Went out with a bang

[tyrant27]

Last day of the season my partner and I headed out on the Puget Sound in search of some sea ducks. Nailed limits of drake surf scoters, limits of goldeneyes, and drake buffleheads to boot. What a great day to end the season. And the weather was gorgeous. Perfect time to be out on the Puget Sound. AND I shot a banded surf scoter! My partner said he's been hunting surf scoter for 27 years and has never seen one banded before. Pretty sweet.

[lokidog]

Sweet limit, I didn't even think anyone would be banding Scoters.  Gives me hope that I might get a banded Merganser out here sometime.   

Be sure to let us know its history when you find out.

[tyrant27]

Lokidog here is the info on the bird:

INFORMATION FROM OUR FILES:
Species: Surf Scoter
Date banded: 08/07/2008
Banding Location: PADILLA BAY, 2.5 MI ESE OF ANACORTES., SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, USA
Age: HATCHED IN 2007 OR EARLIER
Sex: MALE

[lokidog]

That's cool 7+ year old bird! 

I'm hoping to try more decoying next year for the Scoters, do you guys anchor out and string dekes off the boat or just nearby, or are you shooting from shore?  The Scoters never come within range of shore out here.  Fortunately, we don't have the must-be-anchored-while-shooting rule so drift hunting works.

[tyrant27]

That's cool 7+ year old bird! 

I'm hoping to try more decoying next year for the Scoters, do you guys anchor out and string dekes off the boat or just nearby, or are you shooting from shore?  The Scoters never come within range of shore out here.  Fortunately, we don't have the must-be-anchored-while-shooting rule so drift hunting works.

Yeah, thats what I thought! Pretty old bird. Pretty interesting.

And yes, first thing we string out the dekes. We tow a small layout boat behind us and the shooter sets up in that, right in with the dekes. Then when that person gets their limit, we just simply swap roles. I hop in the big boat and he gets in the layout boat and repeat the process. The scoters will fly right into the decoys. Typically the opposite end of the layout boat haha. This morning a goldeneye landed in our decoys as we were in the boat stringing them out. Pretty funny.

[h2ofowlr]

Lokidog here is the info on the bird:

INFORMATION FROM OUR FILES:
Species: Surf Scoter
Date banded: 08/07/2008
Banding Location: PADILLA BAY, 2.5 MI ESE OF ANACORTES., SKAGIT COUNTY, WASHINGTON, USA
Age: HATCHED IN 2007 OR EARLIER
Sex: MALE

A few years ago, there were a lot of banded scoters hitting the deck it seemed.  They must have slowed down on the banding efforts on them.  About the same time frame or shortly after they reduced the limit on them as well.  Seemed like each time we went out, we were getting a banded one.

[Duckhunter14]

Very cool! My buddy got a banded harlequin on Sunday out of my boat too. Both trophies in my book. You getting that sucker mounted??

[tyrant27]

Very cool! My buddy got a banded harlequin on Sunday out of my boat too. Both trophies in my book. You getting that sucker mounted??

Oh wow! That would be awesome to get a Harlequin alone, but with a band too!? Nice. I've never taken a Harlequin but if I ever do, I will surely mount it.

No, I'm not getting the scoter mounted haha. Thought about it, but nah. Saving it for the Harlequin 

[ATM green head machine]

Sweet limit, I didn't even think anyone would be banding Scoters.  Gives me hope that I might get a banded Merganser out here sometime.   

Be sure to let us know its history when you find out.

   well this might help you then read the specise (common merganser)

[saltdux]

I'm hoping to try more decoying next year for the Scoters, do you guys anchor out and string dekes off the boat or just nearby, or are you shooting from shore?  The Scoters never come within range of shore out here.  Fortunately, we don't have the must-be-anchored-while-shooting rule so drift hunting works.

Well done on the banded scoters.  We were involved in the WDFW banding effort a few summers back on Padilla and other areas around the Sound. Quite a few scoters were banded and some were fitted w/ transmitters and tracked to/from their breeding areas in Alaska. Drift hunting sea ducks can be productive in some cases, but it's a grey area depending upon your momentum and often against the regs no matter where you do it in the state ( WDFW is focusing efforts on " motor sculling " sea ducks and quite a few tickets were written this season ). Compiling a rig and setting decoys for these openwater birds with a boat blind or layout will be a much more productive and enjoyable hunt.