Sunrise

Beautiful. Makes me think back to a blind I use to hunt where on those cold mornings I appreciated that big orange ball coming up over my left shoulder to warm me up! Always have loved hunting the morning after a snow storm when sun comes up bright and the winds a lil brisk.
 
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Are you seeing any new arrivals up your way ?
I toured several lakes and private marshes this past week and saw "0" birds down south, the Ohio River is up and running.
 
Haven't been out since opener of split, but friends hunted Bay yesterday and did well seeing a lot of birds. I assume many are new.
 
Spent many mornings in the Okracoke salt marsh early 70's then early 80's. Chapel Hill, Winston Salem then spent a year in Elizabeth City. Not many ducks during those hunts but loved every minute. My first duck hunt ever was Dec. 1972. My lacrosse coach and I drew a blind at Body Island. Never forget that day. A perfect ducky day. Cold, snow and wind. It was surreal and a unique experience I had never known. The duck gods had determined to inject me with the duck fever virus.

I remember going into the white building to draw our blind. Then heading into the marsh in the dark and blizzard snow. Before we got past the ditch by the road, my coaches' dog, Brawnie, a big half golden/irish setter, decided to take on a nutria. I had old lacrosse hip boots, cotton athletic socks, bluejeans and whatever a broke college kid could come up with. Never been colder, but the ducks whizzing over head, the Bean cork black duck decoys, and everything else and I was gut hooked.

Hunted Carolina many times over 10-15 years and never had that perfect weather. The only other time that came close was Christmas of 1983 when I went with a friend from Elizabeth City out of Oregon Inlet into the marsh. It was similar but not what the snow geese wanted.

Lot of great experiences in NC.
 
There are not as many ducks here near elizabeth city as further south by lake mattamuskeet and surrounding marshes but there are enough that I've had fun each year for the past 7 years.
Last year was the best year I've had with that cold week we had in late season. The rivers even froze which concentrated the ducks close to Albemarle sound. Unfortunately I couldn't go until after the storm but still connected with my first pintail and black ducks in a bean field that was flooded near the ditches.

This is a great thread, let's see some more photos
 
Well not really duck related but a gorgeous sunrise picture heading onto the beach

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Well this seems like perfect time to reflect on sunrises, we are blanketed with snow this morning here in Southern Ontario. Seems like an
early end to this season, like it just got started :(

This is my favorite sunrise pic, of my old girl Suzy and myself. We were up north on a walleye/duck trip.
3 limits in 2 hours on ring-necks. Was an awesome morning, we could feel the wind from their wings,
buzzing us 10 mins before legal. Longest 10 mins of my life!! HAHA!

Suzy worked hard that day!! She was a great companion! She was an HRCH and finished a bunch of Amateur Field Trials, we even won one!
We hunting ducks,pheasant, grouse and she even retrieved a few rabbits. I find myself thinking of this photo often, especially because this was
our first season in 12 years without her.

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The sun rises every morning, but we are not always seeing it with the same friends. Nice to be able to remember a great companion each time you watch the sun come over the horizon.
 
You,ve just reminded me with that pic do get some of my Lil CLF as I haven,t so far this season. No the pain all to well of that first season without your best buddy but after having been thru that before I now keep a pup trained waiting in the wings. Had to retire my BLF last year at 13 from strenuous hunts and started the Lil CLF doing my retrieving. View attachment 0113150835.jpg
 
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