how is everyone's duck season going?

[CuzTheyFly]

http://www.txdovehunt.com/Tom_goose_roost_302_.jpg]

This is me in North Texas on Goose Hunt this past season...

-Super post guys with awesome pics,

-tucker301- your collage is awesome what a great idea, you should make it into a poster. As an outdoor websmaster - writer , I have never seen one like that yet... If you had folks send you thier various pics, you might be able to sell those... As for the cat tail like pic frame, if you find a plug in like that please PM with it.. It seems more of the graphic folks tend to be tree huggers...

-This post was a great example of how hard core Benelli owners are with duck hunting!! Keep on

[ 02-24-2006, 02:17 PM: Message edited by: CuzTheyFly ]

[Duboids]

Well mine is going pretty good also. LOVE my Franchi 912 :cool:
http://home.ptd.net/~dang2/images/shotguns.jpg

[sbeIIfan]

I went out on friday and got 5 ducks with my dad. I got one that day, (my first duck ever!) The next day we only got one duck and I shot that one too! :D

[tucker301]

Nice going, Junior!
What kind of duck did you get?

[sbeIIfan]

I got two Mallards. :D

[Cleric]

It has been kind of sparce here in CO. We have managed to hit all the warm weekends and the birds are nowhere to be seen. Next weekend it is supposed to be a bit cooler and we're hoping to see some geese in the mix.

Only 6 so far...

[Commando]

:mad: Well here in Phx, Az the hunting is not very good. We are just shooting alot of locals that are very educated and wont decoy in or come in range.

[CuzTheyFly]

Dub- Great picture, nice Drake Mallards... I bet you read several hunting and gun magazines.... Cause you took the time to set up that...Great guns, ducks and image.. Hope your season goes well and keep doing more
creative hunting images like that ..... It helps to share your hunting success with others...

SbeIIfan- Congrats to you and your Dad! Duck hunting is such a hard type of hunting to do,,,, Rules, calling & identifying, weather, costs,ect.... So you guys did awesome...

- Ask any Duck Hunting pro, guide, or veteran
how they got so good at duck hunting.

They usually always say a life time of practice, My Dad, my relative, or another senior hunter that helped them...

[bwnr]

Look out Kentucky and Tennesse! This past Thursday I easily saw a thousand mallards flying south with a stiff tailwind. Not a one wanted to stop and rest in front of me or anyone else on the state reservoir I was hunting.

Friday, different story, saw 8 mallards all day.

[CuzTheyFly]

From two days ago, Sat morning until about 9:45 and full limits...wow was this fun... You could say it was a full blown "Bush Whacken"

http://www.txhunts.com/Parish_b-day_hunt_640_.jpg


http://www.txhunts.com/_dkhunt_fence_640_.jpg

[birddog]

Nice pics CuzTheyFly.

Shooting in my area has been good on woodies and teal so far.. spoonies have been a little more plentiful and I've noticed an increase in my respective area in pintails and canvasbacks.

Canadian's have been overly plentiful.. only 1 a day bag here and it'll be strong until season's end.

[bkirsch]

Arkansas season opens this weekend... lack of water could be a problem... We are working on our blinds... Hope we have a good opening...

[sbeIIfan]

When we were hunting we were sorrunded by birds to the left of us and in front of us. We easily saw around 1500 birds flying around and teasing us. We shoot at an amazing duck hunting club! tongue.gif

[Duboids]

Originally posted by CuzTheyFly:
Dub- Great picture, nice Drake Mallards... I bet you read several hunting and gun magazines.... Cause you took the time to set up that...Great guns, ducks and image.. Hope your season goes well and keep doing more
creative hunting images like that ..... It helps to share your hunting success with others... Thank you and yes I read all the info I can on duck/goose hunting. My son saw a picture me and my buddies took of a grouse hunt with the guns. So when we finally got some ducks he wanted to take the same type picture. So my 12 year old set that picture up, turned out great. Looks like you shot yourself a nice bag limit of cool ducks. Most of the ones around here are mallards, saw a couple shovlers they other day no shooting though. Here is a pair of honkers we got the first day, took his to get mounted his first one. His weighed 11 1/2 and mine was 12 1/2 pounds, biggest geese I have ever shot.
http://home.ptd.net/~dang2/images/dyalns_goose.jpg
http://home.ptd.net/~dang2/images/our_geese.jpg

[Russ F.]

