Sunday hunt

[craigchaplin]

Well I headed out again today. Seemed to start off pretty slow but it picked up early afternoon..........Got my limit today! Mostly mallards with a few widgeon mixed in. Figured out that they came in all on their own today......the odd comeback call was all i used. Remington (my lab) made some great retrieves.........even was launching himself over the drop into the water......weird fer him as he usually slides in pretty tame. All in all a great day! The sun even came out fer a while?!?!8)
Lookin forward to seeing if anybody else did well today?
Oh!.........and i finally got checked by the CO today as i came in to load up.......all was in order of course but it was good to see them out.......was my first time being checked.

[Deerwhacker]

Sounds like you had a good day ,to bad work stoll my weekend keeping me from getting out one more time befour christmas:-( .

[Dano]

Way to go Craig! Good to hear the dog is enjoying himself too. My dog retrieves well but rarely leaps into the water (no style points...).
Calling can work against you if you hit the wrong pitch or wrong time. I call way more than I used to because the guy I hunt with most of the time showed me that you can call the ducks right in to the shot, you may notice that the birds come in but veer to the side of the spread as they get close.When I see them start to angle I hit em hard and they usually bank back right at me (or at least closer). I've had good success with this but I'm an experienced caller, as much as anything else you have found something that works and now you can build on that.
Victor and I had a successful morning. I think we ended up with 12 mallards and missed a flock of geese that flew right over us but were on the high side for a shot. We both scored a bird each with a simultaneous shot just like Dave and I did the other day too. I shot a couple doubles again today, funny thing was Victor decided not to shoot after his first shot as he thought it was a bit long and I shot my second bird a few seconds after that (happened twice :lol: )!
It was a good day, nice weather and great company. Victor's dog sailor has a good story and is an excellent dog. Took a good "Grip-n-Grin" photo with the timer too!
Dan
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/vicdan2.jpg

[craigchaplin]

Well done guys! Those pics you take with the timer turn out real well........have to try that next time.......maybe then i'll have a few pics with me in them too. Still a few weekends left, figure i need a few more to have enough meat fer salami.........do-able i think.

[Victor]

I had the pleasure of ganging up with Dan this morning for a duck hunt. The day started off with a nice pair coming in hard to the decoys. I took the one on the left, Dan took the one on the right. We both shot at the same time, and both birds folded nicely. I knew it was going to be a great day:smile: Not that many birds flying around, but we still got our fair share of chances. When we did have birds come in, Dan really took advantage and made his shots count, but I cant say the same for myself:cry: Dan ended up with three doubles, plus two singles. The amazing thing was that on each of the three doubles, the second bird fell on the third shot. On three occasions, I stopped shooting after just one shell, figuring the birds were out of range. Dan kept shooting, and all three tines kept folding birds! The further away they were, the harder they fell. The day Dan bought his Brownig A5 was a sad day for ducks. Man can he shoot that gun:) Dan should start his own long distance phone company and call it "Browning A5- reach out and touch someone" I was impressed. Sailor is a good dog, as far as making company in the blind is concerned. But if you want a dog to track down all your birds, Maddy is awesome. Sailor is almost 10, and Maddy is 4, but Sailor can sure learn a few tricks from Maddy. The "old man/ young dog" combination put on a clinic for the "old dog/ young man", but it was a fantastic time nevertheless. Thanks Dan. Here's a picture of me and Sailor at the truck
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/Dec17resized.jpg

[johnes50]

Geez Dano, that gun of yours is pretty hot lately. What brand of shotgun do you use? I'll have to get me one of those.:grin: John

[wetcoaster]

What size shot do you guys prefer in 2 1/2 inch 12 gauge for mallards and Canadas? If you were to use the 2o gauge what size shot for mallards?

[craigchaplin]

Off the top o my head i think the flat i bought last year is 2, 3/4 #2 1, 1/8 ounce 12 guage.....not sure about 20 guage.


