The BC blues...

[Ian F.]

To tell you the truth I’m quite tired after 3 nights in a strange bed and am doing massive catch up at work, but figure a little time to write may just perk me up a bit.

I think I’ll start with some thank you’s, and in no particular order…

Justin, a guy out kayaking and camping for the weekend that had no issue with us gunning off the island he was on first. Hats off to a fine gentleman!

Marc, the owner and manager of huntingbc.ca, who has brought me in touch with many people I now call friend and provides me a place to talk with folks of similar mindsets.

[Michel,[/b] a great hunting partner who puts off work to get me into some snows and makes a great substitute for a lab, hats off again Michel, hats off!

I think I’ll do this chronological so I might as well start with a Friday, actually lets back it up a bit. For the last month I’ve been preparing for a high profile training session at work that finished on Thursday. I was totally spent, all went well and I booked Friday off to either recover, celebrate or both.

]

The amount of ducks and snows flying Friday was beyond description. The birds didn’t really want to be with us, but enough wanted to look that both Michel and I had plenty of time to spend cleaning. The cleaning wasn’t limited to the dead birds though, this was a mud hunt, through and through.



I’m holding a limit here we stopped well short of 2 limits and glad we did! 10 birds on this string and yes there is some weight! I’m 6’2”, 250lbs with 56” chest if you need some scale.

I

literally got home from shooting snows, changed rigs to sea ducks and crabs, loaded the truck and headed to the ferry to Vancouver Island with Sherrill and Hannah. The traffic here on Friday was unbelievable, but we made the ferry on time and even managed to get put on an earlier boat running late! Thank god for reservations!



I had scouted the area in September, but it was a different tide and even though I put waypoints in, and thought, I uploaded them it was a different day. I found some birds and bumped them, before I even got set up they returned and I dropped my first ever harlequin. YE HA is an understatement.

I have very few 1st of species left, Cinnamon teal, cackler, lessers and brant being the only somewhat common ones in this part of the world. I can say this, as the list gets shorter each one becomes a bigger deal!

[Ian F.]

It wasn’t too too long till #2 came in and my day for Harleys was done. I hunted another hour and no scoters to be found, so a pick up and search was in order.



I found a bunch of birds and reset, it wasn’t long until I had quite a little bachelors club joining me. The clocked ticked 10 and it was time to go and spend the rest of the day with my family and in-laws, talk about perfect, ducks first, family after everyone happy!



Almost forgot, on the way back I picked up the 2 crab pots I had out, 2 ½ limits of crab between them! I kept the 4 biggest and had lunch and then some!



Sunday Marc came along with me for a shoot and just as we were putting out the last string of dekes, Marc says “Is that a tent on the island?” My response will be censored. We put out the last of the birds and go to shore. A knock on the tent finds Justin inside and we ask him about shooting saying we’ll move if he has issues. His only retort was to ask if he could watch and take pictures! Super nice guy, and certainly not the response we were expecting!

[Ian F.]

Marc and I had a great shoot, both getting our count of Harleys as well as some nice drake skunks. 2 whitewing females/Imm drakes came in and I couldn’t help myself, they were such a rare bird back east that any were prized. We also got a pair of these strange looking sea ducks, brown, white rumps, black tails and long, I mean really really long black necks with white cheek patches, anyone know what they are?



The boys club from day 2 with Marc, just one shy of full colour.



Marc and I had a rough ride back and let me tell you after 8 years hunting the north Atlantic in the Maritime’s, growing up on the great lakes when water boils up from flat in 15 mins it’s always nerve wracking no matter how much experience you have with it! We made it back safe and sound, but no one ever likes to make those trips, and if they do I don’t want to be with them.

The wind kept up and got worse over night, I had crab pots out from the day before and they sat until Monday when My father in law and I were able to pop out and get them. We literally hit the only lee in the weather all day!

Ferries where shut down until lunch and thank god once again we had a reservation! Most of the folks on our 7pm boat had been waiting since lunch!

3 great shoots out of 4 planned days, doesn’t get much better then that!

Very best,

Ian

[MichelD]

You're welcome Ian.

It's always a pleasure.

Especially when this voice bellows "Nice shootin' Tex!" from the ditch the occasional time I hit one.

Sure enjoyed learning how to use the new/old A5 too.

Is that a telephoto you used for that picture? Makes that 300 yard dash through the muck look like a cakewalk!

[Chuck]

I'd just like to complement you on a very nicely done report/account of your experience - and with pictures too. Congratulations!

[Scottish Warrior]

Great pics, thanks for sharing Ian.

[Ovis17]

Looks like a great trip. I've always wanted to mount a drake Harlequin. One of the few drake mounts I don't have.................

[ianwuzhere]

good pix- looked fun. thanx for sharin..

[Marc]

Was a great hunt Ian, the boat ride back was a different story . Hope to get the chance to share a buck or a goose blind with you again int he future.

Justin sent me some pictures and I'm waiting for him to finalize his membership so he can see what we're all about.

[rishu_pepper]

Nice harleys, gonna mount them?

Always enjoy your stories Ian, looks like you guys had a great time! Next time let me in on the fun too