Thursday I went back out hunting and when we got to the boat ramp man o man was it foggy. So thick that you couldn't see more than probably three meters in any direction. We got launched and began paddling. It had rained so the water was up, but it was still too shallow in many places for a canoe with gear, me and a 200 + lb dude in it. I was there tuesday and learned where to paddle to go around all the sand bars, but with the fog it made it difficult for me to navigate. I could see the vague lights from the big dipper and the devil eyes from the radio tower right there at the lake shining through the fog. It was interesting to say the least. Luckily I have a pretty decent sense of direction so we only got beached once.
However, to add to the level of creepiness of fog that thick, I am paddling and my paddle hits something that feels like a leg or perhaps a tail. And then all hell breaks loose as the water explodes into action, right under me as the canoe is passing over. I jabbed a gator that was minding its own buisness on the bottom of the lake and it didn't take too kindly to being so rudely disturbed. To say that the three of us were spooked that morning was something of an understatement. After a few more gator brushes under the canoe, we finally got to a bit deeper water and then eventually the dike.
I was dropped off and James and I got all set up and waited for first light.
Not much happening there. 1 group of teal, totally missed outright. Then for the next hour and a half or so, it was all mergansers! I've not seen so many mergansers in that lake before in my life! I ended up taking three hairy heads before the day was done.
Then the teal began coming through. Not a whole lot of teal, just enough to make it fun. I ended up with three teal as well...2 drake bw and one hen gw. James got a merg and a teal as well. On the paddle back, we saw two buffies! First ones of the season we've seen so hopefully they're on their way down here now. Todd managed a drake woodie where he was set up.
Birds from Tuesday
my first mottled of the season....will make a nice New Years dinner...then I'll work on bagging another for you Christian
From Thursday
One could've had an easy limit of these silly coots as they were flying over the dike.
However, to add to the level of creepiness of fog that thick, I am paddling and my paddle hits something that feels like a leg or perhaps a tail. And then all hell breaks loose as the water explodes into action, right under me as the canoe is passing over. I jabbed a gator that was minding its own buisness on the bottom of the lake and it didn't take too kindly to being so rudely disturbed. To say that the three of us were spooked that morning was something of an understatement. After a few more gator brushes under the canoe, we finally got to a bit deeper water and then eventually the dike.
I was dropped off and James and I got all set up and waited for first light.
Not much happening there. 1 group of teal, totally missed outright. Then for the next hour and a half or so, it was all mergansers! I've not seen so many mergansers in that lake before in my life! I ended up taking three hairy heads before the day was done.
Then the teal began coming through. Not a whole lot of teal, just enough to make it fun. I ended up with three teal as well...2 drake bw and one hen gw. James got a merg and a teal as well. On the paddle back, we saw two buffies! First ones of the season we've seen so hopefully they're on their way down here now. Todd managed a drake woodie where he was set up.
Birds from Tuesday
my first mottled of the season....will make a nice New Years dinner...then I'll work on bagging another for you Christian
From Thursday
One could've had an easy limit of these silly coots as they were flying over the dike.
We only left him one treat; a Blackbelly that we couldn't find. They get slow (in relative terms) when the marsh water cools down this time of year. 