Rate your waterfowl season So far

[lorneparker1]

So far for me its been a 8. Early season was a bust for us. Mid season was out of control with limits almost every hunt. Put a crazy amount of birds on the ground from mid Oct to Mid November. Dec i spent in Ontario (which was also a bust) and now we are the home stretch. THere are some birds around but lots more hunters and pressure.(now that deer is closed). With Geese opening up, and seaducks a plenty I figure the next month should be good if the weather co-operates.

Lorne

[nano]

10 for me. It's been a year of first for me and one that I will not forget. From shooting my first bird over decoys to getting my first limit it has been great. Also it's been great to do all this with my gramps and brother at my side. Best of luck to everyone in this late season. Tommorow I have an appointment with some ducks and geese!

[4ptbuck]

2 for me.
It's been a bust for snow geese, and the ducks aren't around.

[keoke]

I would have to give it a ten because of the two bands I got on consecutive hunts. I was only able to ground 21 ducks and one goose this year because of a 16 month old future hunter that eats up all my time when I am not working. Can't wait to take him on his first duck hunt.

[lorneparker1]

I would have to give it a ten because of the two bands I got on consecutive hunts. I was only able to ground 21 ducks and one goose this year because of a 16 month old future hunter that eats up all my time when I am not working. Can't wait to take him on his first duck hunt.

21 ducks and 2 bands is just not fair.

Lorne

Congrats though! hahaha

[kyleklassen]

it's been so so

https://fbcdn-sphotos-d-a.akamaihd.net/hphotos-ak-snc7/598938_4611139914691_460207842_n.jpg

[Foxton Gundogs]

About an 8-9 first part was a bust due to dry weather the remainder has been pretty good.

[Chessieguy]

I would give it about a 6-7, haven't been able to get much hunting in, but the days I have been out have been quite productive and extremely enjoyable. Have my son coming out for Christmas so a couple of hunts with him wiill likely bump it up a point or 2.

[Ian F.]

6.732

too busy building the trades training centre and too much rain!

[pnbrock]

8- it would be greater if I can get those lessers to cooperate. Pup has been kicking ass on retrieves. Made 16 yesterday half of which he had to earn them.

[Foxton Gundogs]

8- it would be greater if I can get those lessers to cooperate. Pup has been kicking ass on retrieves. Made 16 yesterday half of which he had to earn them.

That in its self should make it a 10:wink:

[bandit]

6 out of 10 for me so far. But then again I go hunting to get out the house rather than fill the freezer!
Had limits of pintails and goldeneye but no mallard limits yet. To make things worse some guy from SFU has just set up a research plot in a new honey hole of mine. Poor guy obviously didn't do his homework and failed to realise it was the middle of a hunting area- he even asked what I was doing when dressed head to toe in cammo and carrying a semi auto!

[Foxton Gundogs]

Sounds like you had the prime oppetunity to take a bit of time to explain and educate him a bit we can use all the PR we can get.

[bandit]

Some people are beyond educating! This poor lad had trouble understanding me when I said birds would fly a lot faster with the wind behind them. And he is writing a phd on flight speeds of dunlins..... Academia can be a great thing, it keeps people like that out of jobs where they might do some real damage!

[303Brit]

Somewhere between 9-9.5 as our early was a bust, however we have had some good times this years. Two seperate birds landing in blinds on hunters, my first hybrid, first banded bird, first speck hunt, introduced 4 people to the sport of fowling and 5 successful hunts with my wife. All that's left to do is lay a beat down on some sea ducks, hopefully a nice GE or two, and too take my daughters out for a hunt. If all that is done I'd call it a 10 or maybe an 11 ;)

303

[Viper]

Well done 303 nice to see you got the family involved. Future hunters in the making. All the best in the New Year.

