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Sunday, January 17, 2010

Duckhunting in the morning

You have probably noticed that I have not been duck hunting lately, mostly freezing while deer hunting. But there have been a couple of boating accidents lately that have made me stop and rethink about going out alone at night in a boat, freezing weather, with a Retriever, 24 decoys and gun bag.  I don't want to become one of those reader digest stories, or a "I (did not)  survived that" in the back of a sports afield. I don't hunt with a bunch of people, I am pretty selective of who I hunt with because of safety and game harvest reasons. One guy hunts only with a bow so duck hunting is not his thing, and my other friends just are not duck hunters and don't really enjoy all the stuff that goes with ducking. My son who was my ducking partner has discovered goose hunting friends who are spot on with the geese, so he is not in the marsh like he used to be with me. But tomorrow I am going out to my marsh blind because I can walk the marsh to get to it so no boat required. maybe a canoe around the back side if it is calm. I am going for black ducks naturally, and maybe one of those canal Mallards swimming around, fat as butterballs. But more than likely I will sit and shoot a few divers, maybe get Tom Brown a duck to retrieve if we are lucky. Of course the marsh could still be frozen over in which case I will have to shoot some small potholes and carry decoys in a bag thru the thawing marsh, much better than going to a gym! So lets see what develops and maybe we can pull in a few birds safely.

2 comments:

  1. I have gone through the same dilemna, as I hunt alone, but safety outweighs the harvest. I do not hunt by boat, but know it does not take much to turn the day around 180 degrees, even on foot.
    Phil

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  2. You are absoutly right, safety is paramount to having a good hunt. I did not get to go out early this morning and took my wife with me instead for a short hike. Now she she has been to the places I write about, thanks for the post.

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