Duck Killing Spree...

[jdmidwest]

Saved my time off for my best time of the year, Duck Season.

Wed. 12/8, reservation at Duck Creek. In and out of the headquarters in record time, 15 minutes. Cold morning, sheet ice about 3/4" thick, found our pool with some open water and lots of ducks that had kept it that way overnight. We busted a boat lane with the big boat and took the yaks into the tree line for the ducks. Few birds early when they flew off the roost, main force at 10:30 to 1:00 when they returned. One of our party was bored and had to see the blind, it was a sunken pit full of water. We blew the average out of the water that day with one limit of 6, one with 5, and 3 for me. Few mallards, ringneck, and lots of shovelers.

Sat. 12/11, poor line at Duck Creek. Rain all day in the forecast, crappy pill. Drew 33 with only 23 spots. In and out of the headquarters in 35 minutes, bigger crowd. Hunted the Dark Cypress section with a 1/2 mile hike to a water puddle. Took a few dekes and a Robo, set up in the cockle burs. Showers turned into steady rain. Buddy nailed the Robo on a fly by from a Hoodie merganser that had landed in front of me in the dekes. He missed the Hoodie. I took a mallard drake and a shoveler before the rain gear failed and I started to drown and get cold. Brought the wrong clothes for that day, went home early. Had water running down both sleeves into my gloves, running in both shoulders and starting down my back into waders. Time to buy new hunting coat. Buddy stuck it out and had Gadwall, Teal, and Shovelers till noon. Picked cockle burs out of clothing, decoy bag, waders, and other stuff for an hour after I got home. I could have filled a coffee can with them.

Mon. 12/13, pill 7 in the Quick Draw at Otter Slough. Negative number in temps, cold, 1-2 inch ice on whole place. Quick draw is a misnomer, still a cluster, have to wait for poor line to draw all hunters in party and watch some of them get in front of you with the way things work. 8 out of 25 internet quick draw parties showed up for the morning draw today, don't really know what the average is for the year. Listened to pretty speech, one guy even commented that we should have held a collection plate. Something that was to speed things up still took us over 1 hour to get out of the place and to our boat dock. Busted ice to the blind and opened up a hole and barely made it before shooting hour. Set out a few dekes and a Robo or 7 and did not get much action, cooked a big breakfast and huddled the propane heater. Till 11, then things picked up. Had 4 ducks on the water at closing time from the last shooting frenzy. Mostly pairs and singles drawn to the open hole we made. Ended the day with 12 ducks between the 3 of us, 4 mallards and rest shovelers. Seems to be a bumper crop on the corn scoops this year. Good crop of cockle burs too.

Gotta love it, still 3 weeks to go.

[Kyle]

Were after geese up here already. Saw tons this weekend. Me and 2 buddies killed these sunday afternoon in 15 degree weather with 10-20mph wind, should have had a few more.

[jdmidwest]

That is probably what we will do now that it is freezing up. I noticed the Canadas working the goose pits on Duck Creek pretty good Wed.

[Dutch]

I wish you guys would hunt Stockton and Pomme de Terre. There are way too many yard carp hanging around the campgrounds on both lakes.

[jdmidwest]

I wish you guys would hunt Stockton and Pomme de Terre. There are way too many yard carp hanging around the campgrounds on both lakes.

By yard carp, are you referring to Snow Geese? I live on the other side of the state, but will chase a local Canada Goose if it is bothering some yard or pond.

If the geese are in the campgrounds, there would probably be a rule where you can not shoot them there. Same goes for swimming beaches and other developed areas in a public place. If it is private, and we can get the owners permission, I can assure they will not return after they realize there are things that go boom there.