BilletHead

Going to try Scott, Someone shot up my other roost but we got one hunt out of the fields those birds were using before it happened. Here is hoping this new roost is a bit more protected. The Mrs. and I watched them leave the new roost, we followed them. Doing our homework like BirdWatcher advised me to

There is ? :) Say it again? Not a bad problem to have but you have to get through mallards to get to the geese. A nice roost where 99% on here are mallards, half mile from the house. Three photos of the roost, Here is where they are going. A half mile from home, Have been saving the place for a friends visit. BilletHead

Always have the camera ready just in case, where was the .22 ? At home of course. When driving around making my "waterfowl" check up rounds. I spied him way up in a tree over looking a briar patch. Nothing had him treed I think he was up there getting the big picture of his surroundings looking for grub in all the ice. I think it would be near impossible for him to negotiate the frozen grass. When I approached he started back down the tree, I got one shot before he leaped out, BilletHead

Thanks Moodyfour and Merry Christmas to you and all on here also from The BilletHeads. Believe it or not we still have some birds around even with the ice covering the fields. Ponds froze back up except for the roosts. Our good roost got snuck into and shot up. I went in the other day for a sneak peek and to take a few pictures to share with you all. No birds. Found feathers, blood along the bank and empty shot shells on the back side of the pond dam. Get this the empties were old paper shells. A red Western super X and a green Remington Express Kleanbore. Yes they were fresh still smelling like burnt gun powder. I bet they were 50's or 60's models. I was bummed but people are going to do what they do. Ice is starting to melt some today. I have been watching birds both ducks and geese landing in the ice covered fields. There is still plenty to eat under the ice. If it melts off they will stay but if it doesn't I am sure they will move on. Hope more will take there place. I know we could have a good hunt this afternoon. Hiding would be the problem though. Not white enough for a snow cover and don't have icicle camo! We will leave them alone and if the melt off comes this afternoon and tomorrow there may be a hunt in our future, BilletHead

I would say they have been here about a month or so. Vernon County at Katy Allen lake. The County lake is also holding lots of Canada geese, ducks and some specklebellies. BilletHead

Yes I knew that Justin. When I was looking at them all I was thinking was wonder what they taste like and how neat to own a neck or leg band from one of them. I think the neck banded one has been coming for several years. It has a bum leg, BilletHead

Every winter we get swans that winter in the city park. This year there are thirteen. We have one with a neck band and one with a nice new shiny leg band. Also a guy dumped a sack of popcorn, they like it. BilletHead

Now that I think I have this computer working again lets see If I can post some photos. We were in the band of ice that hit the central part of the state. What a mess but in the mess we see some beauty. Power did out for a while. Night before last when sleeping on the porch the rain was pouring down but freezing on impact. We could hear crash, crash, crash laying there as branches fell. Finally when the power went out and the electric blanket quit we were forced to hit the hay in the house. Went for a drive yesterday morning and shot these pictures. Some of the fences, Multiflora rose, if you got just the right look at it the ice magnified the thorns and rose hips, Finally pine needles, BilletHead

Well done, We got big time ice here and after a not too bad temp tonight the next two nights it will be again in the single digits and we will freeze up again! This has been a crazy South Zone season so far. We have only hunted maybe six days of good open water. BilletHead

I like the others here have been watching this thread with much interest. You are full of talent and I am amazed at what you have done. Thanks for posting this! BilletHead

Welcome home Davis

Good job Lancer for the win! I recognize some of the flys in the box. I tied the epoxy minnows yesterday. I too am really glad to have the shop here. Most of all I am glad it is far enough from home or I would soon become one of those pests who would be there hanging around every day, BlletHead

You know Duane just getting up every morning is becoming an adventure for me! BilletHead

