Day 2 at the Marsh

I couldn't help myself, and I went right back out to the same slough for another morning hunt Sunday morning. I was still tired from the day before but I have to give it another go.

I again gave myself plenty of extra time for set-up as I brought the whole bag of decoys this time and I wanted to at least see the first flight happen. Again, I did not take my shots at first light. I waited to see what happened with the birds.

My activity the morning before had obviously changed their pattern some. It took a lot more convincing to get birds to commit to my spread. I figured I would again shoot whatever got close enough to work Mocha as much as possible. A few teal here and there and she did fantastic. It was a little windy and the birds that did come through had no troubles committing.
I had a great big gadwall drake come screaming in and drop right on the outskirts of my decoys. A single well placed shot and the bird was down. The main problem is if Mocha didn't see it, shed doesn't know it's there. I had to wade out into the slough to help her see it and once she did it was a good retrieve. Only problem was the water now filling my waders. I manged to poke a dime sized hole as I was helping the pup with the retrieve. Nevertheless, the weather was mild, and I had another beautiful duck in hand.

It was great to have Mocha on the marsh with me. She never really was a fantastic water dog, but her 'retirement' was what seemed like never-ending boredom for her. I took her out a few times before the season, and her reservations about water seems secondary to her desire to be out of the house.

I probably should have held off, but I did shoot a few shovelers, again, for the sake of that dog. I again, had a pair of honkers come right over my spread, but this time I biffed it and was only able to drop one of them. Mocha dashed into the water and dragged that fat goose back to me like a seasoned veteran. It was the icing on the cake.
I was short a few birds for my limit but I was tired and wanted a few pics before picking up and heading home.

 If you notice in these series of pics Mocha will not look at the camera.

I was reviewing the pics when I noticed this and I looked up. She was locked onto a duck that was stupid enough to sit in the spread while I was taking the pics. Moved out to flush it, popped it, and Mocha was already on her way out.

It was a fantastic end to great morning out!

I picked up my spread, took off my waders, and stuffed all of my extra gear into the decoy bag. I didn't realize how much gear I had until I needed to throw it on my back. I got all of 40 yards before I was sucking air. I just followed the same path I took the day before, but it almost seemed like a worse decision. I got to the west end of the slough and looked down. How I missed it the day before was beyond me.

 It was an older buck, that I later found out from the landowner, was clipped by his wife the year before. This buck spent the vast majority of this spring underwater and I was just there at the right time. I still can't believe I walked past it the day before....

 After adding more weight to my already excessive load, I was struggling to keep my feet. I fell sideways, and backwards, and at that point I was just flat out pissed. I am a 27 year old formidable man, and I was having my butt handed to me by some gear and excess fat. I was red-in-the-face mad, and I was not about to be beat. Fortunately, I was alone as every obscenity I shouldn't know were being gritted between my teeth. To top it off, Mocha would stop every ten steps, stop, look back at me screaming obscenities, and she would literally roll her eyes before continuing on. She has been watching the Mrs. way too much.

When I finally made it back to the field edge, I was in bad shape. Mocha just spent the morning slopping through deep mud and cold water, and she bounded around like she spent the day on the couch. I got back to the apartment and had Rachel take a few extra pics.

I knew I was tired, but after cleaning birds, drying out my gear, and eating a little something, I passed out in my chair for the rest of the afternoon. When I woke, I felt like garbage.

The marsh may have won this battle, but I am not out of ammunition.



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