOM*! We each drop our bird in perfect unison. Oh no... mine's still moving
"You grab the dead one... I'll get him" Says the buddy.
Again submarine duck takes up residence in the reeds. This time though, we're ready. We corner him in the patch and when we can't find him, we wait. He makes the fatal mistake of raising his head to see if we're still there. Buddy spots him and fires! Huge splash, dead duck missing a head
They're both nice, but oh my, his is STUNNING. I don't think I've ever seen such a gorgeous bird!
So even after a rocky start, a great day! I learned some important lessons, and had a fantastic time. Pintail for dinner tonight!!
