Now that things have settled down a bit, and the gear has been put away, it's time to recap the 2010/2011 season. I did not hunt last year, but vowed to get out a few times and enjoy the moments afield and share them with my growing boys - Max and Dom (Dominic). The purpose is to recap and primarily provide a small history of what was our hunts this last fall and winter to my family, but also to share with those who have appreciated the ride we had and encouraged us along and helped make this season one to remember - Thank you to those of you that we have met by sharing our adventures. It is true in a sense that in order to receive you must be first willing to give. I'm glad we have shared with you and appreciate those that have shared with us in return- I would like to meet some of you face to face sometime......So here's the story that was the hunting season of 2010/2011 for the Rippo family.
Our story begins the day before Sept 1st. Like my father did with me, we headed east for warmer weather and freshly cut grain fields. We scouted, and scouted. Found a few good options and then warmed up the boys on a few hand tossed clay birds. They were on and feeling confident on making their shots count in the am - and they did.
Here's Dom with his first dove ever, taken with his first shot........Every year, I always see if that first shot connects w/ the first bird presented. His season started like that and he never looked back.
Max was connecting with his ithaca 20 gauge pump - which is older than I by a ways.
They started filling the first days bag well for themselves.
We ended up banging our limits over 2 days - 60 birds and yes the boys found their swings shooting 12 boxes of shells between them:
Our next adventure was on the youth hunt weekend, Dom was in and Max was out, unfortunately, not treating your mother w/ respect will not earn you a hunting trip.
Dom took care of business on his first ducks, taking 7 mixed birds in an hour. Oh yeah, he shot 2 doubles on this day - one on his first go.
We followed up the youth hunt with a tour to north central WA for a youth doe mule deer hunt Max had won in the state tag lottery. Opening day, after some scouting and a rough am hunt we found them in the afternoon and Max made good on his first shot at a deer - 180yrds on the range finder.
Next stop for the tour was a snow goose hunt on the 3rd week in Oct. Big thanks to Jim and Seth, for helping us make the most of our draw for this field. Total for the day was 8 snows, 3 cacklers, and 1 sprig.
After a good showing on snows, we didn't get out for a month. We decided to head over to the river on central WA and hunt up my old haunts. The boys hadn't been here since I took them w/ me when they were still in diapers! It was funny how they remembered these spots and the exact locations in the blinds where they napped w/ headphones on. We took 24 ducks and 2 honkers this weekend.
Max's first Goose hit the water this day:
We ended up coming back to see if we could find another opportunity for the white geese a couple of weeks later and found them in a place we found permission to hunt. And they played the game this day well. Max also shoots his first double on geese and one is sporting a band from Wrangell Is. Russia.
12 snows mostly mature went down for the count.
The boys break for Christmas Vacation and we make a run back to the Big C for what would be our most demanding yet exciting hunt of the year. Max also gets his next band from another double on mallards - this came by way of W. Alberta. tally - limits for 3, 20 mallards and 1 canvasback.
A visit to a friends farm after Christmas allows the boys to hunt "on their own" as I observed from afar. I'm sure where the sky busting gene comes from it appeared this day, and allowed for some coaching on my part. They did get a couple of teal, and this goose that was very unlucky the evening before when scouting.
That was one tough old goose.
We work through the Holidays and Dom and I venture out close to home on the sound for a new years day hunt while everything inland is frozen solid. After avoiding some of the drunks on the road we found some birds.
We follow up our opener to 2011 with a stellar sheet water widgeon shoot. 3 limits in 3hours, it was fast and furious, with chip shots.
Then things in the last 2 weeks of the season got tough. We hit a zero one hunt as the birds went nocturnal with the Jan. full moon.
Dom and scratched out 4 birds on the second to the last weekend of the season, tough hunting but he has grown in his love of the sport.
Then we ended the season with a Friday/Sat hunt. First Friday in a flooded field that was holding big numbers of birds, but the water receeded a lot and they moved out of the area and left us w/ our second zero of the season.
Sat we tried for brant, Max was with me this time, as we were passengers on Jim's alumaweld, joined by his buddy Seth. I was a very young man when I have hunted these geese in San Quintin Mexico, and this was a very cool yet different experience.
And with not a shot fired, it ended. 2010/2011 season was offically in the books with not a single regret.
We had a great season, and as we set out in the beginning it wa sall about the boys and making a great foundation.
Thanks for letting us share, and thanks again for all of the kind words.
Looking forward to seeing full straps next season-
