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"NOTES FROM A RETIRED HUNTER"
1999-00 season by Donald Hughes
Area hunted was from Chesapeake Bay to Ocean and
Delaware Bay
Sept 1st thru Sept 2nd 1999
Sept 1st, I picked up Eddie
and we met Jeff
at Hard Scrabble thinking we would have plenty of geese come to us.
Set out 75 mounts that have been in the box since last Sept 15, and waited.
It didn't happen! We saw lots of geese. We never even shot
our guns. The farmers have picked corn on both sides of us and that's
were they ALL went. Still it was nice to be hunting and with friends.
Jeff fixed some sausage and egg, that was to die for. You should
have been there. We spend the day.
Sept 2nd, I met Jeff and we stayed just long
enough to see that they were going to the same fields. If someone
had just been hunting maybe we would have had a chance. George was
going to be able to try them with me in the morning, but with nothing there
it wasn't worth the ride down for him.
Pat is back to work and glad to get out of
the house. I had another birthday, that's about nine the Doctors
said I wouldn't have. Hell, I feel just as good as I did 5 or 6 years
ago. Which isn't great, but OK.
I will go over today and try for Doves to
see if I can get a mess to eat. They are little, but good.
We noticed several that were coming to the pond for a drink. Sunny
may finailly have some thing to go and bring back.
Write if you know how. donald
Sept 3rd and Sept 4th 1999
Well, Pat is happy to be back to work. Drizzled
most the the afternoon yesterday so I didn't even ride over after the Doves.
This morning Eddie and I went over to Hard
Scrabble and waited till 7 am for them to leave the refuge. I told
Eddie that they had flown across the pond at about 65 yds Thursday morning
when Jeff and I were there and that we would try them if they did it again.
Sure enough they did the same thing. I took the second goose and
Eddie took the last. Bertha dropped mine and Eddie crippled his,
but it flew back toward the refuge. Mine fell in the back of the
pond and the whole flock turned and came back at us from over the woods.
They flew over the pond and than between us and the woods. I took
two that were crossing and rolled both and Eddie downed one with a second
shot. One of mine fell only 50 yds away into the beans behind us
and I marked him good. The other two fell further out in the field.
Two trys and 5 geese down. I was just sure the Eddie and Tuffy 'his
dog' could gather them up, but Tuffy just doesn't seem to be able to smell
them and Eddie just wouldn't take Sunny and we didn't get any except the
one that fell into the pond where Tuffy could see it. Not good.
We will try the Doves this afternoon if it
isn't raining,
Bill is coming to get floating blind to the
ditch over the weekend. Hoping it doesn't rain. donald
Sept 5th to the 9th, 1999
Talked Bill out of coming down with Dennis
'the hurricane' and he's
coming down now to hunt Teal with me 'maybe 15th and 16th' and work
on
the blind also. Weather is just hot and wet and humid, so I haven't
done much.
Pat has been working most of the time and
Granny is being Granny.
Sept 9th first day of the special Teal season.
Jeff and I had one
of those GREAT duck hunting days!! You know, hot, no wind, bugs,
ect.
Hunted Little Creek, Del. at Port Mahon part of the impoundment.
Setup
about 60 dekes and ready about 10 minutes early. Jeff mised the
first one
and the morning was started. Ducks everywhere. Big ducks,
Blacks and
Mallards and lots of Teal. Sunny when crazy. Finished before
the
sun was up! Eight ducks!! Seven Bluewing and one Greenwing
Teal.
After missing the first one Jeff was really crunching them. Only
problem was, than Jeff had to go to work. He says we may go again
in
the morning. Hope so. Didn't even seem to notice all the
bugs and that
heat and humility. Ha. Can't hardy wait to get them picked
and ready
for the roaster. Fall's here, now for some cool weather.
Write if you
get a chance. donald
Sept 10th thru 12th 1999
Didn't go hunting Friday, cause Jeff's truck
had water pump problems. I needed to rest anyway.
Saturday, 0500AM Eddie and I left for a hunt
down at the mouth of the Nanticoke River. I had Eddie completly lost
in the dark and marsh that he had never been too. We were setup before
shooting time. Duck hunters everywhere. Not many Teal.
