Got soaked yesterday insisting on hunting the storm in Boundary Bay. While the rain was predictable from the forecast it was more the randomness of the opportunities we had for the majority of the morning we spent waiting for the tide to benefit our floaters while battling the icy showers and wind. That and losing birds to the deceptively flat foreshore and spending too long looking for them.
The day started out with some excitement as cackler and Canadas rose with the morning light from the bay and started streaming inland. After a month of people shooting at them, though, it seemed very random where they would go. The group next to us benefited by having Canadas overfly them within reasonable shooting distance and got at least one. In the same hour, my hunting friend himself tagged a cackler but unfortunately crippled it. He marched out to find it and the longer it went on without his return I knew it was a bad sign. Although guided by some nearer group, after almost forty minutes he gave up. (I had my own nearly frustrating search later in the morning.)
By the time the tide benefited our decoys, the weather became too nice and the birds had settled into their loafing pattern. After only random, unsuccessful flyby opportunities we decided the weather meant it was not going to get any better and started talking about quitting. But wouldn't you know, the moment you start packing up you get gimmes. One unwary wigey made a direct pass from the bay right when I was stuffing my bags and I winged him. However, this lead to another long search in deceptively flat ground. I grid searched where I thought I would find the bird for fifteen minutes before I almost stepped on it and chased it down.
Then a few minutes after returning, a second wigey cupped right into our decoys and I took it down. Although crippled it started paddling for the bay so I had to charge down the beach and then chase it underwater after it swam around my ankles for a bit before snagging it, saving my morning.
The day's follies didn't end even after we truly packed up. While we were dragging out loads along the dyke, still scanning the foreshore from above to see if we could spot the missing cackler, we heard rustling in the bush and my friend spotted a crippled wigey trying to hide. He dispatched it, thankful for having something to bring home.
Gears are drying out now and I need to replace my base layer by something more fleecy. Brrr
It has been a so-so season for me so far in Boundary despite doing the same things. A combination of more competition, to rusty shooting and maybe a little overall weariness. My back and shoulder hurt. It has felt like a grind without the success I am used to. Maybe I need to shake it up and commit to getting on a boat? Not sure, but this season feels like a transition year. I've also lost two good members of my crew to the worsening economic climate - they moved out of LML and it makes me wonder about my future here as well. Still, I did have a better day on Thursday, bringing back four birds. Combining that with the two I got today and my wife is already agitating for me to clear them out.
Last edited by silveragent; 11-05-2023 at 08:43 AM.
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