Opening Morning Regions 1 & 2

[Foxton Gundogs]

Well the big day has arrived here in Regions 1 & 2 Good Luck to everyone

[lip_ripper00]

Boat's loaded and I'm getting ready to leave. Hope the weather cooperates, good luck!

[dak0ta]

Heading out soon to be in place for first light! Let's get our limit! Pictures this afternoon!

[shotgunjohn]

good luck everyone and be safe.

[Andrewh]

WAYYYY too much effort for what it was...

Limited in 20 minutes off my boat out in Ladner, they were still landing in my deaks as I was collecting them. Nothing quite like the early season.

Great Day!!!!!

[nedarb2]

Damn. Chemainus was less than impressive this morning

[rifleman]

heard alot of shooting south of Ladysmith this morning.. seems like a good day..

[nedarb2]

I think there was 4 groups in chemainus this morning. Every sea duck diver that flew by was getting dropped it sounded like. Geese going 200yds overhead were even being shot at. Not good hunting just trigger happy hunters

[dak0ta]

I got 2 Snows and 1 duck out in Ladner marsh. Not bad for pass shooting :)

@Andrewh, were you the guy in the boat that helped me retrieve my Snow goose and put it on the shore for me?

[bandit]

Stopped a couple short of a limit in B Bay this morning. All pass shooting the only one that really committed to the robo I missed 3 times!! Some people must of been keen first shot I heard was 0630!

[Foxton Gundogs]

8 shooters, 80 snows in 90 min. Not to bad of an opening.
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/Hunting%202015/a5.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/Hunting%202015/a5.jpg.html)

[guest]

NICE way to go Guys, our flight path had more Specs and Canadas, not many snows. congrats ! Holy Crap ! just realized .... this is LMainland ..... you guys are lucky to have one of the rare spots again .... Good on ya Jim, Dale and crew !

Great Shoot

[stugatz]

8 shooters, 80 snows in 90 min. Not to bad of an opening.
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/Hunting%202015/a5.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/Hunting%202015/a5.jpg.html)very nice and congrats..... That's a lot of work

[marco604]

Definitely heard the early shooters at b bay. Some people just get to happy and cant wait I guess. I took my dad out this morning for his first time and we dropped 4 within minutes after legal shooting time. He was ecstatic to the point that I went out to collect the ones we had just shot and 2 groups flew feet above his head and he didn't even realize it. All in all I had a great morning with me dad and I think he's hooked

[Rhyno]

I got 2 Snows and 1 duck (what species?) out in Ladner marsh. Not bad for pass shooting :)

@Andrewh, were you the guy in the boat that helped me retrieve my Snow goose and put it on the shore for me?

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/photo_zps5uwrxymu.jpg



That would be a pintail.....nice work on the snows!

[lip_ripper00]

I got 2 Snows and 1 duck (what species?) out in Ladner marsh. Not bad for pass shooting :)

@Andrewh, were you the guy in the boat that helped me retrieve my Snow goose and put it on the shore for me?

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/photo_zps5uwrxymu.jpg

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/IMG_1946_zpse6qozjmk.jpg

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/IMG_1951_zps3lx3zz6y.jpg

Judging by t he location of the crane at the port, we where group to left of you. I have just started fouling and it was a great day.

[stugatz]

Any of you guys at Brunswick point.....what a sh*t show with the 150m shooting from the dyke,
all of because of some idiots shooting too close to the dog walkers over the past few years.
they really screwed up I think 100m would have been good enough.....frikkin politicians

[LupieHunter]

That would be a pintail.....nice work on the snows!

Knowing what species it is is also something you should know before you shoot Dakota. Basic hunting 101: be able to positively ID your target before shooting it.

[Andrewh]

Knowing what species it is is also something you should know before you shoot Dakota. Basic hunting 101: be able to positively ID your target before shooting it.

Don't worry about it Dakota, I can promise not a person here could 100% tell the difference between a similar sized mallard and pintail at either the first or last 5 minutes of shooting light. As long as you can ID as a duck you are fine, BUT you must be able to ID after it is on the ground so you can keep track of your species bag limits.

