Hey everybody Merry early Christmas!
Duck hunting has been pretty hot. Haven't shot the limit everyday, but haven't been shut out a single time either. Lots of big ducks. Blacks and mallards. Being picky and only shooting birds that finish and have the gear down with the head stuck out. Have killed right at/around 50 birds (just ducks) so far. The swamp collie himself (Dutch) is acting like a seasoned 6 year old rather than a glorified puppy who will be two on New Year's Eve. The girlfriend has been shooting decently, and the 12gauge she borrowed from my Dad kicked her off her dove stool in the marsh and into the drink on Thursday. It may well be the third funniest thing I have ever seen (following the crippled goose whose neck she didn't ring too well coming back to life and attacking her while she laid in the field.... and the clay birds she was trying too hard to hand throw and subsquently hit herself in the face.... with both of them). Thats why I love the girl you know
Just found my notes....total so far for the year:
89 doves (and I shot one shell more than 5 boxes of shells too boot... 89 for 126....I'm kinda proud of that... d'em dubs be quiiiiicccckkkk)
19 geese (resident canadians... early season)
22 green wing teal
2 bluebils (lesser)
1 pintail
1 black duck
1 scoter
1 gadwall
6 wood ducks
18 mallards
And as far as shell count goes for ducks.... I just bought box #4 tonight... and I still have one full box in the blind bag... but I did burn up about 25 odd shells early on.... so I figure its right around 52 for 75 or so. I may have shot three cripples but, mostly I use #7 target steel for that. So all in all, I think I am shooting pretty hot this year!
Dog hunters are all over our lease. Haven't been since the gun season opened. Apparently the warden has been around a few times issuing citations after being called by our fellow club members for having people tresspassing to hunt on our place. Not a fight I want to join in....