We had four Greenwing come to the dekes just after sunrise. Decoyed
beautifully with all colors gleaming in the sunshine. I through I
could maybe kill two with Bertha, but shot between the two drawing feathers
out of the front one's ass. Eddie got his, a beautiful little hen.
Sunny did her thing as nicely as it could be done.
About an hour later we had a single Bluewing
come and Eddie shot but missed and Bertha downed it nicely. Sunny again
did a good job and when she dropped it in the boat it had a band on it
leg. First band on a Bluewing that I have ever heard of.
Stayed till ten, but nothing else came. Talked to the DNR who
checked us and lots of other hunters that all said the Teal were just not
here yet and that we had killed as many as anyone.
Jeff had gone south to one of the impoundment's
that you needed a permit for and had only gotten two Teal and a goose also.
We decided to try the geese at Hurlock for an afternoon hunt, instead of
Teal. Weather was beautiful and we slept most of the afternoon in
the corn field. About 0700PM we heard geese and about 35 or 40 that
were in the refuge came out but didn't want anything to do with us.
Least it was an easy hunt.
Jeff and I plan to try them again Monday morning.
Guess we will stay in Md, cause his boat and trailer will just not launch
in the impoundment at Little Creek, Delaware, not enough water. Will
let you know. donald
Sept 13th thru Sept 17th, 1999
Monday, Jeff and I were setup before shooting
time down at the mouth of the Nanticoke River waiting for Teal. We
left the launch in soupy fog and I told Jeff I was lost immediately.
We just followed the shoreline and made it to our little spot. Fog
had lifted by sunrise and just before time to shoot we had 3 Bluewings
go right over the dekes, easy shot, but didn't.
Sunrise brought the first Teal and a pair
came to the dekes. Jeff got his but I had Bertha and my excuse is
they were just to close for that 36 inch barrel, anyway I missed.
Next was another pair and the same thing happened. Jeff two, me zip.
Then a single and I think Jeff waited for me and then missed. Sunny
had brought us 2 beautiful Greenwing Teal. The last pair for the
day came from in front of us and Jeff downed one that fell into the marsh
reeds about 20 yds away. The reeds were too thick to even walk through
and so high they were over your head. Sunny when in after it and
much to Jeff's surprise she came back with it Another Greenwing.
By 8 o'clock it was getting hot without any breeze and we quit. Had
seven Teal that decoyed, 3 dead, wonderful morning. Course then Jeff
had to go to work, but I looked for Jimmy from over to the Cabin Creek
blind to see if we could hunt the local geese that where using the field.
Found Jimmy and after begging he said go ahead.
Eddie got home from work at 0415 pm and we were setting mounts at the end
of a little pond out in the corn that had been cut by five with local geese
trying to land as we were setting the mounts. Once setup the first
flock was nine and we killed two. Within five minutes there were
about 35 coming and this time we took them a little earlier and killed
five. Another five minutes and four came When they had
their feet out to land we took them and killed three more. Within
20 minutes we had killed our ten geese and were sitting in the truck watching
them go into the field. About 600 when in. Beautiful.
Eddie and I both clean our own geese and I
am not fast. Spend most of my time picking geese for the last week.
We, of course only had the three days of the season left, but we shot our
limit of ten each day. I WILL eat Canadian Goose this year!
It takes a lot of time to clean 30 geese, but I would sure do it again.
Planning on getting Jimmy to plant an acre of corn for me for next year.
The field will be in winter wheat shortly and then beans for next fall
and I figure and acre of corn would be another death trap. We'll
see.
Hurricane Floyd visited us yesterday, but
only spat on us till we through we would drown. Hope the Hurricanes
don't get any worst. Granny watched the weather channel ALL day.
Pat when to work. I finished cleaning geese. Whee!
Eddie and I will try the Teal again in the
morning, Saturday. Not sure if Bill is coming for this season.
Jeff says he is hoping for Tuesday morning. Life is GOOD.
Sept 18 thru 19, 1999
Well, 0420AM I received a call from Eddie
saying something like,
you don't really want to go do you. Course I had been out with
Pat to a
Randy Lee concert and hadn't got home till 0130AM and I agreed with
him
that we should sleep in and hunt Doves in the afternoon. Anyway
the old
men wimped out on the duck hunting! We did kill 15 Doves this
afternoon.
Going with Eddie, this morning, to get the
mounts out of the field
and put them away for another year. Noticed two small flocks
of AP's
come to the Hurlock refuge yesterday. There will be lots next
weekend.
