mudhen Posted January 20, 2011 Share Posted January 20, 2011 Tons of birds in our area, I mean tons, but they are just potted up, happy as clams, not flying much. For me, this is about the time everything winds down anyway. It's duck season on the calendar, but these birds are tired of being chased, and will sit with live birds 23 hours a day now. They can be shy of everything. I'll still hunt hard through the close, but I've had a good season, and the blood-lust is starting to fade for me..... Wish this guy had more of a bald pate: Shot the shoveler so I could head to work: Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckht183 Posted January 21, 2011 Share Posted January 21, 2011 (edited) I had a feeling you were going to get into them...again Im just disappointed in the lack of birds that are in the grasslands right now. In years past, the ducks may be wary but you still end up seeing a huge number of them and it takes some skill to pull them in. But this year im not seeing the numbers anywhere down there. I hunted Volta NWR yesterday and every drake that buzzed around pond #23 I was able to pull into my dekes and kill. There was a good number of guys hunting yesterday and I heard very few shots. My club backs up to the southern close zone of Kesterson NWR and usually that place is stacked with ducks and geese right now but that's not the case yet. So we'll see how Saturday goes. Hey I guess some years you get into'em and some years you dont... Edited January 21, 2011 by duckht183 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty82 Posted January 24, 2011 Share Posted January 24, 2011 Well season ended for us Sunday. Last three weekends were the best. Got my widgeon for the wall. Finished the season with 3 greenwing out of one volle. Nothing the rest of the day, but I was happy. Sorry no pics, didnt take camera with me. Total for the year was 37. Thanks to all for the great pics of birds, support and advice. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckht183 Posted January 25, 2011 Share Posted January 25, 2011 The Snow's have finally arrived down here! My dad's buddy hunted the club Saturday afternoon and he said those geese were stacked in there. He unloaded his gun 4 straight times (12 3.5" shells total) at geese that were 35 yards above him and he did not drop A SINGLE ONE! Lets just say he's gonna here about this one for a very long time... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
mudhen Posted January 27, 2011 Share Posted January 27, 2011 I'm guessing this will do it for us this season. The last weekend is usually slow, and we just pick-up decoys, and hang out a bit. Good time to look at new clubs, just drive around, clean up the trailer, etc. But this hunt should hold me for awhile, probably into next season Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckht183 Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 That's a nice lookin pile of birds you've got there! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hattles Posted January 28, 2011 Share Posted January 28, 2011 mudhen, I look at those specks and they make my mouth water...the rib-eye of the sky. Very nice, from the grasslands or up in the Sac valley? I'm in Fresno. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
dukaddict Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 (edited) wow that`ll do! Friday nite and should be loading up.............is it duck season yet!!!!!!!! Oh well, got one more layout to grass up then put away for what always seems like forever. already got the other layouts and the dekes stowed..... :( thanks for pics Edited January 29, 2011 by dukaddict Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckht183 Posted January 29, 2011 Share Posted January 29, 2011 mudhen, I look at those specks and they make my mouth water...the rib-eye of the sky. Very nice, from the grasslands or up in the Sac valley? I'm in Fresno. Those were Sac Valley rice fed birds right there! The geese just showed up in the grasslands this past weekend. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpengeist Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) can anybody tell me what type of duck this is? it was about 14" from head to tail.. used a standard 2 3/4" 7.5 birdshot on it out of my supernova tactical.. is there any way to prevent this from happening again? this is the entry side.. the exit side of it is pretty much destroyed.. i can provide a picture of it if wanted and i did end up cooking it and eating it so it wasnt a waste.. wasnt much but it was still an alright meal Edited February 25, 2011 by Alpengeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigkuntry72 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 i got one that lloked similar to that this year. we think mine was a hen goldeneye if that helps. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 That's no goldeneye. It's a hen Hooded Merganser. It's a fish eater. Thus the saw-toothed bill. Trust me. Destroying it to the point that there were no edible parts was a blessing. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpengeist Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) i got one that lloked similar to that this year. we think mine was a hen goldeneye if that helps. That's no goldeneye. It's a hen Hooded Merganser. It's a fish eater. Thus the saw-toothed bill. Trust me. Destroying it to the point that there were no edible parts was a blessing. thanks guys.. it was bugging me not knowing what it was.. i figured it was a hen of some sort but thats about all i knew.. and when i shot it i just had to laugh since it pretty much exploded and tucker, seeing youre from central va as well, where do you shoot/hunt at? Edited January 30, 2011 by Alpengeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 and tucker, seeing youre from central va as well, where do you shoot/hunt at? Ha ha ha ha ha ha! You really are green to this whole duck hunting thing, aren't you? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpengeist Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 yeah, im not looking for any new places to hunt at but im trying to find a new place to just go "joy shooting" Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Scotty82 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 @Alpengeist Im gonna call bullsh!t on your question about preventing that from hapening again. 7.5 birdshot? No way unless you were 5yds or less. Lead or steel? They make 7.5 steel but is rare to find. Ive swatted birds at 10yds with no.2 with no major damage. I shot, out of the air, a pintail about 10yds from the tip of my barrel this year with no2 with less damage. Last but not least. Why are you shooting at birds you cant i.d. IN HAND, much less in flight? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpengeist Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) @Alpengeist Im gonna call bullsh!t on your question about preventing that from hapening again. 7.5 birdshot? No way unless you were 5yds or less. Lead or steel? They make 7.5 steel but is rare to find. Ive swatted birds at 10yds with no.2 with no major damage. I shot, out of the air, a pintail about 10yds from the tip of my barrel this year with no2 with less damage. Last but not least. Why are you shooting at birds you cant i.d. IN HAND, much less in flight? it was probably ~7yards away at most as for the ammo it was federal field and target multipurpose and i shot it since my friend that i was out shooting with told me to take the shot since we had the chance and nothing else was out there that day. and as yall have already noticed im new at this stuff. just about everyone starts the same way.. Edited January 30, 2011 by Alpengeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
DU4ME2 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Funning lookin steel shot.......................... Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
tucker301 Posted January 30, 2011 Author Share Posted January 30, 2011 You are old enough to read and to learn the laws. I can forgive a new hunter shooing a duck and not knowing what it is. It happens. But you should know the basic rules, and one of them is that you can only use non-toxic shot on waterfowl. Also, duck season closed in VA today. So don't shoot anymore this winter! Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Alpengeist Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 (edited) alright, ill remember that and i do admit it was my fault but then again were all human, we all make mistakes and poor judgement at times thanks for the info Edited January 30, 2011 by Alpengeist Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bigkuntry72 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 That's no goldeneye. It's a hen Hooded Merganser. It's a fish eater. Thus the saw-toothed bill. Trust me. Destroying it to the point that there were no edible parts was a blessing. i said i got one that looked SIMILAR. and we THINK MINE was a hen goldeneye. im no expert and its no surprise i was wrong. i too am new to this sport. this was my first year. that was the only duck other than drake mallards i got this year. it amazes me how people can ID ducks in flight. i guess thats something that takes time. i havent been in a situation that i had a chance of takin over my limit on a certain species so if it was a duck i pulled the trigger. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hattles Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 bigkuntry72, hang in there. Pay attention and you'll eventually be able to identify just about everything. Watch them in flight, wing beats, size, wing position, habitat and how they fly...it'll all come together over time. It also helps to hunt with a veteran that can point out the little nuances of ducks. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
MoGuns Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Great pics 1 Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
duckht183 Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 Ended the season with this Aleutian. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
hognutz Posted January 30, 2011 Share Posted January 30, 2011 What kind of duck is this? I think it's a fish eater. What do you think Tucker? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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