I just got back from Idaho. We kill the S*it out of them. 64 in three days. It was hard to leave the blind each day as the the ducks continued rained down on us as we picked up the decoys.

Russ, out

[ 12-20-2005, 02:30 PM: Message edited by: Russ F. ]

[IdahoDucker]

Southeast Idaho is really rockin! 92 ducks in the last 5 trips. 88 of them mallards. Close to 300 now for the season. 5 bands in my group too. Just an amazing winter here and it's all on wide open public land.

[MATT STARCK]

I live in colorado and we have had a pretty decent season. I just shot a banded drake mallared on monday

[Webfoot]

Here are a couple recent hunts.

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a123/Michael_Black/100_0855.jpg

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a123/Michael_Black/100_0862.jpg

[ 12-22-2005, 08:43 AM: Message edited by: Webfoot ]

[mudhen]

Just getting warmed up here in Cali. We hunt hard in January. I'll get out 20 or so days from here to the close.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101geese0017.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101italy0047.jpg

mudhen - CA

[bwnr]

Cold, but worth it.

http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d109/bwnr/1-21-05.jpg

[69beers]

Hitting the southern shores of Lake Erie this weekend. If we don't get our limit of birds we will definitely exceed our limit of Great Lakes Brewing Company's finest!

[mudhen]

Still just getting warmed up...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101december0010.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101december0023.jpg

mudhen - CA

[Webfoot]

At least someone's getting some quality trigger time in.

Is that a cinnamon teal on the end in the first pic?

Very Nice Mudhen

My season ends this weekend.

[mudhen]

Yes. My club has a resident group that lives there. We shoot a few. They don't generally decoy well.

Thank gawd for a January 29 close - January is our best month usually.

I shot my first ducks in Missouri - Fountain Grove - lived in StL for 15 years...

mudhen - CA

[Webfoot]

Are those rice fields? I never realized Ca had such quality waterfowl hunting.

15 years...You can't live in that city for that long and not love the Cardinals...

[mudhen]

I'll always love the Cards. We lived behind Lou Brock's flower shop in the late 60's.

CA has maybe a million acres of rice, at least 1/2 flooded each fall to decomp the rice straw. They outlawed 99.99% of burning the straw because of pollution & health reasons.

Decomp is good & bad. Good to have a place to hunt, but the birds now are mostly disinterested and just sleep, eat, and sheit in untouchable areas of rice. A natural club near the rice is the best spot as the ducks like the marshes during daylight hours and feed in the rice at night.

But we have our good rice days on occasion...

mudhen - CA

[roadrider18]

MUDHEN...........how in the world do you know which call to blow!

[mudhen]

Originally posted by roadrider18:
MUDHEN...........how in the world do you know which call to blow! That's about 1/3 what I normally use. We get so many species of ducks & geese, you need many calls. I use at least 2 speck calls, 1 snow call, 1 cackler call, 1 honker call, plus all sorts of calls & whistles for sprig, teal, widgeon, gadwall, mallets, etc.

Even with all the rain, we are still getting a few birds.

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101jan20060039.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101jan20060042.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101jan20060009.jpg

mudhen - CA

[camo3235]

Well, Down here in Louisiana we are havin off and on weekends. But i have to say, in one of the farms i hunt at there are over 7000 geese. we limit out every other weekend at the same blind. that's about it

[Webfoot]

http://i10.photobucket.com/albums/a123/Michael_Black/100_0961.jpg

[IdahoDucker]

Since we're asking mudhen questions . . . what's with the hat? smile.gif

[mudhen]

I shoot many Benelli's, but Browning Golds are my favorite gas guns.