Hoping a few Snows show up with them. Talked to my landlord at
the
Hurlock lease yesterday and he says the corn field will be cut and
then
chopped and then left for the winter and will go in early Peas in the
spring. Whee!
Guess I will get started painting WHITE this
afternoon. donald
Sept 20 &21, 1999
Monday, daybreak found me at the Cabin Creek
duck blind. Could have killed Mallards and Woodies, but no Teal.
Tuesday, daybreak found Bill and I at the
mouth of the Nanticoke River NWA setup for Teal. We had setup at
the mouth of a creek with some open water in front of us so that the ducks
could see the dekes, but what Teal were flying were coming from behind
us and gone before we could get off a shot. We moved about 50 yds
to another creek where we could see them coming up river. By 0830AM
we had still not had a shot. Weather overcast looking like rain,
but not a breath of air going.
Around 0900AM we had a pair come up the little
creek, about 15 yds wide. As they squired through at mark 9, Bill
crunched one. The other did the Teal thing and finally at about 35
or 40 yds it straighten out and I downed it with Bertha. The tide
was all over the marsh and Sunny had a time finding Bill's which fell right
in front of us just in the marsh and just couldn't fine the one I had killed.
We stayed till 1100AM and watched a few Greenwing fly by. Of course
when we were taking up dekes, after nothing for 2 hours, we had a single
Bluewing, the only Bluewing we saw, come at us. As it went by I grabbed
Bertha and tried a shot so far to my right that the gun was one handed.
Damn near broke my arm, but I knocked the duck down. Still it fell
so far we couldn't fine it. We came home with our 1 Greenwing, but
had a great time.
Bill and I moved the floating blind down to
Eagle Ditch and called it a day. Looked like it would rain at any
time. Bill headed home in his NEW truck, wonderful truck, and I headed
to bed for a nap.
Ten days till Snow goose season opens.
Got lots of painting to do and must go get the boat from Chincoteague.
Maybe Pat and I can get the boat today.
I had a head cold for 3 days that was BAD,
but think I am now over it, but looks like Granny has it now. Write
if you can.
Sept 22, thru Sept 26, 1999
Well, I spend my time painting dekes white
and checking on places to hunt. Also cut a tree down at the Cabin
Creek blind, damn thing has been in the way all these years and is finally
GONE. Spent time at the floating blind. Had to go down when
the tide was out to see how it should be tied and put another rope that
is tied to a tree to bring it off the bank a little. Think it is
ok now. Brushing it takes a lot of time. Eddie and I went down
today, but it was just to DAMN HOT to work on it. I WILL get it done
if it kills me. ha.
Eddie and I went fishing last evening and
I caught 2 nice trout and all 4 rock about 20 to 22 inches. Tonight
Eddie WILL get rid of that shiny hook he was using,. Crabs are still
almost unbelievably plentiful. Biggest and best I can remember in
a while. Gettem Rod!
Life's good! Pat's great! Granny's
granny, she got Pat up this morning at 0400AM cause a cricket was making
noise and she was sure it was the stove and she couldn't turn it off.
I told her them crickets will be horny till the first froze. It will
get worse.
Write if you know how. donald
Sept 27 thru Oct 1st, 1999
Most of the week the wind was out of the East
and I didn't even bother with fishing. Did have another nice mess
of Hard Crabs. Roasted some ducks and a goose on another night.
Been eating good. Spent some time on the floating blind and it is
now bushed up for the first day. Took 63 mounted Snows up to the
BoomBay farm 'Jimmy Snows' and my 14 foot boat to be ready for the Snow
geese, if they ever get here. Did see the first 1,000 funnel in Sunday
afternoon into the marsh at BoomBay refuge. Other than that I painted
some tires white and dreamed about the Oct 1st duck hunt with Jeff at Little
Creek, Delaware public hunting.
Oct 1st, I was up at 0200AM and at Little
Creek checking station before 0400AM for lottery. Waterfowl hunting
is alive and well in Delaware. It was crowded! Jeff's friend,
George, arrived and we waited for the lottery. Didn't think
we would every get picked and when we did, the best left, was not the best.
