Can you believe we are almost halfway through January? And that there are just a few short weeks left of duck season? I know! I feel like it just started. That’s probably also why I am just now posting about our post-New Year’s hunting (at least that’s my excuse). I kept thinking it was “just last weekend” but that’s clearly not the case!
Similar to “Christmas Eve eve” we hunted New Year’s eve eve in that.. Yes, still balmy weather. There’s just nothing we could do but embrace it – with my lightest-weight jeans and just a cotton T-shirt under my waders. Toss a rain jacket on top of that since it was, well, raining, and it got pretty warm pretty quickly. With the weather not doing us any favors, aside from the rain, it ended up being a pretty slow one… But hey – a slow day and the duck blind is better than most days at the office, right? A little rain never hurt a duck hunt, either.
The ducks seemed to know exactly where we were and stayed just out of range for the most part. Tiny brains, but somehow always know where hunters are going to be later in the season. That didn’t stop old Otis and I from squeezing out our limits, though! What would we do without those ringnecks? Oh, and our Thermacells. Have you seen our mosquitoes here? They might as well be ducks. Still, the sun [sort of] came out, the ducks showed up, and we will certainly call it a successful hunt.
Letting our waders dry after the hunt – they look like they’re doing the stanky leg, no?
Unfortunately the day after New Year’s day wasn’t quite as good, but the weather was cooling off at last and a slow day wouldn’t stop us from getting out there. Full disclosure: I didn’t set my alarm correctly it was a little bit late getting out there, making it to the Pines right at legal hour. I waited for the first floor and then made my way into the pond so I wouldn’t wear any ducks. Neither John nor I pulled the trigger, despite watching a nice group of bluing teal swing into the pond and settle just out of range.
[Avery beanie ; Mossy Oak jacket (similar) ; Cabela’s waders (similar)]
You can find Prine’s dog vest here.
What do you do when you have a slow duck hunt in the morning and an itchy trigger finger? Quail hunt that afternoon!
Our friend/neighbor and his son were hunting with us and the little boy had just gotten his first shotgun. What a better way to try it out then on some quail in the woods? Perfect! With us the pointer leading the charge, we headed into the woods to see what we could rustle up. It was a chili and bright day and there was no better activity for us to spend time in the woods. Best got on the first bird and flushed it up, so I took the first shot. With the first quail on the ground, it was looking to be a promising day.
Not sure what I said right before taking this picture, but they don’t look too impressed…
I ended up knocking down 4 birds, coming out of the woods with 3 of them thanks to a super close shot that left one in quite a disastrous state (even Bess wouldn’t pick it up!).
Until the next New Year, I think the memories of these 3 hunts will give me plenty to look back on!
Stay tuned…
The weather turns cold just before our next hunt. Extra cold. Brr.