Just ordered a new Winchester SX3 today.

mudhen - CA

[Geno]

What about the Beretta 391 model? Have you ever shot that model, either field or sporting? They seem to be the most popular around here-how does that compare to the Gold?

[mudhen]

Yeah, I also ordered an Xtrema II yesterday.

I like Beretta gas guns, but not nearly as much as Browning gas guns.

To me, Brownings are smaller, lighter, thinner, and much, much, easier to clean and maintain.

The first Xtrema is like a 2x4! The Xtrema II is a little better.

mudhen - CA

[BLACK JACK]

How do you add pics to your post?

[tucker301]

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/howtopostanimage.jpg

[BLACK JACK]

How do you I take a pic I have on my cpu and attach a URL to that image. This is the part that has me as lost as a goose in a snow storm.

Thanks

[tucker301]

The picture must be uploaded to the web first. That's how you get a URL. You can't post it directly from your computer.

Use an image hosting service:

http://hunt101.com/
http://photobucket.com/

[BLACK JACK]

Thank you.

[BLACK JACK]

http://www.frappr.com/benelliownersgroup/photo/1033028

[tucker301]

Black Jack,
I don't think frappr links are going to work here.
The URL must be a full and direct link to a image file.

Your's points to http://www.frappr.com/benelliownersgroup/photo/1033028 , but there should be a .jpg extension on it for it to be of use here.

Look at the properties of my image above and you'll see http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/howtopostanimage.jpg <--- note the .jpg extension.

Nice mallards, by the way!

[tucker301]

I'm BACK!!!!

Today was my first day of armed duck hunting since my surgery on 10-31.
I used 2-3/4" 2's and had on lots of layers.
Didn't feel a thing...but these poor guys sure did :D

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/1-7-06.jpg

[BLACK JACK]

TUCKER THANKS FOR YOUR HELP I FINALLY FIGURED THIS PIC THINK OUT. GOOD LUCK ON YOUR FULL RECOVERY. http://i31.photobucket.com/albums/c394/HAY2575/DUCKS/Beaupics042_edited.jpg

[ 01-07-2006, 08:48 PM: Message edited by: BLACK JACK ]

[DeadlyBenelli]

That sure is a cute pup. Kinda reminds me of this pup a few years ago.
http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v169/BrokenHorn/Hunting/B1.jpg

[sbeIIfan]

look at his D1k :D ;)

[sbeIIfan]

friend pointed that out, lol

[DeadlyBenelli]

D1k???

[BLACK JACK]

Wow, great looking lab. Mine is leaving for gun dog training next weekend. He was just a few weeks old in that pic. I will try to put a current pic up later.

[mudhen]

Originally posted by sbeIIfan:
look at his D1k :D ;) I think we get enough of that everytime you post :D

mudhen - CA

[mudhen]

Cali keeps on going until the 29th...

Nice photo Tucker - glad you are getting out and about smile.gif

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101jan7n80013.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101jan7n80038.jpg

mudhen - CA

[davekop]

Ducks are done in MI. We have been hunting geese at a Managed Goose Unit. If you can get a good draw, the hunting has been so-so.

[CuzTheyFly]

Nice pics from Cali... While in our high school days,,My brother and I used to be Central Cali public refuge rats...Mendota, Merced, Volta, Kern, and even Wister near San Diego... Many good times spent camping sweat lines with fellow duck hunters... Now we run a Outfitter company in North Texas and get to hunt quite a bit more often... There is something really cool about the Pacific flyway and public duck hunting in California... We have found that most other states have very poor public hunting programs, compared to California...
this pic is from 1990 at Mendota ..or Volta..
http://www.txdovehunt.com/Scott_Mendota_CA_220_.jpg

[mudhen]