Careful because those early season pintails can be EASY to mistake as a wigeon if someone just looks at a little blue on the bill, common mistake with newer waterfowlers.

[ACB]

I got 2 Snows and 1 duck (what species?) out in Ladner marsh. Not bad for pass shooting :)

@Andrewh, were you the guy in the boat that helped me retrieve my Snow goose and put it on the shore for me?

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/photo_zps5uwrxymu.jpg

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/IMG_1946_zpse6qozjmk.jpg

http://i758.photobucket.com/albums/xx226/knightofcydonia87/IMG_1951_zps3lx3zz6y.jpg
Looks like a pintail, could be a young drake but more than likely a hen.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Don't worry about it Dakota, I can promise not a person here could 100% tell the difference between a similar sized mallard and pintail at either the first or last 5 minutes of shooting light. As long as you can ID as a duck you are fine, BUT you must be able to ID after it is on the ground so you can keep track of your species bag limits.

Careful because those early season pintails can be EASY to mistake as a wigeon if someone just looks at a little blue on the bill, common mistake with newer waterfowlers.

Excuse me???

[Foxton Gundogs]

Looks like a pintail, could be a young drake but more than likely a hen.

Early season unfledged drake

[lorneparker1]

Excuse me???


lol roger that

[Lozzie]

Could have easily shot a limit yesterday but I couldn't hit the broadside of a barn. When I finally had it figured out I managed to knock down the lead Canada in a flock of 20 by then the ducks stopped flying. Let my hunting partner know how much action I had and he was reeling on the fact that he jammed out on me to move his mother in laws furniture. Schmuck!

[Batou]

22 geese down yesterday! I'll post a photo later if I have an hour or two to pull my hair out.

KM

[Andrewh]

Excuse me???

So I guess you have better eyes than me,

15-20 feet off the ground coming straight at you (not landing) in low light you can tell the difference?

[wingmaster]

So I guess you have better eyes than me,

15-20 feet off the ground coming straight at you (not landing) in low light you can tell the difference?

There are lots of hints too look for, tempo of wing beat, neck length, underwing colour, wings pointed or not, sometimes even speed can be a good indicator. Takes time in the field to get good at but it's doable

[Crazy_Farmers Dad]

if you already have 4 pintails in the bag and shooting to fill your limit at last light. You damn sure better bet you can ID species before shooting. IDing in hand is NOT a proper method in that instance

I agree just starting out its okay to not know 100% aslong as you know its a duck and you aren't close to bag limits or species limits. Hopefully you can tell between ducks geese, and seagulls, cormorants and grebes.

It does take time but after enough hunting and watching birds in flight you can pretty closely ID them based on everything stated, size, wing beat, Pintails always appear longer and skinnier.

Hunt enough and in low light you can tell between gadwalls, pintails, mallards, teal, wigeon and wood ducks no problem.

[SPEYMAN]

If you don't know what it is, don't shoot. Basic rule of hunting.

[LupieHunter]

If you don't know what it is, don't shoot. Basic rule of hunting.
^ THIS! If you can't ID it before you shoot it, its time to read and go over the animal/bird identification part of the CORE manual again.

[Andrewh]

^ THIS! If you can't ID it before you shoot it, its time to read and go over the animal/bird identification part of the CORE manual again.

lol, can you show me in the manual where it specifies the differences in flight?

I am blown away that you can make such a blanket comment, maybe it's time to get off the BCWF director chair and into the marsh.

As a BCWF director I expect you to promote ethical hunting to newer waterfowlers and just because you can't 100% ID a duck and you are well within your bag limits, don't tell them not to shoot. Last time I checked I have a migratory bird licence not a 'mallard or wigeon' licence...

Please tell me one more time that I am not allowed/unethical to shoot in this situation:

Last 5 minutes of shooting time, raining and blowing sideways and a VERY obvious duck is flying right towards you about 20ft high. You have only shot two mallards during this particular trip out...

Can't see colour - too dark
Can't see neck length - coming straight on
Can't really see wing speed as it is flapping like crazy to keep moving in wind.

