1st day of the best freeze in years
I think it's 3, maybe 4-5 years since we had a hard freeze like this one so put on your fleecies lads and make the best of it. Got out Saturday to the outer marsh for day 1 in the afternoon on a pre-snow N'easter as the front started to move in. Anchored the tow boat in the ditch with the marsh punt hanging off the stern under a sno-laden sky.
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First bird down was a really nice bull sprig after a bit of a tough swing over the r. shoulder--had to dip backwards and drop the r. shoulder low to get him.
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Next bird was also a pintail drake and then the mallards started pouring into the decoys. Jake nailed them all.
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By the time a limit was in the beside the punt the sky was darkening over the decoys as the sun went down.
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By the time I pulled the set and punt poled back up the marsh and down the ditch against the N'east and got the tow hooked up it was pitch black and the old man was about spent. Radiation, chemo, and surgery 3 years ago left me with less than 1/2 of what I used to be able to do but the other 1/2 is still here and it's all still as sweet as it gets when the weather goes like this and the birds are flying.
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Back at the shack for a few "look at me pics".
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http://i368.photobucket.com/albums/o...8/IMGP3339.jpgThis may well have been Jake,s last freeze up hunt as he was awful stiff and sore in the hips that night and yesterday morning. He's been the best friend and hunter a person could ever want and don't want to take a chance on wrecking him for the years we've got left. I took Jesse out yesterday for her first freeze hunt and she brought home a limit too but I forgot the camera so no pics. I had a call this am. from a pal who's two black lab females are both in heat and he's thinking of breeding them to Jake. I sure hope so---it would be mighty sweet to get a puppy of his out of one of these gals, both of whom are Ace hunters too. Wish I'd bred him to Jesse before getting her spayed but stupidly, I didn't. Chores today (why do freezes always have to happen at xmas when the "honeydo" list is so long) but the rest of the week should be as good as it gets.
And yes, I finally figured out how to embed the pics in the post.
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
WoW ! You have got a great set-up for waterfowl hunting ... esp the dogs ! Great photo's !
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Nice photos,
thats a great looking pintail there.
Hopefully I will be back before the freeze is over.
nice shooting.
870
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Looks like we both had a really good weekend.
congrats. I got a spoonbill this weekend. That is the first one that I have ever shot in my area
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Quote:
Originally Posted by
Qwa-honn
Looks like we both had a really good weekend.
congrats. I got a spoonbill this weekend. That is the first one that I have ever shot in my area
TY, it looks like you had a really good shoot too and a nice mixed bag. We don't get any divers on the marsh down here at the mouth but I'm sure if a guy laid out on the flats he could do well---I've been telling myself I was going to do it "this year" for years and if I thought I'd get another go at cans I would---guess I'll never know unless I try.. I know cans will decoy to a mallard spread 'cause I used to shoot 1 or 2 a year on the outer edge of the outer marsh.
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
nice set up you got there.thanks for sharing pics.
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Great pictures, when it gets cold, I mean really cold that’s my favorite time to hunt.
As for your "best friend" and hip soreness talk to your vet about Metacam, it will allow your pal to hunt a little longer and in comfort in the years to come.
Cheers
Rick
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Thanks for the advice Rick, I'll get some tomorrow. I did give him an anti-inflammatory that I've used personally for many years with much success plus one of my painkillers and they did seem to help---I just wonder if any progressive damage is being done by the repeated exposure to that kind of stress. You have to expect this to happen with a dog as he ages but he's only 9 in May and I thought he'd last a bit longer than this before the onset of old age.
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
Nice pics, looks like fun.
Nothing better than a day "working" with your best friend.
Re: 1st day of the best freeze in years
hey what happend to the pics?