Duck opener

[HuntinCrazy]

Well it finally got here. "Duck Season 2007"    

How did you guys do?

 My east side contacts  did GOOD. mallards, teal and gadwalds.

 We headed up to Rapjohn Lake for a laid back shoot.  My partner and I managed to take 3 Ringnecks (2 drakes and 1 hen) and 1 hen teal. Saw a few mallards but nothing to speak  of. My Labs 3rd season. WOW.......it was like she has been sitting in the boat all summer waiting for that 1st duck  to spash. The skys were clear and calm. A bit foggy at shooting time. We had the whole lake to our selves until 2 fishing boats launched about 8:30am.  We had to hold off on a few shots because of it . I picked up at 9:15 to let them fish with the kids they had.  We all have to share the lakes.  It was great to be out shooting ducks again.

[General Disarray]

it might take a couple more years to perfect my opener plans, but I'm getting closer.

This season started with a trip to Ellensburg at 7:30am Saturday.  Family loaded into the car and off to play our final Grid Kids' Football game.  Arrived there in a foggy haze and 35 degrees and discovered the boy had left his shoulder pads at home! After some phone calls to locate a mom still in Selah we settled into a long cold game.  Stopped for lunch on the way out of town(if you're passing through Eburg I recommend the Roadhouse Grill and their food and their waitresses!). Made it back to Selah by about 1:30.  Had some phone calls made to see what the birds were doing.  Seems the flight had really died off in the 70 degree no wind weather.  Loaded up our stuff and our 5 month old BLF and headed for the valley.  Went to spot A and found just 2 cars in the parking lot, both friends of mine.  One guy had walked out to rest and get some shade because of the sun.  We BS'd for a while and watched the skies for birds.  Finally close to 4pm the birds started moving.  We put our waders on and grabbed our guns and headed out.  We were set up around 4:30 and the first birds were working soon after.  Dropped a young bull pintail out of a group and worked the pup on the crippled bird.  Made it back to the blind in time to work some mallards in and before I knew it I had my 7 birds(6 mallards and the pinnie).  Looked at the watch, 5:04.  Told my boy it was his turn(opening day is mine, he gets the youth hunt!) and started calling birds in for him to shoot at.  He managed to scare a few but didn't connect.  Walked out of there at 6:15 thinking I was off to a pretty good start!

Guess I'm on pace for 735 ducks as it sits right now!

[HuntinCrazy]

it might take a couple more years to perfect my opener plans, but I'm getting closer.

This season started with a trip to Ellensburg at 7:30am Saturday.  Family loaded into the car and off to play our final Grid Kids' Football game.  Arrived there in a foggy haze and 35 degrees and discovered the boy had left his shoulder pads at home! After some phone calls to locate a mom still in Selah we settled into a long cold game.  Stopped for lunch on the way out of town(if you're passing through Eburg I recommend the Roadhouse Grill and their food and their waitresses!). Made it back to Selah by about 1:30.  Had some phone calls made to see what the birds were doing.  Seems the flight had really died off in the 70 degree no wind weather.  Loaded up our stuff and our 5 month old BLF and headed for the valley.  Went to spot A and found just 2 cars in the parking lot, both friends of mine.  One guy had walked out to rest and get some shade because of the sun.  We BS'd for a while and watched the skies for birds.  Finally close to 4pm the birds started moving.  We put our waders on and grabbed our guns and headed out.  We were set up around 4:30 and the first birds were working soon after.  Dropped a young bull pintail out of a group and worked the pup on the crippled bird.  Made it back to the blind in time to work some mallards in and before I knew it I had my 7 birds(6 mallards and the pinnie).  Looked at the watch, 5:04.  Told my boy it was his turn(opening day is mine, he gets the youth hunt!) and started calling birds in for him to shoot at.  He managed to scare a few but didn't connect.  Walked out of there at 6:15 thinking I was off to a pretty good start!

Guess I'm on pace for 735 ducks as it sits right now!


Good job General. OMG 735 ducks a year?  Hunting the South Puget Sound area I avg. about 150 ducks and 25 or so geese.What do you do with so many??? I am going to retire at the end of the year, so I can spend more time in the field/water. I am looking for some new areas in the east side. We are going to hunt the Columbia river in January this season. And I have the whole month to hunt.....WOOOHOOOO

[General Disarray]

the 735 ducks comment was a joke.... if you take the 105 day season(-2 from the youth hunt) and multiply it by 7 ducks a day you get 735... Just like in baseball where if a guy hits a homer on opening day he's on pace for 162 for the season...

[wannahunt]

Here are a few pictures of my boys and our ducks from opening morning. It was real foggy early but we had a great shoot.

[HuntinCrazy]

the 735 ducks comment was a joke.... if you take the 105 day season(-2 from the youth hunt) and multiply it by 7 ducks a day you get 735... Just like in baseball where if a guy hits a homer on opening day he's on pace for 162 for the season...

Ahhhhhhhhhhhhh.......now I get it........LOL I must have been sleeping

[HuntinCrazy]

Here are a few pictures of my boys and our ducks from opening morning. It was real foggy early but we had a great shoot.

Looks like you and your boys had a great hunt. Congrats.  Also looks like a nice "duck area". Small water?

[wannahunt]

Actually we hunt a huge marsh in the middle of the Columbia river from the Oregon side. Kinda near the town of Svenson. Lots of places for a lot of folks to hunt and lots of ducks.