So let it fly by because you can't ID?

please let me know:)

[LupieHunter]

Answer this, how is promoting positive IDing not promoting ethical hunting? IDing game is part of hunting and something we all need to know how to do, especially if you are a new hunter and new to the hunting world. If you want to shoot something when your not 100% sure what it is fine, take the risk of shooting over your limit or something your not supposed to shoot. I was raised and taught to always know what you are shooting and that is what I believe to be ethical. And to answer you're question, damn right I'd let the bird fly in your situation.

[LupieHunter]

Know you're target and what it is before you pull the trigger.

[Andrewh]

Answer this, how is promoting positive IDing not promoting ethical hunting? IDing game is part of hunting and something we all need to know how to do, especially if you are a new hunter and new to the hunting world. If you want to shoot something when your not 100% sure what it is fine, take the risk of shooting over your limit or something your not supposed to shoot. I was raised and taught to always know what you are shooting and that is what I believe to be ethical. And to answer you're question, damn right I'd let the bird fly in your situation.

You can promote all you want and I will too BUT it is not a reason to not shoot in the above situation based on ethics.

Ethics for some are very different for others I guess.
For example, to me it is not ethical to take 4 shots at a deer before you hit it...for some it is just 'fine' even though they are risking a wounded/unrecovered animal.

Occasionally, in very restrictive conditions, shooting a duck when you know it's a duck is just fine by me provided you are within your bag limits regardless of what species falls.

It looks like we can agree to disagree based on our understandings of ethics.

[Foxton Gundogs]

Just because the regs say you can doesn't mean you should. If it's to dark to identify then it's to dark to shoot that is ethical IMHO

[fuzzybiscuit]

Good shooting boys!

And here I thought there were only two kinds of ducks; keepers and shit ducks. But I'm no expert.:lol:

[lorneparker1]

You can promote all you want and I will too BUT it is not a reason to not shoot in the above situation based on ethics.

Ethics for some are very different for others I guess.
For example, to me it is not ethical to take 4 shots at a deer before you hit it...for some it is just 'fine' even though they are risking a wounded/unrecovered animal.

Occasionally, in very restrictive conditions, shooting a duck when you know it's a duck is just fine by me provided you are within your bag limits regardless of what species falls.

It looks like we can agree to disagree based on our understandings of ethics.

I assume you wouldn't shoot a ram that if it wasn't the last 5 mins of light and you could just see a bit a better might be over the nose.

Lorne

[Andrewh]

I assume you wouldn't shoot a ram that if it wasn't the last 5 mins of light and you could just see a bit a better might be over the nose.

Lorne

Nope, I shot both my rams mid afternoon...:D

Not really the same argument though, better argument would be seeing an obvious buck in region 2 at last light but not being able to count points. It's a buck so it is legal, no need to count points. Provided you have a good shot then it is ethical as is a duck at last light when you have no risk of exceeding a species bag limit.

[fowl language]

Andrew, please answer me this. what would you do if you already had your 4 pintail in the bag , wold you shoot at the unknown duck?

[Foxton Gundogs]

http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/HBC%20Crap/imagesQDJYXZTG.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/HBC%20Crap/imagesQDJYXZTG.jpg.html)

[Foxton Gundogs]

Lets put this thread back on the rails.
Day 2
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg.html)

[Andrewh]

Andrew, please answer me this. what would you do if you already had your 4 pintail in the bag , wold you shoot at the unknown duck?

I unload after 4 pintails, time to go home especially at last light.

I would shoot an unknown, as with many other people I am sure, if I only had 2 mallards on the ground...

Can you honestly say you wouldn't shoot if you were 100% sure it was a duck but couldn't tell if it was a mallard or pintail coming straight over you head at mach2 downwind?

[guest]

Lets put this thread back on the rails.
Day 2
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg.html)

another great day for you guys ! Congrats, you have a great spot for the LM.

thanks for sharing some epic pics.

CT

[Rhyno]

I unload after 4 pintails, time to go home especially at last light.

