This is my third season duck hunting, and the first opener I've actually been able to get out for! I talked my brother into going with me and to go see why I'm willing to spend miserable days in the pouring rain and cold just for a chance at a few ducks
He may have caught the waterfowling bug
We get there bright and early, and as we were loaded up and locking up the car another group of hunters showed up. We let them know where we were setting up, so they said they'd set up on the far end of the property so we're not fighting for birds or raining pellets on each other. Sounds good! Plenty of pond for the both of us! As my brother and I are working on the blind we look up to see ANOTHER party setting up about 80 yards from us max. It's not worth an argument, so we'll just deal with it. Opening light rolls around and the war starts. I immediately realize we have no chance of anything landing in our spread so it's gonna be a very short day. Close blind drops at least 5 mergansers
, and there are LOTS of geese flying but they want nothing to do with this battlefield. Fast forward to the time we've decided we're just going to pack up and leave. I watch the people in the close blind quickly duck and start laying on the duck call. Pintails!! They miss so as the pintails try to escape they'll pass my blind. I raise and fire... drop one!
Nice drake pinny! Either immature or eclipse plumage. We then packed up and went home. Great day in my mind. I got to put my new foam decoys on the pond, introduced my brother to duck hunting, and got a tasty duck!
