A New Waterfowler's First Ducks

[rAllenM]

As an "Adult Onset Hunter", I've spent the last 6 years climbing the steep learning curve of big game hunting and fly fishing. My time spent outdoors has been limited while maintaining a healthy marriage, raising 3 young kids and working full time. This Fall, my wife bought me a Remington 870 12-gauge for my birthday (yeah my wife is awesome). So I've jumped into the amazing world of waterfowl hunting.

During a mid-October deer hunt I started noticing lots of ducks hanging out on ponds and flying overhead. I hadn't packed my waders nor do I have a boat or dog (yet), so we started thinking of creative ways to harvest some of these tasty looking birds without getting too wet. The best idea was to sneak down to one side of the pond while another person crept around to the other side. At the right moment, they would jump out and scare the birds off the water my direction. Surprisingly it worked and I got some good opportunities that I badly missed. With no birds on the ground but a smile on my face, I knew I was going to like duck hunting. After a couple of tries at different ponds and more missed birds, I finally hit one! To admit, it was a bit of a skybust but my first bird was down! I ran to the spot I saw it land and found a female pintail waddling into the brush. Unfortunately I only winged her, so I grabbed her by the head and spun her around a few times hoping to break her neck and put her out of her misery (a trick a learned pheasant hunting a few years ago). My buddy took a pic of me smiling like a giggling little kid holding up my prized bird. Walking back to the vehicle, the bird moved in my hands and I was startled to think it was still alive. I gave it another have dozen neck wringings and continued on. I opened up the back of my suv and set the duck in. Only to jump in surprise as the duck I'd been carrying along sat straight up and looked around at its new surroundings! At this point I was feeling very sorry for the little thing and quickly slit its throat. Lots of laughter and a delicious roast duck followed.

Back at home, I've spent my spare moments doing some more proper waterfowl internet research. A big part of that has been scouring this forum and taking in all the amazing advice you guys have shared. THANK YOU!!! Living in the lower mainland I was excited to discover Boundary Bay. Double checking to make sure I had the proper licenses and insurance (thanks BCWF), all camo'd up I headed out on a stormy afternoon last week. There were some other hunters in the area and I found a spot that looked somewhat promising. Lots of ducks flying over head (I practiced a lot of restraint and resisted the skybusting urge). I took some shots at a few that I actually had a legitimate chance of shooting. Again, missed the first 3 or 4. Finally, after changing my location based on what I was seeing the ducks doing, I had my chance. A female northern shoveler flew past about 6-10 feet from the ground and only about 10-20 yards from where I was standing. I took aim and hit her cleanly, my heart racing. After a few minutes of searching through the brush I picked her up, fully dead this time!

More birds came in fast and furious as the light was fading, but the one was all I took home to the family. Duck has now become one of my family's favourite foods (although the deer tongue I brined and slow cooked this year is my youngest's favourite lol).

Thanks to all of you guys who've shared your wisdom and insights on this forum. It's extremely helpful for those of us just getting into the sport and don't have people around who can teach us in person.

[silveragent]

Welcome! It sounds like you're doing it right. I liked the story of your first.

Thank you for not skybusting! My #1 complaint these days about my fellow waterfowlers on public land. With how high they are shooting from my observation recently I wonder if it is poor eyesight, bad perspective or plain boredom. Last weekend I even saw them skybust their own opportunity - birds were coming to their own position and descending and they blew their own opportunity by shooting from what looked like 100m away. If they had waited two seconds it would have been a dandy shot.

I don't mind competition but it's not competition if no one gets a bird.