"IT" finally came---

Al Hansen

Well-known member
On December 4th, I took this shot of the channel that I normally hunt in the middle of November. It still had a good 1/4 mile to go to get to the pond area that I was hoping to hunt.

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This morning I took a gamble and decided to hunt at the ranch. I was not disappointed and neither were the pups. As soon as season opened I had a flock of 8 gadwalls fly right over me. It was another one of those, "Geez, i guess I should have taken a shot", moments. Other than a couple of baleful looks from the pups we continued to sit at the newly formed pond. Funny but I had to wait 7 weeks since duck season opened for the water to come and fill it up. Don't get me wrong---I'm thankful.
To say the least, I was really surprised by how much ice was there. I used it to put a couple of my over sized active style mallard decoys on. I guess about ten minutes went by when a pair of gaddies came in maybe about 25 yards up. I got myself all ready and then ended up getting another look from the dogs when out of no where they dropped out of the sky and flew right on the deck up the channel not 15 feet from me. No, I was not ready for that moment. "Maybe tomorrow."
Season had been open for about a half hour when three mallards came flying by. The spotted my spread and made a large swing around surveying as they flew by. Another swing brought them a touch closer. I gave them a couple of lonesome hen calls and on the third swing they came right in. My eyes were totally focused on the lone drake when I pulled the trigger. I missed, so I pumped in another round and fired again watching him fly away. My dogs about went nuts and tore out of the blind to run up the channel, the way the drake and hen had flown. In seconds, Pepper was back with the hen. My luck I guess. Bad shot on the drake. Maybe tomorrow. By the way when I fired the second round it was at a distance of maybe 15 to 18 feet. They, too, headed up the channel.
It was then that Chili left the blind and went out to the edge of the pond, picked up the other hen mallard and came back. Do not ask me how I ended up putting a bb in its head because I never saw that duck and never saw it fall.
Well, heck, I now had my limit of hen mallards.
I stayed around for another two hours and saw some mallards but none close enough to shoot at. I then decided to build a decent blind and get ready for Friday morning. The way the weather reports are coming in, it looks like that ice will be all melted by then. I sure hope so. This place definitely has some potential.
From there I drove to the beaver pond and found it looking quite inviting. We'll see because I'll be there tomorrow morning with Pepper and Chili. Oh, so will my brand new jerk string set up. The beaver pond will be perfect for it.
Al

You will notice that the rancher decided to divert the flow of the water in another direction. By this being done, the pond was formed. I have already thanked him profusely.

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Al
 
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I now I realized I need to stop complaining when we have "no water" in Wisconsin. We were dry here most of the Fall as well, not that dry however. You mountain pics never cease to amaze me. The pond with the snow covered mountains in the background is priceless.
 
I now I realized I need to stop complaining when we have "no water" in Wisconsin. We were dry here most of the Fall as well, not that dry however. You mountain pics never cease to amaze me. The pond with the snow covered mountains in the background is priceless.

With the past two days of rain, we probably are no longer in the "second driest year ever recorded". That is very dry, Andrew. Up until this past Monday the official report was that we had received 3.65 inches of precip when normally at this time we have around 9 inches. This is the Albuquerque area. As for us we got a little more and that is good not to see the cactus plants wither and die. "IT" is a commodity more precious than the average mind's eye could ever conceive. Bev and I live south of Socorro, NM, in a quaint little Hispanic village, which is only 145 miles north of the Mexican border.

One fall semester I had the greatest schedule ever as a duck hunter. I carried 12 credits with my first class beginning at 11AM and going straight through until my last class ending at 2PM. The kicker was this---I had no Friday classes, so right after 2PM on Thursday I was heading home for three days of duck hunting.

I'm glad you liked that mountain shot. We don't get to see snow on mountain tops very often down here.
Al
 
I'm glad you're started to get some water in the area.
I think since June or July when I said you could have some of our rain we haven't had two inches of rain total. Yesterday we got a couple tenths of rain (light snow only once so far) and that is the most in quite a while. Looks like a warm brown Christmas this year... but that's fine after the last couple. I hope the drought isn't spreading north to us but it sure looks like it right now.

Tim
 
I now I realized I need to stop complaining when we have "no water" in Wisconsin. We were dry here most of the Fall as well, not that dry however. You mountain pics never cease to amaze me. The pond with the snow covered mountains in the background is priceless.

Andrew, I took a few more shots yesterday with a different lens on my camera. It will give you a better perspective of the area I hunt.

This shot was taken on Dec. 4th

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This shot was taken yesterday on Dec. 15th

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Now I have to wait for the ducks to fall in love with this place!

Looking at my blind from south to north. I still need to add some more brush to the blind.

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This country is amazing in how quickly things can change. Sometimes it can be frightening!

Pepper messing around on the channel

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Al,

That is unbelievable!! Thats one nice hole to settle into as well. Hopefully it is worth the wait!
 
Wow.....Ducky lookin place not to mention picturesque! Something is wrong with your dekes though. There growing gray whiskers! HA
 
Al, every time I see a picture of Pepper I think of what a fine looking dog she is. I think it is because she reminds me of a yellow female named Tori that I had many years ago.

Great pictures! I love the hole and I think the frost on the decoys is pretty cool too.
 
I'll be there next week to see what ducks have found the area. By Christmas it will have been there for two weeks so it will be interesting what's coming around.
Al
 
Wow.....Ducky lookin place not to mention picturesque! Something is wrong with your dekes though. There growing gray whiskers! HA

I think that decoy just wants to mimic my gray whiskers, Tom! I should say most are white. I'm thinking that this could end up being a great place for some mallards to come to loaf the day away. We'll see.
Al
 
Al, every time I see a picture of Pepper I think of what a fine looking dog she is. I think it is because she reminds me of a yellow female named Tori that I had many years ago.

Great pictures! I love the hole and I think the frost on the decoys is pretty cool too.

Thanks, Paul. Pepper is one special pup and is doing just fine. The reason she is now full time is that Chili is beginning to feel her age. I can see it in her movements and reactions. With Pepper sitting in the blind now, no ducks are being lost especially when sitting on the rio. I'm very glad that Chili was able to train her because she sits in the blind just like her instructor----a stone. Never moves, just keeps the radar screen going!
Al
 
Al - I am betting you do some brisk business at this spot and it looks like it can work with the wind from a few different directions. You shouldn't complain about the colder weather..........just think of how many 4 foot rattlers won't be sharing the blind !
sarge
 
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