Opening day 04
October 30, 04
This day couldnt have come any quicker, the excitement and energy was something any on looker could feel.
We shot the south east center of the club at a place called Smith Special. I was there with my father Bill and friend Joe who was an associate shooter this year. With two boats to hid and 4 dozen decoys to place we were pressed for time,,, or so we thought. After decoys were set and boat hidden we gathered at the one blind in the pond, seven minutes to go and there were Mallards all around us, groups of 5, 10 and too many pair to count. Birds were trying to land in our decoys. Wings wistled over our heads 10 feet above us and many were ploping in the water around us. For a few minutes we watched in awe as this was month nature at her finest... Bill ask "time check"Joe "2 more minute", Bill "ok lets get settle, Joe you take the blind and Kevin you go over there. Over there meant find a fitting place to hide your self so the birds could see you. Now, these Tooles are 12 footers so ya have to do some house cleaning before you can see anything and if the birds flar you know it by a toung lashing from Bill from across the pond...
The first pair that come in splits apart, the drake dives right into the pond and lands next to Joe but he cant see this because he has a 8 foot hight beaver dam between he and the bird on the water. The drake on the water quacks keeping his gal well aware of where he is and she does a final approach just over Joe at 10 feet,,, Bammo "she done" the drake takes off the water and I bammo, put him to sleep.
The next is a group of 3 birds, they past one, twice and on the 3rd go round I say shoot them to Joe. Joe gets green and Bill gets green. The last bird was a hen and was not shot at.
About 45 minute have gone by and serval pairs and groups have gone over Joe with out a shot fired. "Why arent you shooting at those birds that are coming right over you" Joe say he cant really seen them till they are right on top of him so he and I switch position, Sun is barly up now.
I'm in the blind now a group of two come right over the top of me "very shootable" but I let them go to Joe and Bill since is see 3 more following them in close be hind. By the time Bill and Joe start shooting my bird are right over me and I take one shot down she comes,,, yup it a hen! Looking into the sun plays tricks on you sometimes thought it was a drake.
Several more birds give up to us but the most memoral moment I had was of a single drake mallard flighing over head at 20 yards. I take one shot and the bird freezes in mid air and slowly fell out of the sky,,, head shot.
At the end of the day we had 13 Green and 2 hen, its was another great opener shoot.http://greenhead2004
This day couldnt have come any quicker, the excitement and energy was something any on looker could feel.
We shot the south east center of the club at a place called Smith Special. I was there with my father Bill and friend Joe who was an associate shooter this year. With two boats to hid and 4 dozen decoys to place we were pressed for time,,, or so we thought. After decoys were set and boat hidden we gathered at the one blind in the pond, seven minutes to go and there were Mallards all around us, groups of 5, 10 and too many pair to count. Birds were trying to land in our decoys. Wings wistled over our heads 10 feet above us and many were ploping in the water around us. For a few minutes we watched in awe as this was month nature at her finest... Bill ask "time check"Joe "2 more minute", Bill "ok lets get settle, Joe you take the blind and Kevin you go over there. Over there meant find a fitting place to hide your self so the birds could see you. Now, these Tooles are 12 footers so ya have to do some house cleaning before you can see anything and if the birds flar you know it by a toung lashing from Bill from across the pond...
The first pair that come in splits apart, the drake dives right into the pond and lands next to Joe but he cant see this because he has a 8 foot hight beaver dam between he and the bird on the water. The drake on the water quacks keeping his gal well aware of where he is and she does a final approach just over Joe at 10 feet,,, Bammo "she done" the drake takes off the water and I bammo, put him to sleep.
The next is a group of 3 birds, they past one, twice and on the 3rd go round I say shoot them to Joe. Joe gets green and Bill gets green. The last bird was a hen and was not shot at.
About 45 minute have gone by and serval pairs and groups have gone over Joe with out a shot fired. "Why arent you shooting at those birds that are coming right over you" Joe say he cant really seen them till they are right on top of him so he and I switch position, Sun is barly up now.
I'm in the blind now a group of two come right over the top of me "very shootable" but I let them go to Joe and Bill since is see 3 more following them in close be hind. By the time Bill and Joe start shooting my bird are right over me and I take one shot down she comes,,, yup it a hen! Looking into the sun plays tricks on you sometimes thought it was a drake.
Several more birds give up to us but the most memoral moment I had was of a single drake mallard flighing over head at 20 yards. I take one shot and the bird freezes in mid air and slowly fell out of the sky,,, head shot.
At the end of the day we had 13 Green and 2 hen, its was another great opener shoot.http://greenhead2004
posted by Wildlife at 8:18 PM
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