Skagit HQ opener

[Fieldp66]

I am just curious how people did on the opener at Skagit HQ. We got there a little before 5:30 and there was already 37 vehicles including 13 truck and trailers. This is only my second year hunting HQ and I severely under estimated the number of folks that would be out on the opener. We put in anyway and head down river to see if we could possibly make it to our normal spot with the low tide. We knew the outlook for any of our other inland alternatives with the number of trailers was not going to be good.  Long story short we made it down to the bay and we saw flash lights at even intervals as far as we could see so we just turned around and hunkered down in the main channel till it got light and then headed out. From 6:40 to 7:00 there were lots of shots in all directions just curious if the crowd was worth it. My gut feeling was not, there were not the many ducks around when we were poking around a couple of weekends ago. On the way home I stopped by a second boat launch and there was another 14 truck and trailers. A lot of pressure on the old Skagit Delta.  Lesson learned.

P.S. P.S. Does anyone know the story of barge that is anchored at the boat launch? It was tied up in the main channel down river two weeks ago.

[HUNTINCOUPLE]

Oh ya that place! We use to sleep out there over night but we always had good shoots!

[h2ofowlr]

The barge is the old one they used to move equipment over to the hunting island.  They have a new one just up river from the boat launch.  The new one is privately owned but for use for the DFW for the hunting island.  I hope they move the old one that's towards the mouth as it will kill someone this season when they plow into it.

[D-Rock425]

There where 4 boats already launched at headquarters when I pulled in the parking lot at midnight   

[D-Rock425]

We did manage to shoot 18 ducks between 3 guys.

[Fieldp66]

D-Rock and H2o thanks for the info. See you out there.

[ctwiggs1]

It's louder than a firefight up there on opening morning.  I don't hunt HQ for opener anymore.

[D-Rock425]

It's louder than a firefight up there on opening morning.  I don't hunt HQ for opener anymore.

yeah it was.  Surprisingly the shooting only started 2 minutes early this year.

[Fieldp66]

What is your gut feeling for the number of guys that will be at this weekend? Last year we only got aced out of "our" spot once and I'm pretty sure we hunted the second day.  The tides are a lot better for an early start this weekend. It is long ways for me to go to be hunting shoulder to shoulder. 

[D-Rock425]

I have no idea.  We walked in and hunted should be different out of a boat I suspect.

[singleshot12]

That place is so commercialized it ain't funny! Blaim it on the sky carp! Gave up hunting there about 20 years ago

[h2ofowlr]

There will be a bunch of people hunting it this weekend.

[Chesterdog]

Quote of the day from the blind next to us...  (BAM BAM BAM) "stop shooting you Idiots! It's a Seagull!"

On our way back to the boat launch, we saw 2 groups set up on land that is definitely posted with signs saying that you can't hunt here because it is part of the refuge.  People need to check their maps and do some scouting.  We asked the warden about it, and he said that he isn't familiar with the restrictions and that we needed to ask Belinda (I think that was her name) who was more familiar with the unit.  This was a sign to me that the unit is mismanaged.

Be safe out there.

[MC37493]

I have been up there every day since saturday i havent gotten skunked yet but there arent many ducks flying around, i saw a lot flying on saturday though.