Hey Victor and Dano......
How'd the dogsdo together.....as i know mine would wanna play so i'd have to keep on im.....( he's still got puppy brain) I can keep him in check but takes work with other dogs around. Thats one thing i meant to do but never got around to it was the "honour" thing. As i have no other buddies to hunt with much less one with another dog.

[Dano]

I shoot Winchester 12 ga. Hi Velocity 1550fps steel loads in 3" #2 for ducks. I used #4 early on but lately I've found the #2 account for cleaner kills. I use BB for geese if I have time to switch loads. Ian used a 20ga one day while out with me, ask him what load he was using as he dropped the birds well.
Our dogs were fine together. Sailor whines like Maddy but will get quiet when when got set up (my dog whines a lot now....). One thing my dog learned from my buddies older dog was when the older dog got there first, it would growl if Maddy got too close on the way in. Maddy does this now adn the other dogs I've hunted with have layed off her if she has a bird (she knows if the other dog has it to stay away as she learned it already). Victor and I had multi birds down so it was good that each dog could get a bird of their own. Sometimes we had one on land and one in the water and Maddy has way more experience and is quick into the water so she would usually get that bird. She also marks birds well on land and will be well ahead of most birds (Daves dog is pretty fast too which makes for good action with the dogs). Maddy also learned from my buddies dog that you get growled at if you try and check out birds stashed by the other dog and passed that on to Sailor too. It was minor stuff, just staking territory with a short grrrr. Both dogs were fine and I would have no problem hunting them both together again. Unless dogs actually tore up a bird or had a physical fight, I don't see any reason to take one dog out if two are available. If I was out for the first time and there was a problem, it would be a case of just having to keep one dog back even if it meant tying one dog up until there were multiple birds or we took a turn.
Dano
http://www.huntingbc.ca/photos/data/500/vicsailor1.jpg

[wetcoaster]

Good going guys some great pics I am envious, I need to get a digital that is credit card sized so I can throw it in my breast pocket.

Thanks on the load advice, the reason I asked is that I hunted a field in Matsqui last weekend and was using #4's for ducks and was only ruffling feathers however the birds were pretty high all day only got a few to drop down (no dekes little cover) I switched to the #2's for the last flight and immediatly dropped a bird. I always thought these were heavy for mallards so you have all given me a little more confidence in going with the heavier loads. Still like to hear what guys prefer out of their 20 gauges as I love that gun and would like to use it on more than just grouse.

[Ian F.]

#3's are my all around favourite, but since of the birds I shoot in BC are puddle ducks decoying, #4's work fine and if I could get some 6's I would, but I pick my shots!

As for 20's there much fewer choices then 12. I shoot 7/8oz of #4's, which means I'm putting out about 2/3rds of what I would with my 1 1/4 oz 12ga shells. I shoot an older gun, so going to 2's is a bit of a concern in that they don't move as much in leaving the barrel as 4's and there is a slim chance of choke issues, but I'd rather be safe. There are a few makers of 1oz loads, but they are pricier then the ones I've been getting by a big margin.

The real trick with 20's, well any shotgun is set up to get the birds in close, and then pick your shot and make it count!

Oh, and the #1 thing to do to killl more ducks...





PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!

Very best,

Ian

[Dano]

#3's are my all around favourite, ---snip---

Oh, and the #1 thing to do to killl more ducks...
PRACTICE, PRACTICE, PRACTICE!
Very best, Ian