Feel a little funny writing this next part,
but will try to give you an idea of just now a hunts attitude can be changed
so very quickly. When we arrived at the ramp. As I was putting
on my boots, George started fussing about the guys in front of us not getting
their boat launched quick enough for him. It was loud enough so that
the first think I know there were people being called assholes and for
a mintue I really didn't know what was going to happen. My first
through was to just get into my truck an leave, but I wanted to go duck
hunting to bad to do that, so I tried to settle things down. Now
don't get me wrong, this was not a big deal, but I think it did change
the attitude of the hunt.
Shooting time found us setup with no wind
and clear skies. Jeff killed a single Greenwing Teal that went down
his end of the blind. I killed a single Wigeon. We tried to
get George a shot and four Greenwing went over the dekes and down the creek
on his side, I'm sure Jeff would have gotten a couple of them, but George
didn't shoot. We also had a single that came right strait at us,
but George kept saying it was a Black duck and by the time he could see
that it wasn't it was pass us. George seemed like a really nice guy,
but was just having a bad morning for some reason. Hope I get to
hunt again with him when we have a better day. George had to leave
about 0700AM and of course that was when the only flock of ducks came right
into the dekes. I did get one. There were 7 Bluewing in the
dekes and when they jumped I just shot the easyest one.
Stayed till 0300PM, but came in with only
2 Wigeon, a Bluewing Teal and a Greenwing Teal. Missed a couple long
shots. Just not a ducky day. But beautiful out there anyway.
Sooner or later we will get a day that makes the ducks fly. I will
sleep in, in the morning!
Oct 2nd and 3rd 1999
Kevin had left word with Pat that they had
been to the club's duck blind and there was just nothing doing. So
I got to sleep in Saturday morning. Had talked to Eddie to see if
he wanted to go to the Delaware Nanticoke WMA, but he said no, and I didn't
want to go by myself.
Eddie and I did bush the Cabin Creek duck
blind and get the dekes ready and over there. It's all ready.
Sunday, I worked volunteer at the visters
desk at Prime Hook NWF. I enjoy the time there. Will work again
next Sunday afternoon.
Jeff and I are going to Little Creek and try
the ducks again in the morning. Another 0200AM morning. It's
the last day of the first duck season and a cold front is to come through.
Hoping to have a great day. Will let you know what happens.
donald
Oct 4th and 5th, 1999
Oct 5th the last day of the Delaware early
duck season. 0200AM up
and at'em. Met Jeff at the Little Creek station. To NOT
be picked at
the lottery. Then NOT knowing where the Teal blind was at the
club,
Jeff and I when to the standup blind at the club where there were NOT
enough dekes to bring the geese to us. We watched a pit behind
us about
500yds away kill 18 Snows. Then I did NOT go slow enough on the
way
home and got a speeding ticket $76.00.
Now I say you, is that NOT a bad day or what.
Glad it's over!
Plan on trying the Snows with Bill and maybe
Jeff on Thursday.
Will let you know if things go better. donald
Oct 6th thru 10th, 1999
Oct 6th, was a day for painting and
enjoying a roasted goose. Also, getting ready for the first Snow
hunt of the year at BoomBay club. Not many there, but a good cold
front coming.
Oct 7th, I meet Bill and Jeff at the
BoomBay club house. They had been out in the field and set dekes.
Looked great. Wind blowing about 25 kts out of the NorthNorthWest.
Overcast and just plain goosie. Around 0700AM we began seeing a few
and then a flock of 20 or 25 began working the dekes. On the third
swing they were about 35 yds overhead and we took them. Jeff got
a triple. Bill and I got nothing. At first I said I did, but
after the next two shots, I knew I didn't.
The next shot was a flock of about 15 the
we took just a little to far, maybe 55 yds and I noticed I hit a bird behind
the one I was shooting at. Just wasn't leading enough.
Then we had a nice funnel of hundreds of Snows,
some flipping out to get lower. We took a flock of about 30 as they
swung over our heads at about 25 yds and I finally hit one so that it fell.
Noticed it was hit in the ass, so from then on I increased my lead even
more and began hitting each time. I was shooting T's and with them
close you could see the feathers fly out of their backs as it went through.
Jeff had spotted a Blue and went after it killing a pretty Eagle Head.
Now we had the rust out and made the next
flock pay. Took them at about 35 yds overhead and killed 5, my one
and Bill and Jeff making doubles.
