3 pintails

[hdshot]

Just had to cancel my first trip ever of sockeye fishing on the Columbia or anywhere because the days I had planned on going are now closed as of today!  The days open a limit of 2 sockeye.  To make this waterfowl related it looks like we might be able to bag 3 pintails per day 7 day per week most weeks during the waterfowl season to compare.

[Dan-o]

I like your resilience.   

[metlhead]

Hen pinners make great live decoys

[Klickitatsteelie]

But only 3 geese

[metlhead]

Bummer bouts the goose limit decrease. Any reasons? Last season had crazy cackler and dusky numbers along the coast.

[hunterednate]

Main reason for goose season decrease is population declines among some species of cackling geese and lesser Canadas. The big Western Canadas are doing fine.

[metlhead]

Got a link to the numbers? From Willapa to Tillamook I've seen huge increases in numbers. Willamette valley seems to have strong numbers.

[vandeman17]

Last couple seasons I have seen more and more pinnies in the basin

[hunterednate]

Got a link to the numbers? From Willapa to Tillamook I've seen huge increases in numbers. Willamette valley seems to have strong numbers.

I don't have a link, but you could email Kyle Spragens with WDFW to ask for the numbers. The data presented at the last WAG meeting and may also be in the meeting minutes on the WDFW website.

[metlhead]

Thanks

[hdshot]

I like your resilience.   

Everyone has to be resilient especially the local businesses that depend on that fishery.  I had to pivot from planned spending for gas, food, license, and lodging around Brewster area and instead took that time and money to Yellowstone. 

[hdshot]

Bummer bouts the goose limit decrease. Any reasons? Last season had crazy cackler and dusky numbers along the coast.

My former hunting partner would likely tell you in capital letters stop being negative and go kick rocks.  But you would have understood like me and saved a rock because he probably already took enough kicked rocks off his head.

[YoungFowler]

If I had a dollar for every time I heard the phrase "former hunting partner," I could probably buy a new shotgun. I understand you got burned by him at some point in time, but do you think maybe it's time to move on and go out and have new experiences, make new friends, and hunt new places? I'm not trying to be mean, but you talk about it in every thread, to what end? What do you want us to say? Sorry that he burned you?

I'm sure you have far more hunting experience than I do, but in my time hunting I have come to notice two types of outdoorsmen, the complainers and the do-ers. Seasons change, new people move into spots, land gets sold, diseases, predators, whatever it may be, things change and there are always people who complain about it, blame WDFW, blame someone else, etc.
On the other hand, there are people who are resilient and continue to be students to the outdoors and find new spots, hunt harder, try new strategies, and take ownership in their success. Sometimes it's easy to fall into the first group, I do myself at times. But I try my best to be a do-er, like I see many other men and women doing on this forum. You've obviously been eaten up by this hunting partner thing for a long time, and I'm honestly sympathetic to it, but at some point you gotta let that go into the past and think about the possibilities of the future. That's my best attempt at a pep talk, and I've been thinking about it for a while, since I always see your posts. Best of luck.

[Dan-o]

Excellent perspective and advice, Youngfowler!   

[h2ofowlr]

Great perspective youngfowler.  Hdshot has been beating that dead horse for several years.  Time to move on.