Ready to put this season behind me.

[JohnP]

Been a frustrating and humbling season to say the least.  Had a couple great hunts early as far as harvesting birds go but have had far more days this season where I never fired a shot than i ever had.  Found birds the last couple weeks but they are most definately educated late season birds and hard to compete with real birds sitting on the other side 200 plus yds away in open water.  Call shy, decoy shy, want to land out in the middle of the lake just out of range after working hard and then swim away.  Threw small single # spreads and bigger spreads.  Mojos and no mojos.  Jerk stringed it and also broke down and got a water kicker wonderduck this season.   I will admit tho that I didn't get out as much as I normally do as I did more deer hunting/sitting the first half. Thankful for being able to enjoy another season with a new pup and friends.   Now to put all the hunting gear away and get the fishing gear out ;).

Sorry I didn't take any harvest pics this year other than teal season.

[JohnP]

Guess I did take a harvest and a sunrise pic on a hunt back before Christmas.

[mhowerton]

John, I agree this season has been frustrating.   There weren't any ducks around before Christmas and then after Christmas there was water everywhere.   I was ready to sell my all my hunting gear last weekend.  Finally had a good hunt yesterday.  I'll try to post a season summary later.   

[JohnP]

You weren't hunting up in Swan creek were you?  It's been holding a good # of birds for the past couple weeks but getting them to work has been a chore.  Scratched out a couple here and there. Almost thought about getting olive drab tarp to throw over the boat and just anchoring in the middle of the creek ;).

[BilletHead]

   I totally agree it has been quite different this season. This being said it was our best  season for ducks. What made out totals good began in early teal and then slipping North a few miles and getting some good shooting in the middle zone. So good a mallard year too. We only shot two gadwall this season. That is a change as we generally shoot quite a few. South Zone did some good hunts. Some pretty frustrating too. I think a lot of the ducks got hung up here and did not even make it down your  way. Blame it on El Nino. Goose hunting not too bad . We did a traffic field hunt this afternoon until LST stopped us. Put out every canada decoy and a couple dozen silo sock snow geese. Pretty fun and we could of shot better. Had some rather large snow flocks check us out, tornado down, see something not quite right and swirl back up and booger out. Then another flock come in, leave come back and work down. From what we witnessed before I called the shot and we got one. Looking back one of those should of let them do one more pass? Who knows but that was the largest flock of snows we have ever got to work! Then I am ashamed to admit this We had four dark geese come in. They locked up at a distance and sailed in. They dropped there landing gear to reveal orange feet, Specks! We missed, whiffed, zeroed, nadda. Mrs. Billethead even teared up.It happens and our excitement was part of the cause. I have taken three in past years but the Mrs. is still looking for her first. Later on the canadas started flying and we took out three before calling it right before LST. It was nice not to have to wear waders and hunt in the dry, Frozen bean stubble. Was even able to drive the truck out to the place we set up. We may try in the morning same place again. Will be able to drive out there but it will thaw and we will have to shuttle decoys and blinds out with the ATV.

BilletHead

[JohnP]

Definately been a odd year.  Buddy and I were just talking about the lack of gads seen this year and no gwt.  Think I've only shot 2 gads now that I think back and haven't seen any gwt.  Usually this time of year were shooting gads and gwt with the occasional mallard.  But everywhere I've scouted it's been mallards and hollywoods.   I also believe your correct in that they are hung up in the middle and north zone as I'm still hearing people talk about the #s of birds up there.   Best hunt we had was on the Osage, been awhile since I've seen that many birds.  

[mhowerton]

John, I haven't made it up to swan creek this year.    I also never saw the gadwall or teal in this area.  Gadwalls make up the majority of our kills, but this year we only killed three all year.  There are three of what I call indicator ponds around town that when they have ducks on them it usually means there are ducks in the area and usually they are gadwalls.  I never saw a single duck on those ponds all year. I believe that the ducks never made it down here in numbers that they normally do.   But we will keep after them for some unknown reason.  One more weekend and I am going to head over to the Black River and give it one more try.