[BiG Boar]

My Woodie

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/825050B1-5835-48AE-8739-015A2BB1EE4C-7399-000003CDE396BFEC.jpg

My buddies Woodie

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/F85AC534-AB3F-458C-B3B7-4B8D495D7D1B-7399-000003CDF66A207E.jpg

First Black Jack
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/1D147F70-4DE2-4F9C-B9C1-750D4517EE3E-2396-000001A720318D7E.jpg

First deep fried duck (delicious)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/925B0D84-9DF6-4588-A254-ECE0A46C1E53-742-00000036E9CFEB8F.jpg

Duck bites bacon wrapped (delicious)
http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/7B3943AE-A7DD-4071-8A9C-277910FE10EE-2396-000001A80FFB43F2.jpg

[BiG Boar]

First Snipe

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/9775180E-5494-4270-AAC3-F38CCD1ACBD9-14470-0000075A8A9F81EC.jpg

A few nice teal mixed in

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/229D0C36-D1E7-4090-94E7-3B653917CBD6-14470-0000075A9DC2253F.jpg

Took out a first time duck hunter, a real highlight

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/6E609DD9-E70D-4150-B15F-8D807D59C0EF-14470-0000075AB84885AD.jpg

First cacklers, and lessers (something I never thought would happen)

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/99015667-52A6-4D39-B0CB-AAE3E8433C54-14470-0000075ADF8BF043.jpg

A few new fields locked up, and some great hunting

http://i300.photobucket.com/albums/nn5/bigbore14/84D35A0B-F480-4267-846F-438FE6941BF4-14470-0000075B34444D76.jpg

[BiG Boar]

I'm gonna give it a solid 9. As I've learned how much I don't know.

[kyleklassen]

give it a 10 because of the snipe

[nano]

Well done Dave, and their is still lots of time left.

[Crazy_Farmer]

Been so-so. 3500 mallards down so far. Par for the course. Last weekends picture, sorry for the quality taken with old cell phone.

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f52/Crazy_Farmer/4D55D90D-9C5C-49AD-AE11-81E08522398B-2057-00000231F513AA70.jpg

[pnbrock]

lets see the decoys used crazy!!

[Crazy_Farmer]

http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f52/Crazy_Farmer/IMG_7029.jpg

[lorneparker1]

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=X7dFMbubxr4

[Dutch Ppoacher]

it has been tough here. lots of hunters, not many birds around, and the birds are not coming in. i think due to pressure. right now it is a 2,
need more fields, i have new company that is changing things

[Mr. Dean]

Friggen AWESOME!!

And I mean *off the charts* kinda good!

[Mr. Dean]

Up the creek without a paddle???


http://i45.photobucket.com/albums/f52/Crazy_Farmer/IMG_7029.jpg

[field marshal]

I would have to say it's been a 1! Nobody to complain about screwing up the shooting!! The young guys doing all the work! I've got nothing to do
anymore except sit in the blind and regale my partners with amazing tales of bygone hunts! None of which anybody believes! My shooting has been extrordinary, so I can't make up complicated excuses for misses. I'm in good health, so thats not a factor? Too many bloody birds around, and I've got a huge weight on the freezer lid trying to keep it closed!! So all in all Extremely BORING so far!!:mrgreen:---Cheers---Field Marshal.

[KTownKiller]

Great shoot'n. Just a suggestion though, maybe try helping out the population by trying to just target drakes. The drakes drown a lot of hens in the spring when mating, so thinning them out helps the pop go up.:-D

[field marshal]

The shooting of Drakes only does diddly-squat to increase waterfowl recruitment each year!!! Like I've said before do you only target Ganders
while goose hunting???-----Cheers----Field Marshal.

[303Brit]

Solid 9.65 now two sprigs today, and dry gulched a few northern drake lards ;)

303

[lorneparker1]

Great shoot'n. Just a suggestion though, maybe try helping out the population by trying to just target drakes. The drakes drown a lot of hens in the spring when mating, so thinning them out helps the pop go up.:-D

http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Qw9oX-kZ_9k


To quote a great man

"HBC...where deer hunters weigh in on waterfowling"

I am hoping by the smilie at the end you were being sarcastic but if not..... Get a clue man!.