Our last shot was at another funnel with the
birds that we shot at overhead at 35 yds. Bill and I each got one,
but Jeff went Bluegooseing without getting him. The shooting was
over quickly. 0800AM we had 12 Snows, one was a Blue. What
a way to start out, huh. Fantastic day with friends.
Oct 8th, I had a Dr appointment, but
of course was up in time to run to the club. But after listening
to the weather and them saying it was to be FAC 'flat ass calm' I went
back to bed. They did kill 2 more.
Oct 9th, was busy behind the house
for Woodies. Craig and two of his friends set up tent in the backyard.
Bill stayed at the house and he and I meet Jeff and his brother Doug for
a hunt in the floater back of the house. Setup looked beautiful,
bill and I had setup the evening before. Weather was again FAC and
we only managed 3 Woodies. Jeff and his brother each getting a nice
beautiful roaster. Jeff's with a great comb. However as we
hunted the blind sunk and we had to abandon blind over the front.
It was a shame, cause the wind was just picking up, but no one wanted to
get wet or go swimming or lose gear. So we were forced to quit.
Bill tried the fix the problem, but just had
no luck doing so.
Bill, Eddie and I went to the Cabin Creek
blind for the evening. Saw only a few and managed to get one more
Woodie drake. Craig and his friends had killed 5 in the morning and
then killed seaducks in the afternoon. All in all it was a pretty
good day.
Oct 10th, I go over to Prime Hook for
volunteer work at the desk today and planning to hunt with Jim in the morning.
Guess it will be Cabin Creek, cause of the floater being not usable.
Will get you know what happens.
Oct 11th and 12th, 1999
Monday morning found be at Cabin Creek by
myself. Jim couldn't made the morning hunt. Didn't see many
ducks cause of fog and not much flying, but shot great. Being by
myself, I just waited for the first single to get over the dripping at
the dekes and as he straiten out I killed him with ease. About 0830AM
there were more flying and I had three dive at the dekes. Again I
made a good shot and had my limit of Woodies. Sunny did her thing
just great.
Stayed for a little while to see if a Mallard
might fly by, but just didn't happen. Did see more Woodies.
Jim showed up at about 0200PM and we went
on over to the Cabin Creek blind. Eddie showed up after work.
We saw one pair of Woodies that came down the edge of the woods.
As they went over head at about 25 yds I shot and made them flare up for
Eddie and Jim. They shot, but no ducks fell. That was it.
Oct 12, Harold was a no show at 0610,
so I headed over to the blind by myself. Hoping if he was late he
would remember where the blind was at. The first ducks through were
about 5 Greenwing Teal at warp 5. I had seen them coming and swung
as hard as I could passing the last and pointing at the ones in front about
7 feet in front of the last. I killed the last dead. I was
feeling real good about getting the Teal when a single Woodie came over
the dekes and I missed. Than a pair which I again missed. In
just a bit, there were 4 Woodies that came darting over the dekes and again
I missed. When by myself I hit what I shoot at, but not this morning.
Seemed I couldn't hit my ass with both hands. It was all over on
this clear morning within a half hour and I came home with my little Teal.
Harold was down on my pier fishing.
He had gotten lost on the way over and just couldn't remember how to get
to the blind. We rode around again to get him so he thinks he can
fine it now and hopes to come in the morning. I am thinking about
going seaducking in the morning if the weather is so we can. Going
in now to Cambridge to buy a rig license. Will let you know.
Oct 13th, 1999
Harold and I were out on the Chesapeake Bay
by 0800AM this morning, waiting for the first flock of seaducks.
It sure felt good to be there, I miss it. We didn't have to wait
long before we had a flock of Black Scoters, about 25, come to the dekes.
As they had their feet out over the dekes I shot Bertha and rolled four
dead. Had my limit! Damn.
At least it took Harold a little longer to
fill his. We had all 3 kinds of Scoters. Whitewings, Surf,
and Black. Even got a shot at some Lesser Scaup and almost got one
down, but he just kept on going.
Sure felt good to go. Thanks Harold!
Pat's birthday is today, she's 39 again.
When out for dinner at the Outback Steakhouse and of course ate to much.
Hope it doesn't affect me in the morning, cause Jeff's coming down and
we will try for another Woodie.