I really see a big difference in my shooting this season compared to last year. This past summer I spent a lot of time at the trap range and probably fired off more shells than I have in the last 10 years combined. I believe I went through 3 cases of shells, maybe more, so that's over 750 shots.
Victor and I were talking about that on the weekend and while we agree trap is a rather simple shooting exercise, familiarity with your gun and confidence is a big plus in the field and shooting trap accomplishes this. Another thing it can do is let you know if something isn't quite right with your fit/pattern of your gun. If you are at the range there is ample opportunity to try different guns out (get to know guys a bit before you ask...:) ), you may find your gun just isn't suited to you and something else is. I shoot around 22/25 on average 16yd trap with my Browning, 18 with the SKB (but I made an adjustment to the stock now so I hope it's better), and my dad gave me his Pederson O/U which I took out once and although it felt great and seemed to point good, scored me a 5/25 at 16 yd trap! I expected to really do well with the Pederson,.. my dad did when he shot it but for some reason I couldn't hit anything. I will try a few things to see if I can shoot the gun but otherwise it will stay on the shelf until I find something to trade it for.
I'm in the process of getting an I/C choke barrel for my SKB auto from the states (got my import forms yesterday). I'm going to shoot more skeet this summer which I think will really improve my wingshooting.
The 20 guage is a nice gun to shoot but most of us have a tendency to not pick our shots like Ian and we end up handicaping ourselves if we use it for ducks. Don't get me wrong, I hunted with a 20 wingmaster when I was a teenager (first gun) and did well with it but that was at a time with lead shot and 1 1/8 oz of #6 shot carries a lot of pellets. The average hunter shooting 7/8oz of #2 steel will probably have more lost birds using a 20ga unless they only take high percentage shots at closer range. Ian showed what can be done when he brought his SXS 20ga out on a hunt with me. I believe he limited out and fired less than 15 shots, I think I shot over 20 times that day.....
Hope to see more of the guys here at the Pitt Meadows Trap and Skeet club this year. We shoot every sunday and wednesday nights in the summer. Dave and I are there most of the time.
Dan

[308BAR]

Hope to see more of the guys here at the Pitt Meadows Trap and Skeet club this year. We shoot every sunday and wednesday nights in the summer. Dave and I are there most of the time.
Dan

Where is T&S club located and is it private or day pass too?

[Ian F.]

and...

American skeet (to differentiate it from International) was designed int he 1930's by hunters as practice. It has every common field shot in it and causes you to learn lead and swing. Some complain about the distance being to close (21yards) but who cares, when you go run 25 on skeet then start pounding your chest, and move onto sporting clays to humble you back down.

By comparison, and as Dano eludes to, trap is a game, a total head game! I used to shot registered trap and stopped, not for me I like the social aspect and less serious nature of the skeet field. Trap emulates driven Pheasant a bristish aristocracy shooting sport where folks line up and servants beat the bushes behind them and the pheasents fly over head and away. Good for gun fit and feel, but you need not move your gun more then 8" to break every possible (handicap included) trap single.

But, at the end of the day, you shoot 25 rounds at pop cans or dirt, you are better then if you didn't!

Very best,

Ian

[Dano]

Where is T&S club located and is it private or day pass too?
Pitt Meadows Gun club is near the Pitt river just south of the Pitt River bridge. Easy to find, if coming from Port Coquitlam you take the first right at the light after crossing the bridge. Follow the road as it curves back and over train tracks and a slough until it heads back towards the Pitt River, then the road tuns left to parrallel the dyke. A minute or so later you'll see a white sign with Pitt Meadows Gun Club and turn left there. The road goes a 100yds maybe and splits, go left and just up on the right is another sign PMRG (something like that) and you tun right and go on back to the range. It's maybe 3 minutes from the highway unless a train is on the tracks, then it can become 20 minutes!
You can shoot for the day for $10. I bought 2 day passes and then they applied that to my membership fee of $60 for the year. You can buy shells there for $7 a box and each round of 25 cost you $4.25. You can buy shells for about $21 for 4 boxes at Canadian Tire or places like Smoking Gun of Westwood in Coquitlam (or is it still PoCo?), they sell for about $50 including taxes for 10 boxes of trap loads including taxes (use cash for this). A good group of members, a very laid back day of shooting. I believe they shoot pretty much every sunday, wednesday nights in the summer. I think there's something on Boxing Day (prize shoot of somekind). I may go check it out but I'm more of a summertime shortsleeve trap shooter!:)
Dan

[308BAR]

Pitt Meadows Gun club is near the Pitt river ........I may go check it out but I'm more of a summertime shortsleeve trap shooter!:)
Dan

Thanks Dano for all the info I didn't know they existed. Damn...I love where I live so close to all the fun spots.