Thanks gentlemen, had kind of a wild goose chase yesterday (no pun intended). I had a call from a friend North of here 30 miles. I met him up at four rivers teal season and then got to go with him on a hunt in the middle zone before Out South season opened. He is a Cajun from Louisiana, Bought a house for a base in Missouri to hunt ducks. He would rather hunt here than where he lives. That has to say something for what we have here in MO. He told me on his call about all of the geese (snows) that were working a field and there were ducks mixed in with them. he is going bonkers because of it being froze up and had never hunted in a dry field. He knew I had had some luck doing that and wanted me to load up my stuff and come up. So I loaded truck, my little trailer with three layouts and all my field crap I have accumulated over the last four years. He had one of his Cajun buddies up with him. We did a quick scout of the field. I know we were pretty dry here before the rain, we did not get the snow like most of you guys did. He was even drier up there. The field he had was one inch of dust on top of a lightly disked corn. He said when all the birds were there the evening before there were dust clouds in the air from so many birds stomping around. We grabbed a quick lunch and then to the field to set up hoping for the best. We had a good hide in a depression in the field. Plenty of corn stalks to put on the blinds. These to guys were plum giddy to hunt a field. As here birds were flying late so we had a long wait. One of them fell asleep and started snoring, his lab snuck over the edge and gave him a big lick We had out two and a half dozen Canada decoys, two dozen mallards and four dozen snow silo socks. Some mojos too. As the late afternoon set in a lone duck spied us and started circling, pintail one exclaimed. They started calling and down came the duck to a shot. One of them shouted a pintail in the corn, can't believe it! Well we never seen anything like that? Later a mallard hen appeared and done the same thing. I kind of felt like a semi guide as they thought this was pretty neat. Then the massive flights of snows came and then I began to think otherwise. They really wanted in this field. We literally had thousands swarming overhead. I knew with all those eyes looking down we might be in trouble. Wish it was small bunches instead but the sight was one to behold. First of all I don't even own a snow goose call or even know how to blow one. One of the guys were trying to blow on one they had. Sounded sick, soon his friend says let me try. Over me it got tossed to the other, still sounded awful, especially after it was used in conjunction with chewing tobacco. hahahha He asked his buddy if he wanted it back? No was the response I'll buy another. Funny pair. All of this while all those snows were above us. One dropped down and they shot it. Then the swarm knew there might be something amiss and they started leaving taking flocks within sight with them. I knew all the time it takes a bunch of decoys to do a mass of geese like this but I was amazed at the show. Right up until dark snows passed overhead. Nice show for sure. At least I got them into a field hunt where they did some shooting. Chalk another one up to experience. I got Canadas pretty well figured out and ducks in fields are coming along. Not sure If I even want to figure out snows at all ! Some pictures of the set up in the dust bowl, BilletHead

Another excellent report Duane. Get them while you can. BilletHead

Nice you are back into them Scott. Lots of rain here and kind of sloppy. BilletHead

hahhahaha Love it! Makes me glad I am stuck with dry fields now. Well done friend!

Thank you Duane! BilletHead

Actually bookoos birds but very localized. Big freeze up. Frozen is the word. Ok I have a pond in the middle of a disked corn field that has been drilled in wheat. I know it is being used as a roost pond. I slipped in and took a peek over the dam. Full of birds . They have a fifty yard by thirty yard place open. I thought there is no way another bird could fit as I heard a mighty roar over head as a group of a hundred ducks landed. I backed off wondering how to figure out this debacle. So I watched this mass of ducks and geese for three days. 3 to 4 hundred ducks and I bet that many geese. Since this is the only place I have birds I am not going to mess with them. They have been staying on the water until a half hour to fifteen minutes before sunset. Then come off go over some trees and feed next to the pond. From talking to Bird Watcher if I hunt them that close I will run them off. Darned if I do darned if I don't. For the time being they will be safe from me. On the way home from one of my scout trips just about dark thirty I see some Canada's come off a field close to home. So about two thirty yesterday afternoon I load three dozen full bodies in my little trailer, hook up the four wheeler and go to the field. Took my time setting up, got the layout covered with corn stubble and settled in. At 3:15 I see two ducks streaking across the sky along way off. They turn and start working the field I was in three to four hundred yards away. I call to no avail. They are up and down almost landing. Crap, I sit up and wave my arms calling loudly. Felt like an idiot as I forgot my goose flag. Worked though as the ducks turned and bee lined towards me. I duck back in the blind. They have a north west tail wind bringing them in fast. Woosh over my head, I turn to see them turn cupped and falling. Took them both out. Lucky I thought with a big smile. Get this triple bs was the load. Did not have time to change shells. From 4:30 on the geese started flying. From three miles away I could see the mass of birds come off the roost pond, straight up and back down into the field that were using. I had flocks coming from the South East from who knows where to my field. First flock of 21 birds, one pass and down they came. Got two. Then a flock of 40 or more go over and work where the ducks wanted to go down far off. Again I blew the goose call crazy, bet I sounded like a pig under a gate. Again got up and waved my arms off. It worked and they turned my way, two passes later I picked one and got my third bird. Started picking up and a couple more flocks tried to drop in. Right now they are only feeding once a day . A couple of photos, I have an adventure planned for today about 50 miles North of here. May have another report if it pans out. BilletHed