Sunny sure looked sad today, cause she didn't
get to go seaducking or to the Steakhouse. Later. donald
Oct 14th thru 16th 1999
Oct 14th, daybreak found Jeff and I
at Cabin Creek duck blind. We had a few passing shots without touching
one and then had four Woodies decoy right in, which we each got just one
of. Both drakes. beautiful. Wind was blowing a gail, so I took
Jeff behind the house and paddled up Eagle Ditch where we found Woodies
asleep on the bank. They jumped about 10 feet from Jeff. My
boat had been left tied with just a bow line at the end of the pier and
had caught under my pier and sunk. Thanks Craig! And I had
through it was bad enough that Harold and I had to pull my 16 foot boat,
before going seaducking the other day, that they had used and not
bother to pull out for me, after using it. Kids, huh! 30 year
old kids! I am chewing you out Craig. hehehe
Even with the boat sunk and Jeff having to
pail the thing out I think he enjoyed himself and finished our limits of
Woodies. We rode around a bit and there were Woodies around ever
turn, but never even saw another kind of duck. The floater in Eagle
Ditch is still floating. Here's a picture of it just after we abandoned
it the first day of Woodie season. FLOATER
Oct 15th, found Jeff and I at Cabin
Creek duck blind. Would have been a great day for seaducking, but
Jeff wanted to work on the pit at Quinn Rd, so we just went to the duck
blind. Did miss shots, but nothing decoyed. I spent the day
painting dekes.
Oct 16th, daylight found Eddie and
I at Cabin Creek duck blind. Had several pass shots and I did manage
to kill one nice Woodies drake. Great ending to the wood duck season.
Would have been a great day for seaducking, but Eddie just didn't have
it in him after working all week, so I guess my one seaduck trip with Harold
was it for this year.
Eddie and I went on up to Jeff's Quinn Rd
pit for the afternoon, but of course with the weather beautiful we killed
nothing. Was plenty of geese, maybe Monday will be good.
However I still have not seen a young bird.
Bill had come down to see if he could do anything
to the floater and at least got his dekes up. Says hell with the
floater. Got to get the license number off, it's in my name of course,
so nothing comes back about it to involve me with it incase it ends up
on someone's front shoreline. Had asked him to pull the boat when
he was done, but Eddie and I ended up having to pull it out before going
to Quinn Rd for the afternoon. Sometimes wonder if friends are worth
it, but YES you are Bill, even if I do have to clean up little messes after
you. hehehe. Some times I wonder how you guys can stand me and my
heart!
Hoping we can all get together for a Snow
hunt on Monday, but the weather is still not a sure thing, so it's up in
the air yet. I haven't seen Pat all week cause she's working and I'm hunting,
but at least today we will go out to eat after church. Miss her when
it's like this. I will began, this week, setting up Hurlock for hunting.
Everyone seems to enjoy being able to just walk in and hunt there.
Will let you know what happens Monday. Write if you know how.
donald
Oct 18th & 19th, 1999
Oct 18th, Met Bill, Kevin and
two other club members at the Rt 6 pit at BoomBay. They had set out
about 500 dekes, 'Bill's mostly'. The wind was howling from the North
and it was clearing off after raining most of the night. Most years
we would have been in for one hell of a day, but without young birds I
didn't know what to expect. Our hunt amounted to a single and one
flock of three birds that came right in to us. We managed to kill
three. It was a great morning, but not what it should have been.
Still have not seen a young bird! Damn white birds are too smart.
Bill and I headed over to Quinn Rd where Jeff
had taken some Doctors for a mornings hunt. They had killed 9 and
had a great morning. So Bill and I stayed for the evening hunt with
Jeff and Jack. By the time Bill's dekes were out we were hunting
about 1,300 dekes. Nice spread! Nothing flew till just before
sunset, but we had one large flock come to us and were trying to let them
get were all could get a good shot, but they slid off the edge of the dekes
and we had to shoot before they got right for everyone. We did kill
two. I had planned to be there in the morning.
Oct 19th, 0400AM my clock went
off and I tried to get up, but my legs were hurting to bad and I knew if
I pushed it I would have angina, so I just stayed in bed for 6 more hours,
Then I felt OK. The guys know I am a wimp anyway.
Turns out staying in bed was a good
idea, cause they didn't even fire a shot! Lots and lots of geese,
but WHITE and SMART. Think Jeff's discussed. Had told him it
was a year for ducks and pass shooting Snows. We both knew that this
was going to happen. It has.