Gonna hit Kern this weekend. Refuges are fine, but I like the club life too...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101cinnamon0017.jpg

mudhen - CA

[CuzTheyFly]

Dang even the ducks are rich in Cali...nice jewelry picture.. We had no choice on the refuges, as it was high school years for us back then... Every hunt was also a long road trip from Thousand Oaks. You a California Water Fowl member? You folks take duck clubs to whole different level out there...$$$$



Originally posted by mudhen:
Gonna hit Kern this weekend. Refuges are fine, but I like the club life too...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101cinnamon0017.jpg

mudhen - CA

[memphis]

Eastern AR. Best season in years.

[bkirsch]

Originally posted by memphis:
Eastern AR. Best season in years. Where in eastern Arkansas?

[memphis]

Hughes area.

[memphis]

Originally posted by mudhen:
Gonna hit Kern this weekend. Refuges are fine, but I like the club life too...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101cinnamon0017.jpg

mudhen - CA

[memphis]

Originally posted by mudhen:
Gonna hit Kern this weekend. Refuges are fine, but I like the club life too...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101cinnamon0017.jpg

mudhen - CA Banded duck....Is that cinnamon teal?

[tucker301]

I'm envious enough of the picture once.
Do I have to see it four times?!

[tucker301]

Went out today for ducks and geese from an open water blind.

Not long after sunrise, we caught movement coming our way, right out of the rising sun.
Geese!!

Three big geese were coming in low and silent and were fixed on our decoys, which were about 30 yards to our right - upwind.

Still and quiet, we watched as the black silhouettes steamed our way.
This was going to be GOOD!

As they entered our "no fly zone", barrels slowly rose and safeties clicked off.

At about 1/2 squeeze on my SBEII, my partner yells, "SWANS!", and they flared up and away at about 20 yards.

Although he holds a swan permit, and the calendar is right, we are about 60 miles west of where this would have been a legal kill.

Coming straight at us, with the sun at their backs, they look very much like geese, and we're not used to seeing swans here but maybe twice a year, and never coming into our decoys :eek:

Added comments:
It should be noted that my hunting partner and I DO know the difference between geese and swans, most of the time.
With them coming directly at us, and the low morning sun at their backs, all we could see was goose-like wings and heads.
A slight profile would have immediately revealed that the young swans were not geese, but they didn't provide that for the 200 yards we saw them on approach.

[ 01-14-2006, 07:38 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

[mudhen]

Bidnez as usual here in the Golden State:

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101kern0011.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101kern0013.jpg

mudhen - CA

[300lb shark]

OK going out on a limb here. Will start by saying I am not a hunter, no one in my close family hunts and I dont have any friends that hunt.

Here we go. Are these ducks edible? If so: How big a freezer do you guys have? Is there problem with eating around shot? How many freakin recipies do you have for duck?

If they are not edible: What do you do with a dead duck/a lot of dead ducks?

:confused:

thx all

[mudhen]

Yes.

Big enough to hold ducks, deer, turks, hogs, etc.

No.

Don't need many, that's what the BBQ is for.

n/a - but did you really think we shot these ducks just to watch them die :confused:

mudhen - CA

[300lb shark]

Thx for the reply. I'll just say that I dont claim to know anyones reasons for anything that they do. For all I know the ducks threatened your family. I was sincerely hoping that this was not a kill for kills sake sport, such as in the "Exploding Varments" videos. I am not a tree hugger nor am I here to pass judgement on others (except maybe PETA, they get on my nerves). Was truley interested in the motives of the duck hunt.

Having said that, what about dove, are they big enough to eat? Have seen articles/ads in shooting mags where people have killed dozens in a day. I have been told that my grandfather used to dove hunt, but never heard of him eating them.

WOW! My boss just handed me a cooler with a deer ham in it! What a good start to a day!

Happy blastin!

