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Ian F.
09-17-2008, 09:23 AM
I’m back into the swing of things in BC after spending 6 days gunning in Alberta in the Edmonton area. I’m quite lucky to have a good friend who lives just outside Edmonton and we basically exchange hunts between BC and Alberta, both getting into birds not common to where we live.

This year I arrived mid day and after getting my license in order we headed off to a pond for some bluewings and they didn’t disappoint, sorry no pics, it was as short hunt as Marty had a meeting to go to, but 5 birds in a little over an hour is never a bad thing! It was warm a sunny, a theme that would follow us the whole time there. Alberta has been warm and dry lately, with the birds 2 or 3 weeks behind normal and low water in most spots this year.

The first morning out changed last minute as Marty got a call that a goose shoot was on and there was some space, who can say no to an offer like that?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/day1willow.jpg (http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/day1willow.jpg)

I got the opportunity to hunt out of a willow blind for the first time, comfy easy shootin and as best I can tell it mattered not to the birds…

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/day1.jpg

A first for me occurred on this hunt, I limited (8) with 4 doubles! The birds worked perfect and well you can see the results.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/day1birds.jpg

2 limits here, not sure of the weight but freakin heavy to say the least! We breated them out and ended up with 30lbs of meat which will be made into pepper sticks and salami, Yummy good!

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_2545.jpg
Next we headed to the water for a diver and bluewing shoot and they did as they should! The bag was quite a mix with Cans, redheads, bluewings, bluebills and mallards

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/day2kings.jpgOne of my targets for the trip was Cans and Redheads which at this time of year in Alberta are usually brown to eclipse, but I was able to get a nice drake redhead and a Can that’d be around 75% prime, Oh and it tasted great for dinner last night!

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_2551.jpg

Marty is one of the biggest collectors of my work, so when I go to visit it’s like see old friends again. Even better is hunting over my own blocks which is cool because as of late to keep customers happy I’ve just been gunning plastics instead of building my own rigs. This teal rig I carved over 2 or 3 years and includes a couple eclipse birds, but the lighting make them a little hard to pick out.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/medium/IMG_2572.jpg

Specs were a big hope of mine for this trip having never shot them before. A good friend of Marty has sole access to 8 sections and held a spot for me (do they get any nicer then that?) to hopefully get some specs. Well today was not the day, the birds (specs too) would work to about 100 yards and then flair. As best we figure the frost/dew on the decoys shone like mirrors and until the day dried them off all we could do was sit and watch. 15 honkers and 7 mallards isn’t a bad to me though!

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/moonset.jpg

We get to see some neat stuff hunting that others are in bed for, how about a moonset over the decoys while drinking coffee?

http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/sunset2.jpg

Crazy_Farmer
09-17-2008, 04:50 PM
Nice trip. Looks like you had a bunch of good hunts. Too bad you didnt get under any specs

Dano
09-17-2008, 05:38 PM
Looks like you had an awesome trip Ian. I'll be off that way with dad around oct. 5. He booked us with a buddy at Black Dog outfitters which I believe is south east of Edmonton.
Can't wait!!!
Dan

Qwa-honn
09-17-2008, 07:40 PM
I am heading to the same area the week after.

tomahawk
09-17-2008, 07:44 PM
mmmmmmmmmmm nothin better than a grain fed goose roasted in the oven while big game huntin.

HuntNHookSports
09-18-2008, 07:37 AM
Looks like it was a successful trip.

mountainman
09-18-2008, 09:06 AM
Looks like a good trip!!

Tanya
09-18-2008, 01:22 PM
Outstanding! I'm sure you had a "blast"!

Crazypop
09-18-2008, 01:26 PM
Nice work! Wished it was like that here...

Marc
09-18-2008, 05:37 PM
Good shooting Ian, you'll have to keep some of that peperoni around for me to try some this fall. I'm getting a bit excited even though it's still a month or so away before we can shoot any ducks around here.

Marc.

Ian F.
09-18-2008, 05:47 PM
No problem, and it's pepper sticks, think salami with lots of black pepper, very yummy! Once it cools down a bit I'm going to make some pepperoni and landjaeger. So maybe a trifecta seaduckin?

longshot
09-18-2008, 08:07 PM
Wow!! What a awesome trip you had. Really nice pics too there.

Longshot

zaconb
09-19-2008, 04:15 PM
Glad to here it was a great trip, great pics too!