I'm really looking forward to getting the season started tromorrow. I've spent time scouting and have a spot with plenty of local birds sitting on it. Public land, so I will not be alone, but that is just part of the opener.

Good luck and stay safe if you are getting out for ducks or deer tomorrow!

Cheers!
SD

I'm headed out to some saltwater. Tide is wrong so it is going to be muddy, but we hunt the same place every year. It is private property out in front of my Dad's cranberry farm.

Looking forward to it. It is the only day of the year that I will willingly shoot widgeon. Last year at first volley we shot 5 specs down, those are my all-time favorite bird to eat.

Good luck to everyone getting out there!

Deer hunting with the youngest tomorrow. Looking for a suicidal deer.

Out tomorrow on sime public ground. Has had enough birds in the past to let me get a few.

Hope everyone did well. Took the 7yo for an actual "deer hunt". He's gone with me the prior 2 openers but it was mainly "go sit on a rock a couple hundred yards from the truck and glass deer until he got cold" (1.5hrs max)

Well..this year we got out early..walked a nice distance across a CRP field to a spot I know. Fog lifted at daylight, and the first place I looked with my binoc's there was a 3pt buck staring at me. I showed him where the buck was, told him to plug his ears, and then I tipped bucky over. Done at 7:17am!

So it was cool for the boy to "see" his first buck whacked. HE WAS JACKED. He's getting online to figure out how to start studying for his hunter safety test.

took mmy kids east. Son wacked another one and we got his buddy his first deer. Daughter turned down 4 easy does and a spike wanting for something a bit bigger this year. Just got in and will probably do the same trip next weekend.

Like.

My hunt was sort of a bust. Got to my Dad's at a good time, and we got on the tractor and headed down to our hole. When we got there there were 2 guys already set up.

They were trespassing, but because the tide was wrong and it was almost first light already, we let them hunt with us for the first light flights. They moved on and hopefully won't do that again, or they will get a much different reaction.

We shot 4 or 5 in 20 minutes and then headed back to the barn. The dog was out for his 13th opening day, and this was definitely his last one. Sad to see the ole boy has lost it. He was still excited as a pup when we headed down to the water, but his eyesight has degenerated too far, he couldn't pick up dead ducks on the dead flat water. After 4 retrieves he spent the rest of the day sleeping it off.

Art,

If I buy a deer tag, can I be your adopted son next weekend? I have a pointing lab, I got from a disreputable source, that I can bring. I'm sure he will be a great help.....

If nothing else, that would be a good time.... Go get 'em!

Hey Dave
I did find a few Ringnecks this weekend. Give me a call

I hit my first duck opener in about 10 years or since the moved opening day of deer to the same weekend. I had forgotten how much fun they are.

Found the old pothole right away in the dark and fog, got my dekes set and blind up a good hour before shooting light. Couldn't believe I was able to walk right to it after all these years.

Just before first light a bunch of ducks start flying by and landing in the pond at which time Sage pretty much lost her mind and basically destroyed my blind trying to get at them. I then sort of lost my mind and I must have really scared her as she spent the rest of the morning sitting in the bushes about 20 yards up the shoreline being very still and quiet. I guess you can teach old dogs new tricks!

Anyway it was an easy limit as I ended up with 1 mallards, 4 widgeon and 2 teal and was back at the truck by 9 am!

Sage did pretty well considering this was only her third time in a duck blind, and the first two where pretty desasterous, as she retrieved them all but I wouldn't say it was pretty. The guys set up one pothole over seemed to get a kick out of it though. Her typical retrieve went something like this...........

"Sage dead bird get the dead bird."
As she circled around the dead bird making horrific yipping noises, "Get the bird."
As she gave up, yipping and whineing the whole way, "Hey get the damn bird!"
Back on shore still whineing away, "Ah did you forget something?"
Find stick or rock and toss into middle of pothole, "Sage dead bird get the dead bird."

repeat-

Finally, "Good girl!"

Can't wait till next year

Let's see.

Sage got to jump in the water a couple times for each bird, swim around alot, fetch a stick or two, finally grab the bird, and get praised at the end of it all.

Dog is doing a pretty good job of training somebody.....

Not a duck hunt but was able to get out for a buck hunt on the eastside last weekend. Put in about 30 miles on my boots and saw lots of deer. A handful of bucks but nothing legal in the area I had permission to hunt. Did see a couple monsters in an adjacent field which was cool. Lots of ducks, geese, quail and huns this year so I'm looking forward to the rest of the season.

Sage training Greg?

Never.



Fish on...

Todd

It's how she rolls

Sounds like the guys that were near us.
Get em Killer,killer get em. GDMT Killer get the DM duck. Killer,Killer,Killer,Killer, Killer get the DM duck. good dog good dog. Rinse and repeat. etc.etc.


Fishy