Second attempt at write-up. I lost everything with a bad file extension.
Anyways, I went to the outside beach today to target Mergansers and maybe a Harlequin, didn't see any Harlis. I had two groups of Mergs come in/by but couldn't get decent shots on either. Finally, about a dozen came in and I knocked down four, though one dove and popped up too far out for a shot, then flew away.
There was a pretty strong current and by the time I sent Amber, the birds were already 70 or so yards away. I followed her, and the birds, down the beach. I lined her up and sent her for the second bird. She was heading toward the one that was farthest out when she saw the closer one and turned to pick it up. By the time I sent her to the third one we were a couple hundred yards down the beach and it was over 120 yards out. She was heading on the line I sent her but then got to a long piece of kelp and got confused losing the bird. We do not have the "back" command down very well, so she started swimming back to shore. When she got close enough that I figured I could chuck a rock over her head, I did and got her going back out. She was off the line though as my throw was not super accurate. Fortunately, when I gave her the "over" signal she turned and picked up the bird that was now about 30 yards away. Good thing it was belly up and quite calm this morning.
Anyways, got a little wet in the rain, but got to work Amber a bit more before the end of the season. Good luck everyone out there still gunning.
The fetching photo is after we got back to the log where we were sitting. When I flung the duck out for her to retrieve it, a herring or anchovy flipped out of its crop.
