2018 waterfowl pics and reports.

Howdy howdy howdy hunting BC.

Although us wingshooters are fewer and far between in this land of big game we still hammer the ducks and geese. Before I moved out from Ontario I duck hunted a ton, moved here and switched to big game but now I have a lab Ive trained for the past year and we just went on her first duck hunt. Just a jump shoot to ease her into things and two perfect retrieves made me a happy man. Still waiting for the ducks to show up in migration numbers but resident ducks are around. Lots og geese on the Thompson so Ill be taking the boat there for sure as the season goes on. Anyone ever hunted the Thompson for waterfowl?

http://i.imgur.com/Rspaj9Oh.jpg

Ill be posting more photos here but add any reports and photos from this season wherever you are.

Driving along the Thompson i see big numbers and said I’d love to give a shot. See them around golf course pretty heavy by barrier.

yes i have been known to shoot some geese.

if a guy went to enderby the migration is massive..

A friend and I are going to float the North Thompson between Vavenby and Heffley Creek in a few weeks. It's more of a canoe trip than a hunting trip, but we've purchased our migratory bird licences and will be prepared for geese.

I've never hunted geese before, so if anyone has advice anyone has for canoe trip waterfowling, I'd love to hear it!

If it works out, I'll post an update and pictures here.

Be careful shooting out of a canoe, I shot my ten gauge at a duck flying swung to 9 oclock, nearly tipped the boat over haha. I was thinking the same area of the north T, lots of birds and lots of farms. ill take my 6' boat rather than canoe.

Got out for the opener in my region this morning! Great day with the sun and birds flying. 5/8 today. Trying out some new gear and it all came together :)

https://i.imgur.com/0CsST68.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/3pPTYms.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/9zrQr1S.jpg

Good work. I got out on Saturday.. only had pass shots at ducks. buddy got one, but i missed.

http://www.huntingbc.ca/forum/attach...tid=7168&stc=1

did you spear those snows?

Afternoon hunt today, should have got more but I'll settle with 1.

https://i.imgur.com/fxplc6f.jpg
https://i.imgur.com/ZLDhcES.jpg

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Originally Posted by lorneparker1

did you spear those snows?

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haha was hoping someone would ask. No I brought a spear to the swamp because I was tired of chasing after any geese I'd crippled. As it was I didn't have to do much of that; just needed to apply a coup de grace on one of them. Also after falling in twice the previous month I wanted something to prod the ground with head of my steps that wasn't my shotgun. Makes for a funky walking stick too.

You should look into a true conservation tool!! A dog.

Well older thread but anybody that can get out should .Weather has everything moving 8 bird limit all mallards Delta last night well before quitting time and not including the 7 that pulled a sneak on me while I was playing fetch the bird with MY dog..

Thanks for the tip Dutch!

I got out yesterday with a brand new hunter.
Birds were cautious, we hunted over water, so it was fairly slow.
Fields out my way have lots of water in them.
The guys in the field behind us, seems to be laying out the wigeon consistently.

Good to see some fellow duck hunters are out and about. This year has had some decent days for sure, and not as cold as past winters which has lessened the suffering while calling them in!

p.s. Hello all :)

Slowed down out in the wack in recent weeks. Birds are very shy and staying well outside of shooting abilities, couple circles then bugger off. Doubles and singles dropping in good but the bigger flocks seem to not even stop or look once and leave.

Went from limits to only a handful of birds each trip. Leaving the fields alone this weekend and heading to the water. Boat is prepped and ready to rock for the morning. Going to keep it small and only bring a dozen Dakota Flocked decoys, 2 spinners and a jerk cord with a few ring necks to add some movement and species.

When you gonna show me the roapes digger?

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Originally Posted by pnbrock

When you gonna show me the roapes digger?

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ive been waiting for you to show me the ropes for the last decade!

Last weekend had a good time on Saturday in Brunswick even though it was clear weather. There was decent widgeon action and got me a drake and hen. There were even a flock of about 50 snowies but they knew the season was done for them and so they were nothing but a distraction until they flew off into the farmland.

Sad I won't be able to make the last day because of it falling on a Friday.

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Originally Posted by silveragent

Sad I won't be able to make the last day because of it falling on a Friday.

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Never understood why they don't have the last day on a Sunday. I will get out for one last shot before the close.

https://i.imgur.com/8JETScF.jpg Nice day for a walk and over came a brace of mallards now that is a great day

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Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Never understood why they don't have the last day on a Sunday. I will get out for one last shot before the close.

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I'll get out one more time, as well, on the last day of the season. Be nice to close the season out with a bang,,,,,or a bunch of bangs!

