Well, I haven't chased birds in a couple weeks and Axl was not happy about it, so I hit the road Thursday afternoon for a long weekend. Friday morning sucked. I have a feeling someone has been using my secret spot. Flushed birds out in the dark and they never came back. I did shoot one mallard drake, but pretty slow morning.
In the afternoon I decided I had better try to get a swan on the ground (or water, as the case may be). I threw out a couple decoys and took a little nap on the shore. Suddenly I am awakened by some noisy swans that have already entered the kill zone. I wanted to shoot one locked up, but sleep screwed that one up. I snapped a couple photos before deciding I might at well shoot one of these guys.
Two juveniles on the right side of the picture.
It was a good swan, but I have killed one bigger, so I will wait at least one more year for a mountable swan.
This guy sailed quite a ways, so I did the retrieving with the boat. Not sure if Ax was happy or not with that decision.
Saturday was a better duck day as I went to a new location. I picked up two readheads right away (limit is two) and so I was then waiting for a canvasback to make it a great "diver" day. I did take a few mallards while I was waiting though.
I finally gave up on the cans and shot this green-wing drake from a group of about a dozen birds. Picking out drakes in a teal flight is not easy for me, so I was pretty happy with this sixth duck.
Thankfully I was back in the good graces on Axl.
Saturday night was a little rough, so I slept through a lot of birds this morning. Flights were pretty poor and I only picked up 4 ducks, but they were all drakes and I passed on a few hens. Guess you can't fill everyday.
Now that Ax is happy, I think next weekend will be doe hunt time.
In the afternoon I decided I had better try to get a swan on the ground (or water, as the case may be). I threw out a couple decoys and took a little nap on the shore. Suddenly I am awakened by some noisy swans that have already entered the kill zone. I wanted to shoot one locked up, but sleep screwed that one up. I snapped a couple photos before deciding I might at well shoot one of these guys.
Two juveniles on the right side of the picture.
It was a good swan, but I have killed one bigger, so I will wait at least one more year for a mountable swan.
This guy sailed quite a ways, so I did the retrieving with the boat. Not sure if Ax was happy or not with that decision.
Saturday was a better duck day as I went to a new location. I picked up two readheads right away (limit is two) and so I was then waiting for a canvasback to make it a great "diver" day. I did take a few mallards while I was waiting though.
I finally gave up on the cans and shot this green-wing drake from a group of about a dozen birds. Picking out drakes in a teal flight is not easy for me, so I was pretty happy with this sixth duck.
Thankfully I was back in the good graces on Axl.
Saturday night was a little rough, so I slept through a lot of birds this morning. Flights were pretty poor and I only picked up 4 ducks, but they were all drakes and I passed on a few hens. Guess you can't fill everyday.
Now that Ax is happy, I think next weekend will be doe hunt time.