Painted dekes again today. Damn I'm
slow.
BTW, I turned them two ducks loose and
the drake flew away and I have only seen him flying around the yard once.
The hen has moved onto the back porch. Quacks at the siding glass
door for attention.
Pissed Pat off today, cause I went to the
store and of course my sweats have no pockets and I had stuck the dollar
change in the belt line. She asked what's that. I told her,
all she could eat, under a dollar! Don't know if she will ever speak
to me again. hehehe donald
Oct 20th thru 23th 1999
Glad I missed Tuesday cause they didn't five
a shot.
Oct 20th, was another day for
painting dekes.
Oct 21st, Eddie and I meet Jeff
at Quinn Rd and they set out about 1,000 dekes. Lots of geese.
We had a funnel get started and on the third circle there were four that
came across about 40yds. It was Eddie's day so we had told him to
take them, but it seemed he didn't know where they were and as they went
out I shot Bertha at about 50yds and downed one. jeff shot just after
me and finally Eddie found them. I think Jeff and Eddie both brought
another down. We had two beautiful White Greater Snows. Jeff
took Sunny out for the long retrieve and while he was out there Eddie and
I had another big flock began working us. We shot at five that came
over head at about 50yds and when I shot my goose was hit hard, but I think
a little late, and I was sure he would come out but he caught himself and
away he went. Eddie hit another but we both got nothing.
There was no wind and although there were
lots of geese nothing would come to us. Jeff and I left for a look
over at Prime Hook and rode around most of the afternoon. We got
back at about 0430PM to fine Eddie asleep and with no more shooting.
We stayed till sunset, but again with no weather 'wind' we had nothing
work us. I was beat and swore to never hunt all day again.
It's just to much for the old guy. Had a great day but wasn't sure
about getting home safe.
Oct 22nd spent the day recuperating
and working on dekes.
Oct 23th, Eddie and were up and
heading for BoomBay before 0500AM. Upon arriving at the Club house
we found two trucks setting dekes at the Snow farm so Eddie and I went
over to the Rt 6 pit where no one was hunting. The weather man had
promised us winds from the NorthWest at 25kts but it was calm. No
one there and we made it out to the pit for nothing. Kevin has maybe
100 dekes out there. Saw lots of Snows, high. We could have
killed ducks and Canadians. We stayed till about
0830AM and decided that we might as well get home. Eddie had
a deer to clean that some one had given him.
I went over to the Teal blind and it has been
planted in wheat. There is no place to get to the blind so I guess
I am just plain screwed. It was the one reason that I wanted to be
a member and of course I missed the special season and than the first and
now it doesn't look like I will be able to hunt this one coming up.
DAMN! Don't think I want anything to do with it next year.
Rode down to Port Mahan. Could see no
one setup and no geese, but they were in a field just inside the checking
station. Ducks everywhere!!!! Think we should try them. Hope
we get in a seaduck hunt also.
Eddie and I are going to set some dekes out
at Hurlock in the morning. There are just a few there and I expect lots
of them anytime now. donald
Oct 24th thru 27th, 1999
Oct 24th, Eddie and I spent the
day working on Hurlock dekes and
it's beginning to look OK.
Oct 25th, Daybreak found me at
Hurlock watching the Canadians fly,
but just no Snows roasting there yet.
Oct 26th, Was at Hurlock working
on dekes and killed the first
Greater Snow. I had heard a flock of Snows, about 30, come and
circle
the refuge, but they went on. After just a bit, I heard one again
and
this one lower as it circled the refuge. He made two passes over
my
rig, at 65 or 75yds and on the third time out of the refuge I figured
I
better try him. However he came out at about 35 yds right over
my head
and was no trouble to kill. Got the first at Hurlock! Of
course it was
a big old white bird. Another for the crock pot.
Oct 27th, After spending all
week painting and working on dekes,
this was to be a day with Pat. I have drawn a blind at the Ted
Harvey
Track of the Delaware public hunting, for Saturday Oct 30th and wanted
to check it out. Pat and I rode up spending the day looking around
and
just enjoying life. Great day with her and I learned a lot about
the
area. Leaves just beginning to get some color.
Man next door killed a nice buck and gave
me a hind quarter, which
I cut up and we had venison steaks for supper. Wonderful.
