The Good and the Bad of our Ark. Opener

Bill McAdam

Active member
Had a good three-day opening hunt near DeWitt AR.
On the way to AR on Friday, I called Jeff King and offered to let him get his season started a week early. He was on the road on no time and got in before 11:00. Saturday day was slow, and we only collected two birds.
Sunday and Monday saw much better takes of 16 (5 hunters) and 9 (2 hunters).
We collected a single bird with a band. Both Jeff and I know we hit it, but of course you can't tell who killed it. So we flipped for it. Problem was, the guide asked for the bird and I passed it over to him (Duncan had retrieved it). One of the guys sitting between me and the guide swiped the band. He left for home from the blind and we never were asked if we'd shot the bird. Next day (Monday), I told the guide that we both felt that we at least had partial claim on the band and he said that "Fred did shoot last". I asked him how he knew that Fred hadn't just shot a dead bird and he just shrugged. I guaranteed him another band would NEVER come in through my side of the blind. I also told them that I should withhold the cost of a band from eBay as the cost of giving Fred my band (I'd won the coin toss with Jeff).
But, Duncan did pretty well. The birds flew as they should. Many fell as they should. All's right with the world, in spite of the buttheads.
 
Bill, Tough luck on the band. I learned a long time ago to snap the leg and remove any band before passing the bird over to anyone to look at... Glad to hear You pup is coming along as you had it planned....

Have a good season.

Victor
 
dont sweat it bill. The duck Gods know that dude swiped yur band, he'll pay.

We sucked this opener. Plenty of birds... spooky as hell. Bout 60% of the folks I talked too had the same thing happen. the other 40% killed em by 8am... weird. One buddy of mines whole club killed less than 10 on sat... a friend of theres within eatshot their bunch killed over a 100. Gonna be a long season the way mine started. Oh well, Im going thursday anyway! travis
 
Bill, glad you had a good time over here. Sorry I had decided to chase deer around the woods, but the freezer will shortly be full of nicely wrapped packages of venison! Only downside is that I better NEVER piss off my wife.

I've heard mixed results from the opener...some people killed limits, some killed a few, some came up dry. Talked to Ronnie Ladd this afternoon, and he said the ducks were call shy and real spooky in his neck of the woods already...after what, four days? Could be a long season over here.

The only thing I can say about the whole band business is that the world is a circle and karma's a bitch. The jackass that took it has to deal with it, and I suspect he's probably got more issues than just stealing a duck band. People's actions in duck blinds tell a lot about who they really are; at least you don't have to hunt with him again. I know...doesn't make it better when you were not only the shooter, but the dog handler, too.

Life's just too damn short. Let it go - I would bet you'll get at least one more band this year.
 
either way I had a good time . I told Bill that if he plans a return trip we need to make sure we fill the blind with OUR people !
I did manage to scratch a few birds off the " I've never " list, still not wall material , but at least off the list.

As to the band , the guy who took it was some kind of regional rep. for ARGO , hmmmm. Another reason I won't ever buy one of those pieces of crap!
 
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