DAY 1
Had time for a little upland hunting, so I get my gear, dogs, and out the door. Really nice day with sunshine and temps in the 40’s. Hike around for an hour or so with no birds to be found. I decide to check this little ditch I know for some ducks. I spotted a few sun’n themselves and splashing around.
With the dogs held tight, I creep to the edge of the ditch. Look left, no ducks, look right, there’s a Susie given me the eyeball. I drop down and get out of sight. She did not spook so I try to work my way around for better position. As we sneak the dogs start getting a little whiff of scent. Whining and pulling they cant contain themselves. So I let em go and do a five yard dash for the edge. Break the edge and the ducks start a flapping furry. BOOM drake down, BOOM another drake down, the others fly out of range. Dogs going nuts looking for what I shot at. One drake was drifting down the ditch so I get the lab after it. She bounces across and grabs the duck and puts it firmly on the other side. My lab is a little weird, if she gets the bird to the bank she leaves it. Water retrieves only, which is fine with me. If she can get it to the beach, that’s fine, however in this case, it doesn’t work so well.
Now I have both ducks on the other side of the ditch. Crap, I don’t have my waders on and they’re back at the truck. Maybe I can convince the pointer to go across and pick’em up for me. Come on buddy get those birds, bird down, bird down. Not wanting to go in the cold water, I have to grab him by the collar and put him in the water. He tip toes on over, grabs one of the drakes and brings it back, good boy, good boy. Okay do it again, bird down, go on. Goes about half way and starts to come back; no, no, no, get yer ass back over there. He continues over and walks right over the duck, tromps around a bit and then comes back empty mouthed. Crap, come on man one more time. So I take another shot into the bank to trick both dogs into thinking I shot another one. That works and the lab relocates the other duck and the pointer goes right to it and brings it back. Good boy, good boy, you’re one hell of a ducky pointer.
DAY 2
Getting a little itchy for ducks I wanted to go decoy for a couple of hours.
Got to bed late and did not sleep well. Alarm starts blasting and I did not want to get out of bed. Wife kicks me out and tells me to shut that noisy thing off. I stumble back into the living room, lie on the couch, and fall back a sleep. Damn cat wouldn’t leave me alone so I get up, get things loaded and head west. Get to the spot a little late and find that it is still froze up good. Damn, now what. Continue west to another spot I have wanted to explore for awhile. Do a quick drive by but I don’t see any ducks on the water. The dogs and I have been in the truck for hour and a half so I decide to walk around anyway.
No e-collars, I’m yelling and whistling at the dogs to stay in range. After a bit, this place just starts to look and feel ducky (if you know what I mean). I get the dogs to me and start to peek and sneak through the brush to have a look at the creek. OOH, what’s that I see, a little green head look’n at me. A little concerned the duck starts to swim up the creek. We lay low and don’t make any noise for a bit and then try to work around on him. Getting close, the dogs start the whining and pulling routine. Same thing, I let’em go and take a dash for the edge. To my surprise, a bunch of mallards start lifting off. Pick out a bird, BOOM, two birds drop, pick out another, BOOM, and crumple another into the brush. Lab leaps of the bank, sideways in the current, and barking at one of the birds trying to escape (broken wing). She gets it, drops it off on the other side and gives a few extra bites to the neck for good measure. Crap, not this again. Come on buddy, bird down.
The water is high from snow run off and very cold. I get the pointer across and he grabs one but drops it and wont swim back in that cold ass water with a bird. I try to find a place to cross but I can’t. The only option was to go back to the truck, drive down to the bridge, and hike back the other side. This time instead of no waders; I have no boots. Therefore I have to walk about 4 miles total in 5mm neoprene with 1600 gram thinsulate in the boots.
Found a good trail and did not have to climb over too much stuff. About 15 feet from where the ducks are…………WHAM…………………..OUCH, YOU MOTHER &%$#@* *&^% PIECE OF %^$@ &^%$#@! *&&^%#@ DOG. The pointer decided to use the same trail I was on and cut me off. In the process his bony ass knee drills me square in the calf muscle at full speed. It damn near drops me, and he keeps going. I find the two hens I dropped with the first shot (it happens). Looking for the drake, I spot it but don’t pick it up; I want to see if the dogs can find it. Bird down, bird down, come on where is it. Scrambling around and sticking their snouts in the grass. Finally the lab finds it and picks it up. When she drops it, I see a little jewelry wrapped around its foot. Alright banded duck, it’s been a few years since the last.
Sweating like a whore in church, walking with a slight limp, three birds on my strap, one of which had a band and the other two I got with one shot. What a great two mornings of jump shooting with my dogs. Five mallards, four shots, and back by noon both times.
Love this one
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