[sdkidaho]

Originally posted by 300lb shark:
Having said that, what about dove, are they big enough to eat? Have seen articles/ads in shooting mags where people have killed dozens in a day. I have been told that my grandfather used to dove hunt, but never heard of him eating them.Not much meat on them, just the breasts essentially, but I know people eat them. Bite sized morsels. :D Some dove recipes. (http://www.backwoodsbound.com/zdove.html)

[mudhen]

Originally posted by 300lb shark:
Having said that, what about dove, are they big enough to eat? Have seen articles/ads in shooting mags where people have killed dozens in a day. I have been told that my grandfather used to dove hunt, but never heard of him eating them.
The daily record for dove by one person is something like 6000+- a few hundred.

A decent shoot in Argentina is 2000+ shells fired with a bag determined by the shooter's ability.

Cooked correctly, they are delicious. Cooked poorly, they taste like old liver.

A few states have a daily limit of 12-15. Most states are 10. 10 dove is a good meal...

mudhen - CA

[Nomaspescado]

Just got back this afternoon from four Ducky days in Colusa. A friend got me into duck hunting last year and all I can say is "Wow...I'm hooked for life!"
First is from this morning's sunrise and the other is from Tuesday.
http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f82/nomaspescado/IMG_0572.jpg http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f82/nomaspescado/IMG_0567.jpg

[ 01-20-2006, 08:41 PM: Message edited by: Nomaspescado ]

[Remy]

Hey,

Nice photos! Beautiful early morning sunrise.

[Duboids]

Yes very cool picture what mountains are in the back ground? Rockies? Nice group of snows... :cool:

[bowhunt101]

Awsome pictures fellas!!!! I usually for some odd reason dont really get into the duckhunting hard until deerseason goes out so my duck-season has gone perty decent to be as hot as its been.... We went monday and shot a limit of Bluebills, two Redheads, and a Pintail-hen.... We saw alot more ducks than that but didnt wanna risk shooting another bluebill.... Overall it was a goodhunt.... I intend to hit some ponds this week being its the last week of the season, going tommorow but it is supposed to be 70 friggin degrees in JANUARY, man this heat is killing me!!..-tim

[Nomaspescado]

Thanks for the nice comments!
I took the first picture from the blind looking directly at the Colusa Wildlife Refuge 100 yards away. The mountain range in the background is the Buttes.

[Duboids]

Originally posted by Nomaspescado:
Thanks for the nice comments!
I took the first picture from the blind looking directly at the Colusa Wildlife Refuge 100 yards away. The mountain range in the background is the Buttes. Thanks very cool picture... :eek: :cool: :D

[urodawg]

I thought I would share a couple pics from my recent trip to Louisiana. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/urodawg/100_0721.jpg http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/urodawg/100_0746.jpg

[Remymag]

Some of you guys do great ,here in Maine it can be tough. Especialy when our limit is the least of all.Sea ducks are different though. How about my last trip to the coast. First hungover at 4am .Not good. Next 100 mile ride. Then the unthinkable , 100yards from the boat landing and the wheel falls off the boat trailer. 2 hours later trailer fixed and boat landing full of hunters trucks and trailers. It snowed the night before and we of course get stuck and have to detach the boat trailer to turn around.Ok boat in water30 min later and out board wont start. Please shoot me now !! Well theres the 6 horse kicker we just will have to stay in the bay. While hooking engine on tide gos out, stuck at boat landing. Well some kind hunters coming in helped lift the boat back in the water. Yeah lets hunt . Well 1hr 20min hunt gave us 7 ieders and one hen buffle head. So who wants to come hunting with my friends and I . DEAD CAT SEA DUCK HUNTING CLUB

[mudhen]

Cali just keeps rolling along until the 29th...

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101snows0045.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101snows0027.jpg

http://img.photobucket.com/albums/v712/mudhen/2003_0101snows0014.jpg

mudhen - CA

[Duboids]

Wish I was there.... :eek: :cool: :D

[urodawg]

I thought I would show everybody the decals I put on my truck today. http://i42.photobucket.com/albums/e347/urodawg/100_0749.jpg

[tucker301]

mudhen,
Am I seeing stovepiped Kent?! :D

[tucker301]

OH BOY!!!
I bet I won't sleep a wink tonight!