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7869/...775d6daf_o.jpg0-34 by Brent Davy, on Flickr

https://farm5.staticflickr.com/4872/...491e7be1_o.jpg0-26 by Brent Davy, on Flickr

Good luck! Where are those pics taken?

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Originally Posted by Beachcomber

Good luck! Where are those pics taken?

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In the Delta/Ladner area.

One more pic:

https://farm8.staticflickr.com/7880/...c07a04a5_o.jpg0-27 by Brent Davy, on Flickr

Got out for one last go at it on Thursday. Lots of birds moving around and bluebird skies. Good day to be out....plus came home with one. Very tasty :)
Now if only I could upload photos. I tried, but it was painful!!

Now we have a nice break for a bit before Goose shooting returns.
I'm curious if there's decent shooting for Canada's from the marsh(es) around the lower mainland, or is it mostly shooting from fields (with permission of course) ?

I want to get into duck hunting. Any good places in the North Okanagan - Vernon area? What are some of the most productive months to hunt?
Thanks

https://i.imgur.com/t7dJIBH.jpg?1 sad days lol

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I'm curious if there's decent shooting for Canada's from the marsh(es) around the lower mainland, or is it mostly shooting from fields (with permission of course) ?

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Not in Brunswick Pt. Canadas are rare IMO. Since I have Canada dekes I'll put them out but mostly snowies (who are shy but occasionally they will respond).

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Originally Posted by silveragent

Not in Brunswick Pt. Canadas are rare IMO. Since I have Canada dekes I'll put them out but mostly snowies (who are shy but occasionally they will respond).

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Hmmmm, good to know. Thanks.
The search for a spot for Canada's continues!

Any one out for geese right now? Just curious if much is moving around?

Going tomorrow ! I’ll let ya know how it goes

Ended up with only 3. Live decoys in the next field over were more attractive i guess lol

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Originally Posted by Danny

Ended up with only 3. Live decoys in the next field over were more attractive i guess lol

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I would be good with 3...but I have low expectations lol. Better than getting skunked ;)

thanks for the update

Went to Brunswick yesterday for snowies. No luck. Too bad ducks weren't open because they were in the hundreds. Snowies were skirting Brunswick either going from Riefel to the farmlands across Canoe pass or going from the coal terminal water to the farm lands. A big flock did that but from what I see there isn't a lot of place to set up dekes on the SE side of Brunswick and be legal... ?

Wet and cold! I should have brought another mid-layer as I pulled up stakes around 10 (which is when there was more activity but by then I was already at the car).

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silveragent

Went to Brunswick yesterday for snowies. No luck. Too bad ducks weren't open because they were in the hundreds. Snowies were skirting Brunswick either going from Riefel to the farmlands across Canoe pass or going from the coal terminal water to the farm lands. A big flock did that but from what I see there isn't a lot of place to set up dekes on the SE side of Brunswick and be legal... ?

Wet and cold! I should have brought another mid-layer as I pulled up stakes around 10 (which is when there was more activity but by then I was already at the car).

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It was a chilly day yesterday. I live in Pitt Meadows by the airport and walking my dog there are hundreds of Canada’s in the airport field. I would like to go out to Ladner one day but I’m nervous as I really don’t know where to go and I don’t want to end up in the wrong spot. One day I’ll give it a shot and cross my fingers haha

Last Saturday - too beautiful weather - all I got was a nap! Not a snowie in sight at Brunswick. Just ducks and swans. Sad there is no spring duck season as they were plentiful.

Sunday my buddies reported the same. No snowies there.

Final day of snowies at Brunswick on Sunday. Had one opportunity at a flight but it was just out of range so nothing. Another flight considered coming down but something they didn't like about us and kept on going. On the same day three years ago I had potted three so I was reasonably hopeful but on this day - clear sunny - it was not a good end to a spring shoot where snowies were pretty absent. Environment Canada showed numbers were down quite a bit from last year due to a bad hatch. I hope this is not the pattern going forward.

Still had a nice time in the sun with friends and we played with our friend's toller who he is trying to train up for duck season in the fall - where we had a lot more success.

What were the environment Canada numbers 3 years ago?

I'm trying to find the last numbers given with the last survey they sent but I'm at work so here are some historical numbers for our area:

2017: Report 49: Fraser–Skagit "The 2016–2017 mid-winter population was estimated at 99 000 birds, with25% of the birds being young"

2015: Report 45: Fraser–Skagit "The 2014–2015 wintering population was estimated at 64 630 birds, with8.5% of the birds being young"