I would shoot an unknown, as with many other people I am sure, if I only had 2 mallards on the ground...

Can you honestly say you wouldn't shoot if you were 100% sure it was a duck but couldn't tell if it was a mallard or pintail coming straight over you head at mach2 downwind?

I would do the same, if I was in NO risk of exceeding any limit but was sure it was a duck damn right I would be shooting.

[Rhyno]

Lets put this thread back on the rails.
Day 2
http://i1136.photobucket.com/albums/n499/FoxtonGundogs/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg (http://s1136.photobucket.com/user/FoxtonGundogs/media/Hunting%202015/a9.jpg.html)

The flamingoes are a nice touch....good shooting, looking like fun!

[Foxton Gundogs]

Weird yah, great confidence decoys though, I was skeptical at first, but it make perfect sense really. When you think about how far south snows winter they see flamingos all the time, Put about 1/2 a doz. or so in your spread, they see something familiar and feel safe, they just pour in.

[guest]

Weird yah, great confidence decoys though, I was skeptical at first, but it make perfect sense really. When you think about how far south snows winter they see flamingos all the time, Put about 1/2 a doz. or so in your spread, they see something familiar and feel safe, they just pour in.

after experiencing a terrific shoot in Saskabush, Buddy that lives there claims some folks will put a strobe light in with the snow deeks, some flare some come right in, simulates the white flashing wings in the sun.

Pink flamingos don't work in my deer camp darn it.

[pnbrock]

Everyone knows if you sit in the big chairs at bcwf you have never bent the rules a bit. Lol

[nano]

Nice shooting !

[FirePower]

Everyone knows if you sit in the big chairs at bcwf you have never bent the rules a bit. Lol

Good of you to take note and comment on that fact sir, some just are held and hold themselves to a higher standard and I doff my cap to them.
Good shooting all, thank you for sharing your photos.

[303savage]

The shape of the bill I would say Hooded Merganser female

[FirePower]

The shape of the bill I would say Hooded Merganser female

As you are not obviously speaking of the snow geese I must assume you are commenting in the lone duck pictured in this thread. Honestly there is nothing to indicate merganser about it. As others have said it is a Pintail, most probably an juvenile or transitioning older drake.

[303savage]

I was commenting on Dakoda's of 1 goose and one duck, the bill on the duck looks too thin for a pintail

[Foxton Gundogs]

Definitely not a mergy bill I've seen plenty of both, it's a pinny for sure.

[wideopenthrottle]

lesser scaup or blue-bill in my books...
Key field marks in flight: Small duck with a broad white stripe on the trailing edge of the wing (scaups are the only ducks with this marking)
http://www.ducks.org/hunting/waterfowl-id/lesser-scaup#ad-image-0

second thought maybe not a blue bill.....

[Dano]

It's a pintail. Trust the guys like Foxton and I who have hunted waterfowl for decades! In flight they have a visibly longer neck and thinner head/bill. Tail come to a point and mature drake will have a long thin feather (Sprig).
You need to be able to identify puddle ducks from diving ducks. Divers (goldeneyes, buffleheads, scaup, merganser) have short and quick wing beats and usually fly close to the water. Puddle ducks like (mallards, pintail, widgeon, gadwal) have longer wing beats and generally longer bodies and wings. It takes experience to ID them quickly but if you pay attention every time you are out you'll get better at it.
Protected birds like Grebes, loons and swans need to be identified ASAP so they won't be mistakenly shot. Study your bird identification booklets and remember the key points to ensure you don't make a mistake. If you're not sure, don't shoot!

[fowl language]

thank you dano, I find it hard to believe that so many are not good at indentifying birds in flight. makes me wonder how many none legal birds got shot

[scretch]

I also find it hard to believe that some hunters do not EAT what they shoot.

[Foxton Gundogs]

I also find it hard to believe that some hunters do not EAT what they shoot.
I think USE would be a better term than EAT. I shoot the odd limit of mergansers at a friends trout pond to use for training birds. I save a few fish for him and end up with ducks to use for training without sufficing good eating birds to use for dog training, win/win