For weeks, we've been watching 500-600 honkers stream over our heads every AM on their way to feed at a turf farm (for which I did the website).

I just got the call, and we're going to shoot them tomorrow morning!
This is the first time they've been shot all year.

There are about 15 shooters invited, the limit is five per shooter, and we'll be right where they were landing this morning.

One pit blind and mucho laydowns.


:D :D :D :D

[sbeIIfan]

YOU BETTER POST PICS! Good luck! :D

[tucker301]

I just checked the camera to make sure the batteries are fresh and everything's working well.

[sbeIIfan]

awesome!

[tucker301]

They've been going in there in groups ranging from 12 to 100.

The flights I've seen have been beginning around 8:00 Am and continuing for about an hour or so.
It should be a great time :cool:

[sbeIIfan]

Tuck, what loads and choke do you use?

[Webfoot]

Mudhen,
Are those Green head gear full body mallards?

[tucker301]

Well,
It didn't turn out as well as I'd hoped, but still not too bad.

We hunted a corn field bordered by a huge pond.

The first flight was one of the biggest, with around 40 birds in it.
It was early and grey, and they circled and began to slowly drop in.
A skybuster rookie in the pit blind opened fire WAY too quickly and they flared up and out.
We got one (the rookie missed). Should have had an easy dozen.

The rookie was talked to, and we waited for the next group.

Subsequent groups ranged from three to twenty birds, but none of them looked as though they wanted to settle in properly.

I was thinking we'd be using laydowns, but we had some one man portables that were just put out yesterday, and I think they were spooking, just because the landscape looked changed to them.

We got some decent shots, and we ended up with a dozen birds down.

My buddy was going back with the dog and a boat to collect the rest that had drifted too far out into the huge pond for the dog to mark.

The new blinds were left out, and they should be settled again in a few days.


Four of these were at the hands of my SBEII.
In fairness to the others, I've had much more goose shooting this year than they have, and my eye is right.

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/group.jpg


http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/geese.jpg

Wallhanger,
It's just two of us going this Saturday, so you're welcome to make the drive and join us.
If you leave Friday after work and have good luck with the DC traffic, you should be here by the time we shove off.

[ 01-26-2006, 07:25 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

[tucker301]

Originally posted by sbeIIfan:
Tuck, what loads and choke do you use? I was shooting 3" Win. X-pert Hi Velocity BB's through a Primos "Dead Zone Decoy" extended tube.

[JDAWG04]

How do you like that choke tube , I was thinkin about getting the decoy and pass choke of of ebeay for my M1.

[tucker301]

They've been doing great for me.

[sdkidaho]

What is the white'ish headed one? Still a Canadian, but younger? Or something else?

[nor'easter]

wow due to ridiculously warm temps the north east has been prouducing vary little waterfowl action.

[Remymag]

I didn't know new york was horth east.? Just kidding but today was a great sea duck day . Boothbay held plenty of ida's for us this morning. Seas were 5-8 feet ,rough tending when they tried to get away. Last saturday for Mainer's .Hope everyone enjoyed there season.

[tucker301]

The whitish headed one appeared to be some sort of a mixed breed.
He was big, with a large head and more orange colored feet than a typical Canada.

[tucker301]

After all of that effort towards packing the boat, we ended up not going goose hunting after all.
Instead, we loaded up my buddy's ARGO and headed for the bowels of a massive swamp.

I didn't miss the geese at all

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/buck-stealth.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/tommy-stealth.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/jr3.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/jr1.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/jr2.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/loot1.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/banded.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt012806/relief.jpg

[ 01-28-2006, 08:58 PM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

[mudhen]

Originally posted by Webfoot:
Mudhen,
Are those Green head gear full body mallards? Yes.

