Late Season Birds

After my Friday duck hunt with Dad, I was determined to get back out and find more ducks, but with the ice conditions, and the paltry number of birds, I knew it would take northern flight to push birds from Canada. Saturday morning, I hauled all of my gear to a point out into the depths of Cottonwood, only after discovering another group of guys beat me to the scouted slough, again. I expected some ice, but the cooler temps and complete lack of wind made for another morning of busting ice. The north side of the point was more open, but I was only able to get a mere 10 feet from shore before I was testing the limits of my waders. The south side was iced over completely, but was much shallower. Not long after setup, a lone goldeneye flew right over top and I made what I thought was a great shot, but these ducks fly at mach-4. I dropped the bird into the iced water behind me...completely unable to retrieve it. It was a horrible feeling knowing that I could not retrieve this bird. As the sun crested the horizon, the birds started showing up in far greater numbers than the morning before. Giant flocks of mallards would drop right into the lake. I was buzzed by the fighter jets that are canvasbacks: the birds were finally here!


The rest of the morning presented tons of opportunities to kill birds, but I held off as if I were to shoot them, I would have been unable to collect. I eventually called it a morning as I couldn't shoot even if they did come in. This spot will not be forgotten for next year though as without the ice this spot could be dynamite.




Sunday morning was likely going to be my last shot at ducks for the season, as it seemed like so much water froze overnight even with mild temps. The lack of wind was really putting a damper on my efforts. I again, headed out to Cottonwood, knowing I was going to have to bust ice, but the options were becoming increasingly limited. A small pocket not far from the parking lot had a small strip of open water, and I figured this was as good as I was going to get with the current conditions and circumstances. I busted the open spot as wide as I could before my shins were begging me to stop. I dropped in my set and tried my best to create a hide with the pup.

Again, it was going to be a picking shots scenario as I could not afford to drop birds on the main lake and not be able to retrieve them. Thousands of snow geese kept me occupied, and flock after flock of mallards kept me on my toes, but nothing committed. Eventually, the late season shovelers provided me some shooting. The flock worked right into my spread like it was already written in the book. I went 3 for 3 on the flock and Mocha was again able to make an icy retrieve. Thankfully the water was not that deep but she was not too happy about the ice breaking deal.


After an hour or so I finally had a pair of mallards work my spread, and drop in, again just like in the book. I still don't know what I did wrong but I was only able to scrape one down, and he sailed across the lake, landing just short of the other side.


Dammit.


I waited for another opportunity and which took almost another hour, but another pair came in and this time I waited until they were in my face before I shot. Despite that, I still managed to drop them both on the ice on the main lake. One dropped into open water and swam away, but I was able to swat the other one and finish it off. I don't need more crippled birds on my conscience. I decided at that point, I needed to pull the plug on my hunt. If I was just going to end up killing more birds without being able to retrieve them, there was not point in being out.


Last pics of the duck season:

After returning home I felt beat. Duck season was supposed to be enjoyable and I have struggled to adapt to each set of conditions. Mocha is too old for this and my anxiety is far too high to get in a boat and attempt it. After consulting with the high commander, I headed back out to chase roosters for a couple of hours.


Through Rachel, I gained permission through someone she works with and was able to hunt a dry slough. Mocha made short work of finding birds, but hens were not on the list. At the farthest corner of the slough she flushed two roosters. I was too flabbergasted to make a decent shot and the pair flew off unscathed.


Upon reporting to the landowner when we returned he suggested we try the section line to the west of us. Road hunting as it was, it was basically a grass road with actual hunt-able grass on each side. Not 200 yards from the car, Mocha locked up and flushed a great big hen. I took one more step and all hell broke loose. I dropped the first rooster, and then the second, as more hens continued to pour out of spot no bigger than my living room. When the flurry finally subsided, Mocha was able to make a retrieve on the second bird I shot, as it was a ways out into the field. I knew I had another one to find, but with Tallulah in tow, we made short work of finding the first bird.


As we returned to the road, a couple more roosters flushed from the roadside. We continued to walk the section but did not find another until the section corner. We turned left and the chase was on. Mocha was chasing one down, and I could not keep up to save my life. I ran for 200 yards before she finally flushed the long-tailed rooster. I came to an ungraceful screeching halt and took a shot at the rooster. On the first shot, he went straight up into the air. I proceeded to unload my gun in an attempt to bring him down. When he crested the road he had to have been 80 yards up and he sailed 3/4 of a mile into the next section before I lost sight of him. I don't know whether or not I hit him, but I have never seen a bird do anything like that without being hit.


We eventually returned the car without another bird, but it was a successful hunt, and all three of us definitely got our exercise.

It was nice to just walk again. I am trying my best to get over my weirdness over everything, but as many know, that is easier said than done. I enjoy the outdoors, but it just seems like there is always a catch about where I am and what I am doing, when in reality, that's ridiculous. Hopefully, now that my season is winding down, I can spend more time with the little pup, as well as the new house (if it ever happens) and I can enjoy life again.




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