Afternoon hunt

Jake

Jake

Active member
After a fun filled Thanksgiving the in-laws hit the road and so did I. Was really itching to get in the field. The weather was incredibly warm and calm but I still wanted to get the waders wet. Zach decided to sit this one out so I was flying solo. Hit the water about 120 and was set up by 230. At 240 I had 3 Cans come by. I was fiddling with my binoculars and getting a cigar ready. Had no idea I would have action so quickly. Anyway I regrouped quickly and got on the call. They really like what they saw. As I said there were three. A definite drake a definite hen and this Can that you see. I have only killed one drake in my life so not entirely sure if this is a hen or an immature drake. I know you guys will have an answer. Anyway.........they circled 3 times each time offering a shot behind me in the thick stuff and sun in face. Their last swing the male disappeared into another part of marsh but the other two set feet in my face. I took the darker bird. Great fun!!

As the day went on I passed on a drake shoveler 2 different times. Passed on some teal hoping to get the pintail that came by a shot.....no such luck. I than realized I was just enjoying being out there. No care whether I shot anything at all. As I was going to get decoys picked up I had a boatload of Canada geese come over. Could have poked them with my shotgun. Really awesome sight. Plenty of sandhill cranes around to serenade me on my ride back to truck. Overall a very successful hunt I would say. Now its time to put up the Christmas lights!!!!!!!!

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The decoy I got off a lady years ago. Its a diver magnet here in the southwest. I'm not a diver hunter but when I know they are around I deploy this guy.

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Canada Geese heading to roost.

This pic is of my daughter and Sage.....My future hunting buddy. She is doing great and is very smart. Heading out on afternoon dove hunt today to give her a try. Ill be with her about 40 yards from Zach while he whacks dove. She loves retrieving and has done well with the noise of the launcher. Brings us dead doves all the time as we are loaded with them here at our place. This is one of Al's pups. Truly a joy to have.

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Nice story. Anybody with experience with cans knows that circle, circle, circle routine. I remember telling my wife on the first pass, shoot! and on the second pass, shoot! She just kept tracking them with my little sixteen Model 12. Third pass they cupped up and flared right at us. For god's sake shoot! I yelled. Bang. First canvasack, a huge drake. (Later she said she thought I was saying coot, coot.) Been divorced a long time, but I still have a photo of her on the bookshelf holding that big bird, whose head was the same dark russet as her hair...I think your bird must be a hen. But a trophy nonetheless--and a great Thanksgiving hunt.Thanks for reminding me to go look at that photo again!
 
Way to go, Jake. I'm glad you are seeing so many ducks. Seeing that Canvasback made me think of the last can I shot which was back in Big Stone county in western Minnesota. Lord, that had to be about 1957. You had a great hunt. That pup of yours is sure growing quickly. Have fun with the doves. Let me know how Sage did. About two weeks ago a friend of mine from Colorado came down to do a little hunting. We stopped to unlock a gate and watched at least 200 doves--mostly mourning with a few western in there. lift out of the surrounding mesquite bushes. Wayne had never seen so many. Thanks for posting this, Jake.
Al
 
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