They were still perfect after 100 straight days in the field - but our weather is pretty mild...

mudhen - CA

[NateDog]

I don't have any pics but did better this year than the past two or three years. I only went out on 10 or so trips. Shot a limit on two of the trips and shot two banded birds, one of which was so worn I could only read three numbers. I'm sending it back to Maryland to have them acid wash it. Shot a variety of birds - mallards, pintails, teal, and a few widgeon. The season just ended in California and I'll be heading down to Mexico in a couple of weeks to shoot the ones I missed!

[sdkidaho]

I could have guessed you'd be the guy to watch out for when someone was taking a leak.

[Nomaspescado]

Tucker,
Now that's hilarious.

[CuzTheyFly]

Originally posted by CuzTheyFly:
http://www.txdovehunt.com/Godwin_220_.jpg http://www.txdovehunt.com/tom_scott_tailgate_dkhunt_364_.jpg

[tucker301]

He and I have have been buddies for the last 30 years.
Needles to say, those years have had their share of foolery.

I propped up a dead groundhog with a stick one day, and then laughed myself to tears as he fired three rounds into it before figuring out something was wrong :D

[sdkidaho]

Better than taking a picture is when your buddy has to take a leak while you're traveling down the highway.

Of course being the good friend that you are, you stop and let him out and he stands near the back of the truck to do his thing.

And of course you slowly pull away, revealing him to each and every passers by.

He'll either make a mess trying to get behind the truck again (ie- piss on himself) or run like a penguin :D

[ 02-02-2006, 09:13 PM: Message edited by: sdkidaho ]

[tucker301]

It was WET today.
It was so wet, my socks even got damp.... and they were in my sock drawer at home ;)

But it was a decent day, nonetheless.

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt020406/flights.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt020406/brothers.jpg

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt020406/wet.jpg

[Remy]

Tucker,

What choke tube is that on the lefty SBE?
Is it a Primos?

[tucker301]

Yes. Primos Dead Zone "Decoy" tube.
I have the set, but I hardly ever use the "Pass" tube.

[Remy]

Tucker,

How do you like the Dead Zone decoy? Any other chokes of similar constriction that you have had good luck with. I am thinking about trying something for the heck of it in my new SBE1, to use next duck season. Thanks.

[tucker301]

All I have tried are the factory chokes, a Patternmaster, and these.

I'm very happy with the Dead Zone decoy choke.
Even at 40 yards, I dropped some early season woodies with no problems.
They really excel in the 15-30 yard range.

[bwnr]

Just outside DeWitt, AR
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d109/bwnr/ark006.jpg
http://i34.photobucket.com/albums/d109/bwnr/ark004.jpg

[Remy]

Hey bwnr,

Excellent haul of ducks and geese!!! Bet your barrels were heating up a bit on that goose shoot.

Where's your guns? Any Super Black Eagles in the bunch?

What a great hunt. I am envious!

[bwnr]

That goose shot was crazy! Our best outing in 5 years. Turned out to be a 97 bird day (93 geese, 4 ducks). 4 hunters and sometimes 3 as we had to draw straws on 2 occasions to see who the unlucky guy was who had to walk back to the truck for more shells!! Honestly, we quit an hour before shooting time as I had had enough. Convinced the other 3 that we had a truely historic day so let's wrap it up. (Besides, breasting out 97 birds would take the rest of the evening).

One SBE, two SBEII's and one BPS.

3" Hevi-shot home loadings pushing 1 3/8" oz. #2's at 1525 fps. Totally awesome load. A bit pricy, but worth every trigger pull.

[tucker301]

Another good day today.
Weather is finally here and so are the big ones :D

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt020906/2-9-06a.jpg

[tucker301]

Lying in ICU in early November, it was hard to imagine that I'd be doing this well at any point in time, much less as quickly as it has come around.

I was hoping to maybe get out with the guys once or twice before the season ended, but the gash in my chest and the tubes and monitors kept pounding away at harsh reality.

