For the first time in two years there is actually water in the wetlands! Well timed rains have come and filled up three mainstays for the central flyway.....Chyenne Bottoms, Quivira and McPherson wetlands are all reported to be full. Today was the opener and a new new wrinkle for teal hunters is an increased limit of six, up from four.
Two kids off to college and the youngest one going to her first day of "company" at her dance studio found me flying solo. Flooded cut milo and weedy open-ish water met a uncharacteristically windless Kansas morning. Walking in I found a group of three hunters plus their dog sitting at one end of a pool, so I walked on to the other end of the 200 acre size pool. There were over two hundred egrets roosting on the edge of the cut milo, and I could tell they were nervous that I was walking towards my spot. I sat down in a couple inches of water and waited for the eastern sky to start to lighten. Every time the egrets would start stirring I would heave a couple more decoys out into the water/weed line. I decided that I wouldn't wade out to put the spinning wing decoy out until the egrets decided on their own that it was time to go.
Legal shooting time came and eerily there was no shooting. KDWP reports estimated 4000 teal and 200 assorted big ducks spread out over three locations and there were probably 25 groups of hunters spread out over 16 pools where I was hunting. Finally the first volley of shots rang out to the west, and it was on. The egrets headed out and I waded out to put the spinning wing out and upright a couple of decoys laying on their sides in very shallow water. There were teal coming into our pool area, but they were landing in the milo, hundreds of yards out from the edge where I was sitting ( trying to look like a clump of grass). Then there were ducks coming in, right at me and then the brain goes.....big ducks, don't shoot. In the distance I can hear more shots and then a strange lull.
And then as teal can do, suddenly there is a single buzzing the spread. Grab the Winchester, safety, shoulder,boom! Oh yeah dummy get your cheek on the stock. All the teal on the pool along with every sandpiper avocet stilt and killdeer is now up and flying. Big ducks, teal and a whirling mass of shore birds are now flying circles in front of me. Track one, two, third, too many non-target birds in the way. What a show of nature.
The whirlwind of wings settles down now, and then it happens. Two greenwings come in. Splash one. Decide to not shoot at the other as that would send shot generally down range towards the other group. Reload. Instantly here come two more. Boom/splash. Boom/shudder, boom splash. I'm calling it a "kansasdad triple".....three for four with an insanely fast reload. Another double and after a long lull finish a single for a limit.
No matter how I try, just can't capture the brilliance and iridescence of teal wing colors.
Two kids off to college and the youngest one going to her first day of "company" at her dance studio found me flying solo. Flooded cut milo and weedy open-ish water met a uncharacteristically windless Kansas morning. Walking in I found a group of three hunters plus their dog sitting at one end of a pool, so I walked on to the other end of the 200 acre size pool. There were over two hundred egrets roosting on the edge of the cut milo, and I could tell they were nervous that I was walking towards my spot. I sat down in a couple inches of water and waited for the eastern sky to start to lighten. Every time the egrets would start stirring I would heave a couple more decoys out into the water/weed line. I decided that I wouldn't wade out to put the spinning wing decoy out until the egrets decided on their own that it was time to go.
Legal shooting time came and eerily there was no shooting. KDWP reports estimated 4000 teal and 200 assorted big ducks spread out over three locations and there were probably 25 groups of hunters spread out over 16 pools where I was hunting. Finally the first volley of shots rang out to the west, and it was on. The egrets headed out and I waded out to put the spinning wing out and upright a couple of decoys laying on their sides in very shallow water. There were teal coming into our pool area, but they were landing in the milo, hundreds of yards out from the edge where I was sitting ( trying to look like a clump of grass). Then there were ducks coming in, right at me and then the brain goes.....big ducks, don't shoot. In the distance I can hear more shots and then a strange lull.
And then as teal can do, suddenly there is a single buzzing the spread. Grab the Winchester, safety, shoulder,boom! Oh yeah dummy get your cheek on the stock. All the teal on the pool along with every sandpiper avocet stilt and killdeer is now up and flying. Big ducks, teal and a whirling mass of shore birds are now flying circles in front of me. Track one, two, third, too many non-target birds in the way. What a show of nature.
The whirlwind of wings settles down now, and then it happens. Two greenwings come in. Splash one. Decide to not shoot at the other as that would send shot generally down range towards the other group. Reload. Instantly here come two more. Boom/splash. Boom/shudder, boom splash. I'm calling it a "kansasdad triple".....three for four with an insanely fast reload. Another double and after a long lull finish a single for a limit.
No matter how I try, just can't capture the brilliance and iridescence of teal wing colors.
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