Jeff, Bill
and I are going seaducking in the morning. Can't wait.
I hope to take
some video. I would do a lot of seaducking if I had some one
that would
go with me. Miss it.
Pat's fine, I am fine and Granny got the shits,
life's good. Write
if you can. donald
Oct 28th thru 29th, 1999
Oct 28th, I met Jeff and Bill
at English's Chicken House in Cambridge at 0700AM. We headed for
Taylors Island and were on the Chesapeake Bay before 0800AM. Jeff's
new boat is a dream. We had dekes set and settled in for some fun.
Ducks flew steady. Had Old Squalls decoy like I have never seen.
I had all my dekes painted over into Cans and Jeff had a couple strings
of Squall dekes along with his Scoters. Had Old Squalls decoy 4 or
5 times. I shot Bertha 3 times missing 2 times and killed two Scoters.
Saw Jeff make a couple of doubles and Bill's last shot was a triple and
it was over. We were in taking pictures before 1100AM
Jeff and I tryed to talk Bill into going with
us in the morning, but he had visions of Snows coming to the pit at BoomBay.
All we could say was good luck and laugh at him. Hope he got a shot,
but doubt it.
I got home in time to shuck oysters and have
a nice afternoon with Pat. She's going to head for North Carolina
in the morning for 3 days. Going to a showcase for one of her artist.
Oct 29th, Met Jeff at English's
Chicken House at 0730AM. Man was it foggy. I told Jeff we would
never be able to go and the ducks wouldn't fly. Man was I wrong.
We rode down anyway and found the Chesapeake Bay without much fog and FAC.
After dragging our feet it was close to 0900AM when we decided to go out
on the bay. Had our limits before 1000AM. Jeff and I sat there
and just enjoyed the ducks as they came to the dekes by the hundreds.
Flocks of 10 to hundred, one right after the other. We took pictures
of them. I even got some of Jeff downing a couple I think.
I was again home in time to shuck some oysters
and get some things done around the house. I have drawn a blind at
Ted Harvey public hunting in the morning and Jeff and I will have to be
at the checking station at 0515AM to pick on the permit. The weather
is going to be great for seaducking but stinks for marsh hunting.
But we may kill a few cause of the other hunters moving them around.
Will let you know. Miss Pat already. Write if you can.
donald
Oct 30th & 31th, 1999
Oct 30th, Arrived at the Little Creek
station at 0505AM and picked up permit. Came back to my truck to
fine my door locked by Sunny jumping around in her excitement. Never
lock the passenger side, but I had locked it yesterday while Jeff and I
had breast fast the morning before at English's Chicken House. Guns
were in the truck! Anyway asked the crowd that was awaiting the lottery
if any one had a slim-jim, but of course no one did.
When Jeff showed we called to see if
the police would come and unlock it, but were told to call a lock smith.
Saturday at 0500AM forget it! So I now have the back window of my
truck out again. $50.00 deductible is better than $100.00 for a locksmith.
Anyway after getting into my truck we went
to the blind and had better than an hour to wait for shooting time.
Weather FAC. We did have a Mallard Drake fly by to close and I downed
him in a pile. When he hit the water, both Jeff and I knew that he
didn't move. Ha. Anyway, Sunny didn't see him fall and we were sure
that he was dead, so we figured we would wait till it was light enough
to see him and then retrieve him. Ha. Once it got light he
was gone. We looked everywhere.
We did have two more shots at Greenwing Teal,
but neither Jeff or I could get ahead of one. Course with the weather
the way it was we quit quick. Jeff did get to see the place and I
think we will go back.
I was back with Granny early, man was she
right. Wish I could make sense of half of what she says. Guess
it will get worse. Miss Pat. Bugger didn't even call.
This weather has to chance before hunting will get decent. It's calm
and in the 70's. Course if anyone wants to kill a seaduck I am ready!
Oct 31th, Eddie and I worked on dekes
and bushed the pit at Hurlock. Pat called and should be home at midnight
tonight. Don't think I will go to BoomBay in the morning cause of
the weather. Maybe I will try the Ringnecks at Hard Scrabble.
Will let you know. Write if you can. donald
Click here
for Nov 1999
If anyone is reading these letters,
it would be nice to have an account of what your life is like. I would
love to hear from you.
Donald
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