Lorne

[303Brit]

The shooting of Drakes only does diddly-squat to increase waterfowl recruitment each year!!! Like I've said before do you only target Ganders
while goose hunting???-----Cheers----Field Marshal.
Not so sir, it keeps a hobbit off my back ;) And helps other compensate and make them feel better about their epic waterfowling skills ;)

303

[nor'wester]

I'll give it a 10...haven't been hunting very hard but have 9 outings for 9 limits of ducks, with a handful of mixed geese to boot. Waiting for a freeze-up to make it an 11/10....

[lorneparker1]

The shooting of Drakes only does diddly-squat to increase waterfowl recruitment each year!!! Like I've said before do you only target Ganders
while goose hunting???-----Cheers----Field Marshal.

http://www.wildfowlmag.com/dead-hens-dont-lay-eggs-should-hunters-shoot-females.html

heres a great article. There was a time when you could only shoot 1 hen mallard per 7 in the pacific flyway?

Lorne

[field marshal]

That 1 hen regulation was not in effect in B.C.----Cheers----Field Marshal.

[KTownKiller]

OK, lorneparker, that's a good article. I guess I've been over carefull of passing up hens. It's just that I hunt in an area with out an over population of mallards, and it's brutal watching 6 - 10 drakes all ganging up on 1 hen in the spring! I also hunt in a very urban setting, so I'm always trying to keep good PR with people I might meet out there. I guess I've just got use to telling people that I'm trying to do some good for the wildlife instead of just killing my limit. As far as geese is concerned, there's way too many so I just BLAST them all!!:mrgreen: I'm getting ready to hammer some honkers with some time off next week. Great way to spend Boxing Day morning!:-D Much better than standing in line for shopping. Great way to bring in the new year also!:-D HONK HONK...BOOM BOOM!!!!
Merry Christmas

[Foxton Gundogs]

http://www.wildfowlmag.com/dead-hens-dont-lay-eggs-should-hunters-shoot-females.html

heres a great article. There was a time when you could only shoot 1 hen mallard per 7 in the pacific flyway?

Lorne

Probably Wash state. Watched a show last nite and they said they can only shoot 1 Harly a YEAR there.

[lorneparker1]

Probably Wash state. Watched a show last nite and they said they can only shoot 1 Harly a YEAR there.

Yup! It's funny the US always puts in big precautionary measures and we usually don't do much. Bluebills back east are a great example. They have been declining steadily for a long time. Ohio had a 1 bluebill per limit and just on the other side of the lake in canada we could ahoot 6 a day. Exact same flyway and birds

[longstonec]

I'll give it a 10...haven't been hunting very hard but have 9 outings for 9 limits of ducks, with a handful of mixed geese to boot. Waiting for a freeze-up to make it an 11/10....

Talking with Tyrone. He said it's because you shoot like a ninny.

[wicket]

my season was great...didnt get shot so I count that as a winning year. going tomorrow to shoot with my buddy for the last time of the year.

[longshot]

I'd have to give it a solid 8.

We had the best October opening day ever.. A whack of widgeons, mallards, skinny pinnies, geese (including cacks)..

After that day It was raining honkers all of October on the dry corn fields.

November was a bust. All the geese left, and the ducks werent around as we had no ponds AT ALL. So we went deer hunting for a while, hitting up the salt chuck once in a while for some widgeons and teal.

Then after much needed rains in early December, and the overflowing of creeks, our spot had finally filled up with water.. And the lards are in the largest numbers I've seen yet!! At this point it looks like a clear sailing to the finish line with the mallards.

As for December geese, we are about to figure that out in about 9 hours......

[kyleklassen]

longshot...is your camera broken??

[lorneparker1]

longshot...is your camera broken??

Seems to be a trend this year!

Lorne