Home Forums Birds & Dogs Waterfowl Duck Opener

Today was our season kickoff. Very early if you ask me. I'd prefer opening mid October to let the birds feather out. Birds are young and eclipsed making it very difficult to pick out drakes. We passed on lots of shots not knowing if hen or drake. Worked out in our favor. Mike and I got 14 birds off my backyard pond.

Rush did great and dove below surface to snag two cripples which dove on him. I love to see this aggression in a retriever.

Nice pile and even on a bluebird day!

That is some "backyard pond"!!!


RS

Looks like quite a hunt to start the season! Looking forward to getting out here soon. Best wishes for a good season.

Nice pile and sounds like a good hunt. I was watching some eclipse drakes here in VA during the last day of our early goose season and was thankful we had until 10/7 before our early season began. I too like seeing a retriever that will dive for cripples.

Ours starts in 8 days, re-wired the trailer lights and the boat electronics this week salt water is tough on stuff. took it out for a test run of about 10 miles, she's good to go.

I've got the decoys spread over the lawn letting the rain soften the mud for washing. Going through all the lines and putting different spreads together. A few dozen widgeon and goose floaters with 15' lines for hunting the tidal areas, they go in the hold of the boat. A couple of dozen with two foot lines and longline clips for hunting tidal beaches go into the backpacks. And a bag of puddle ducks with 5' lines for hunting fresh water areas. yhat go into bags I can lash to the deck of the boat or throw in the canoe.





I've been killing ducks out of this boat for 40 years and have made a few mods along the way, I think I've got it about perfect. Decked it over 12 years ago after seeing the "Zackboat".