I guess I don't get to see it because I don't facebook but I do hear it and I can use my imagination! BilletHead

Thanks RPS, Also while hanging around the house I ran ten pounds of sharp cheddar through the smoker, BilletHead

Yesterday we made a run to Joplin trying to finish some holiday shopping. Decided to take the Mrs. to lunch. Hit one of those Asian buffets. Mistake! Everything tasted the same and burped up later still tasting the same:( Hit a health/ whole foods store before heading home. Kind of an oxymoron don't you think? I knew we could do a better meal with the Asian twist so today we did it. I seared tow mallard breasts to a nice rare to med. rare and sat them aside to rest. Pat had done fried rice and she had cut up celery, carrots, onion, sweet peppers, mushrooms and broccoli. I cut up some of the tabasco peppers we had grown and dehydrated. In the hot skillet went the veggies for a quick stir and heating, andante. Crispy and hot. To that we added some bottled General Tso's sauce. Ok I know from a bottle? Got it at the health food store The in went the thinly sliced duck. Now we have fully happy insides. A batch of potato rolls out of the oven so hot rolls and butter for dessert! BilletHead

All I can say is some of us waterfowlers are just a bit off Small ponds out of the wind are locking up tight around here. We just got a dusting here and there is plenty of food in the fields to keep them happy if they have any open water. Some large bunches of geese will keep a roost pond or two open. I just have to stay away from them and find the feeding fields. I am sure there will be bunches of ducks heading your all's way. Lower single digits tonight with I think Wednesday it might hit freezing for a high. Did a couple of drive bys yesterday at 23 degrees with some pretty good wind. First place took out a couple of gadwall. By the time I got back to the truck ice had formed on there feet and feathers, my fingers were hurting too. Two mallards at another place. Both of them had crops/necks full of corn. Checked out the hot spot we hunted Thanksgiving morning and the following Saturday. Literally a hundred mallards hunkered behind the dam. I left them and told them thanks for the good time. I don't mind to jump a pair of two but wouldn't massacre a flock. I am sure I will loose many birds, here is hoping they go by you guys and even stay awhile. Lower single digits here tonight, BilletHead

Thanks John P. Scott whatever I do in the morning if I go it needs to be an easy hunt like this morning, that or I need a grunt. I could go to the same place just sit looking opposite way with the wind change. Have another lake that would be good but wind change would have me smelling pig barn all morning, yuk! Jus let me know too when you get close to the BilletHead area and I will fix you up with sauce. BilletHead Also that is my first pintail that was carrying a sprig like that. All of my others were young.

After a much needed break yesterday I needed another fix. Did find more birds on another place plus a bunch of geese. There are two ponds/irrigation lakes side by side a bit staggered. While checking them out yesterday afternoon one was covered with geese and a few ducks. This water is again right next to corn stubble non disked and drilled into wheat. Geese were in the field too when I checked. There is a grass strip where I could drive right up to where I wanted to be. No to this morning. Another foggy, real foggy morning. Got unloaded and set up. A dozen goose floaters and one and a half dozen duck floaters. Did two dozen full bodies geese working the way out from pond into field. I was pretty happy with the set up. Seemed like it took forever to see some light to appear but could not see far because of fog. Soon I could hear ducks flying and then see them in and out of the fog. There was a group of five that tried to land in the corn stubble. Then some worked the decoys. First a mallard hen then a bull sprig! He had about a four inch tail. Got them picked up and then a green wing teal drake. The shooting flushed the geese that had roosted in the adjacent pond, of course the winged off to the West. So foggy I could not see them but heard them go. Sun started peeking out so I took a couple of photos of the first three ducks. Then I heard geese coming back. Ignored me and my set up and pitched back into the other pond. Soon a pair of gadwall came in and went down. I quit with the five. Not sure about tomorrow, should hunt before the big chill. Ice maybe, snow maybe and then 8 degrees Friday night. Pictures from today did not get the gadwall feathered but did clean. Speaking of, look at the fat! The pintail was fat was white and gadwall fat yellow. Hen mallard pretty much no fat but the green wing had white fat, BilletHead