Teal at last!

[BrentD]

Did not get out for the Tuesday opener but we made it out yesterday (Day 2) and saw birds before sunrise. Unfortunately, we didn't see any teal after sunrise so no shots were fired. We wanted to go out this morning as well, so my hunting partner (a recent grad student), did more scouting and concluded that we really were on the best water. So we came back today. Sure enough, we saw birds and ended up with 10 in spite of some poor shooting.

I was shooting a Cashmore hammer double and about half of my ducks were shot with black powder loads.

Great morning with an intense sunrise through fog. Lots of other interesting birds out and about as well. We got some really great low-pass fly-bys from trumpeters and Canadas and screaming attacks by teal. They kept coming from behind us and fast. We never got much time to get ready but we got our share anyway.

The most important thing is that Gus had a great time. He retrieved all of the birds and most of the decoys. Some more than once

 

[Sask hunter]

Dog work is the best part of bird hunting

 

[mdeerjunkie]

Congrats!

 

[F250]

That's a happy dog !! It doesn't get any better for them ... huntin ducks with Dad !!

 

[fallfreak]

Looks like a lot of fun and you got some great pictures too.

 

[dirtclod Az.]

I hear decoys are kinda' tough, any recipe suggestions?

 

[choc dogs]

Black powder must make a second bird interesting. Calculating lead through a haze of smoke. My late father always threatened to bring his muzzloader to opening day of waterfowl festivities, he always ended up with something else. I need to figure out how to load the thing and try a turkey hunt. It’s too freaking heavy to carry for chuckar.

 

[BrentD]

Yes, it's a little different sometimes, depending on the breeze, which was quite lively yesterday. There is also a very nice orange muzzle flash as well.
Last year, on the same pond, same gun, I swung and fired and when the smoke cleared, three birds were on the water. That was not expected. But normally, smoke is not an issue. My first rifle elk was sort of like that too. Had to duck down to see under the cloud - but that's somewhat exceptional.

I can see using a muzzleloader for turkeys, but not for other birds. I have friends that do insist on muzzleloaders for pheasants and it's sort of a PITA. But for cartridge guns, it's just a different powder.

Birds shot with black powder taste much better however, so it's all worth it.

 

[Gellar]

I had to take a semester off of college because my duck blind looked a lot like the library. I never thought to bring the professor with me. That is simply brilliant on the grad students part. He is going places!
Congratulations on a great hunt and Sweet pictures!

 

[BrentD]

I was taught to hunt ducks by a professor, Orley "Chip" Taylor. Now I'm just closing the circle.

He is kinda hooked. He carved his own decoys this winter. They look a lot better than my plastic ones.

 

[WildWill]

Saw a pile of blue wings while dove hunting Tuesday and Thursday, our season doesn't open till Saturday.

 

[kansasdad]

BrentD as I read your thread title, a Andy Williams Tune popped into my head........”It’s the most wonderful time of the year”.

It feels so good to be back in the marsh on opening day teal season.

 

[Gellar]

I was taught to hunt ducks by a professor, Orley "Chip" Taylor. Now I'm just closing the circle.

He is kinda hooked. He carved his own decoys this winter. They look a lot better than my plastic ones.

My intern advisor liked to fly fish. He made a couple extra visits to my internship Site in the Driftless area.