Even though he doesn't frequent this forum, I want to say a whopping THANKS! to my old buddy, Leroy.

That's right, I hunt with a guy named Leroy
This IS the South, after all. :D

Leroy (pictured in my previous post) is 65 years young and is as tough as nails (make that cement coated, case-hardened nails).

On nights before hunts, he goes to bed around 8 PM, and he's usually the first person at the launch the next morning, checking in around 4 AM.

He's been hunting the same turf for over 40 years, and he has seen it all... twice!

When they first started duck hunting, Leroy and his cousin Bill would walk about 400 yards to a creek, where they kept a paddle jon boat stashed in the weeds.
They'd carry as many decoys, shells, clothes, and other essentials as they could.
They'd launch in the creek and paddle maybe another half mile or so to the flats. Then they'd paddle another 1/4 mile or so into the cattails and set up in a pothole.

They did this in rain, snow, sleet and whatever else Mom Nature would toss at them.
They didn't know what Gore-tex, Neporene, GPS navigation, or Mojo was.
They gathered wood from deadfalls and built fires when it got really cold.

Some days, they'd hunt sunup to sundown, but most days they'd limit out fairly quickly.

He's no scholar, and he's dammed sure no gentleman, but the short little sucker can hunt like no one else I know.
He chews tobacco constantly. He's nearly deaf from all of the years of taller hunters shooting over him, and he drinks more than anyone should, but he is absolutely the REAL DEAL when it comes to waterfowl hunters.

Thanks to Leroy, for taking me under his wing and showing me a trick or two.

It's been an unexpectedly amazing season!
Here's a raised longneck to Leroy, and to every other old-timer who has passed along his knowledge and experiences to a younger generation.

May it always be as it is now.

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/hunt021506/2-15-06.jpg

[tucker301]

Decided to do a collage of the last week or so.
Anyone know where I can find a frame made of cattails (iron or resin)?

http://www.gemsdesigns.com/images/2006season.jpg

[ 02-16-2006, 05:04 AM: Message edited by: tucker301 ]

[Duboids]

Very cool Tucker, looks like you had a great season. :cool:

[IdahoDucker]

Some highlights from southwest Idaho.
http://myweb.cableone.net/idahoducker/P1010162-2.jpg
21 + 1

http://myweb.cableone.net/idahoducker/P1010155small.jpg
28

http://myweb.cableone.net/idahoducker/P1010158-2.jpg
28

http://myweb.cableone.net/idahoducker/P1010012-2.jpg
My brothers first of 3 bands this season. 8 years since his last one.

http://myweb.cableone.net/idahoducker/P1010006-2.jpg
A fine specimen.

[ 02-19-2006, 08:12 PM: Message edited by: IdahoDucker ]

[Ol'Roy]

Great pics

would someone tell me how to add pics to a post I would like to post a few myself

[tucker301]

IdahoDucker,
Great Stuff!
Thanks for sharing with us!

Ol'Roy,
Page 3 of this thread (http://www.benelliusa.com/forums/ultimatebb.php/topic/7/96/3.html)

[Likwid]

Love the pictures....i hope to have a few upron my return from nebraska next week.

[bwnr]

Other than the truely poetic idiot bashing that some of the members of this forum are so gifted at posting, I think the best thread topic started is this one!

Great picture posts gentlemen, keep 'em coming. I have 8 long months to endure before hitting the muck again and need these story/pics to get me through.

[imajeep]

Central Maine had the worst year ive ever seen!

with the 15 xtra inches or so of rain, that we got during the early fall, the ducks were so spread out into the woods, it was difficult to hunt the "natives"
the migrators werent Horrible, but with all the xtra flooded places, they werent hitting the regular spots.
everyone i know had a slow year..
my 2004 season, i guess i killed close to 120
but in 2005 prob. only 65
it was rough....
the geese though were a different story:)

James From Maine