Magic day on the Bay and not just because I met a hockey player

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Spent the evening as the lone hunter in my section of the Bay. Between 4-530pm it was a bluebird day with very little flying. It looked like a mistake to drag myself onto the beach but a little after unloading my pack I was able to call a mallard hen back and got my first success. Then as the sun started coming down I went back to my original notion which was to walk out as far as I could on the beach and wait for the night flight to come in. I went out once and found a nice log that would provide some cover and then took another trip back to grab all my ammunition.

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Before I get to what happened I have to backtrack and mention that when I took my first steps into the foreshore it was already one of my most interesting hunting experiences because standing just inside the path was Henrik Sedin and his son. I normally wouldn't pay any attention to a non hunter in the swamp because I don't want any opportunity for conflict so I just said hi and was about to step around them in my camo and shouldering my shotgun when Henrik asked me if it was hunting season. I stopped and his son answered for me. After looking up I realized I was talking to one of the Sedins and continued the conversation. I said it was goose and duck season. I said what are you doing here? He said just a little photography and I said "how about a little hockey too?" And he smiled said awww no and wished me a good day.

So even if that was the only interesting thing this afternoon it would have made my decision to go out for an evening hunt a good one. But onto the hunt.

It turns out just marching right out into the open can provide some fun new opportunities. Having located a sliver of a log out in the middle of nowhere I decided to spend the remaining daylight watching the sun go down. And as a bonus there was good 360 action. By chance the log was positioned between two rafting groups of ducks. Each of them about 100m or more away but they paid me no mind as I crept up to the log and then sat down to wait for something to happen.

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At about 5:45 the tide started coming back in I stuck it out as the water rose up around me. And with the tide and the sun declining the winged action picked up. Trios then flights of ducks began circling. These were interspersed with the return of Canada geese lumbering across the bay. I was at the mercy of wherever the birds wanted to go but they seemed to be less wary. After some initial tries a flight came straight into the log and I sent one pinwheeling down. And once I stood up to collect it, both flocks took flight and that was it.

I potted a third on the long walk back to the shore as the tide came in around my feet and the evening fell into darkness.

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I should add that as I took that last photo I was buzzed by another duck so if I wasn't admiring the grace of nature I could have had a fourth.

And strangely, when I got back to the shore I picked up someone's lost decoy!

Tremendous write-up, great story and an enjoyable read. Sounds like a great evening out there. Congrats…

Great story !
Arctic Lake

Funny, I too was on the bay last night - all three nights this weekend in fact…

I’ve had good luck over the years doing exactly what you did, walking out to the tide line and sitting still on a log, it seems like the birds forget about you or don’t care.

I must have heard some of your shots Livewire322 but from 64th street area it looked deserted.

Not only hiding by a log but I got buzzed a couple times just standing still in the open (was taking photos). Maybe the light diminishes their vision too.

Usually blue bird days I stay home but this has convinced me that it is an option.

Quote:

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Originally Posted by silveragent

I must have heard some of your shots Livewire322 but from 64th street area it looked deserted.

Not only hiding by a log but I got buzzed a couple times just standing still in the open (was taking photos). Maybe the light diminishes their vision too.

Usually blue bird days I stay home but this has convinced me that it is an option.

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I did hear shots from your direction - must’ve been you. I was at the end of 72nd.

Blue skies don’t produce much compared to bad weather days, but you can’t shoot ducks from the couch.
Saturday was great, driving rain and strong wind had the birds flying low. From 1630 to last light I had more opportunities than I can count - I’ll happily admit I am the limiting factor on the number of birds in hand.

My Sunday evening was like your Monday - a good number of birds flying in. Monday was quiet where I was, aside from the snow geese passing overhead at +70m in great numbers, we only saw two other ducks (which landed in our decoys and needed to be jumped off the water before we could shoot them).

Fantastic sunsets though. Mount Baker wears those pink hues well - hard not to get distracted into taking pictures when it’s like that.

When I show my friends hunting I always start with the beauty pictures of being there at dawn or dusk. I usually have to gauge them before I show them the actual hunting photos and the dead birds

I spent Saturday and Sunday in the foreshore. Saturday I got three ducks. One duck five minute after legal light and then nothing until I moved up a little. Then the other two from right at the water's edge when the tide came up. Sunday I started right from the waters edge and set decoys and spinners there. But there really wasn't that much duck action. My only joy was being part of the gauntlet of hunters blasting at a low flying flight of Canadas. We must have riddled them but they were armored or something. I was able to bring the last one down. Sunday I also tried to chase down a duck through thigh deep water. It splashed down close to two hunters who just stared at it while I was marching toward the cripple from 100y away. I could have used the help as it wasn't dead enough and swam for the bay. I must have followed it for five minutes before I had to stop or I would have had a heart attack. I gave those guys the evil eye and took my time coming back through their area!