It took me 19 years before I went duck hunting again. This morning I drove to the Nicola Lake ready for a few hours of duck hunting action. The previous week I scouted a few locations in the reed fields along the shoreline and prepared a few natural duck blinds. An hour before daylight I was on the lake gliding silently into the first set up with the boat and started setting up the decoys. Then I headed the boat to a place I prepared beforehand, away from the decoys and blind, where it was well hidden from the ducks view. Arriving at my blind, made up of reed and cattails, I just had time for a quick coffee and setting everything up.
Right at dawn the first mallards came in but then turned away again well out of shooting range. These birds are hunted heavily and that made them weary of decoys and duck calls. Eventually these two ducks came along and I took them. A bit later five Canada geese came in but never close enough for a shot. All in all I had a great morning on the lake.
These are the first ducks I have taken without my father on my side. After he passed away I tried to hunt ducks and got so emotional that I turned around without firing a shot. It was not until last years that I felt comfortable hunting ducks again. After relearning duck calling I felt ready to head out this morning. For the first time I really enjoyed hunting ducks on my own and I will head out again sometime this week. My father was the only duck hunting partner I ever have had. He was an expert at it and all I know I know from him and it just never felt right to be without him doing what he loved so much. Now I am ready to carry his legacy on, and in honor of that I dedicated these ducks to my dad.
The equipment used on this hunt:
Lowe L 1436
Mossberg 535 ATS Waterfowl 12 gauge 3 ½ magnum
Federal Premium Ultra-Shok 3” #3 steel.
Advantage and ASAT camouflage
Flambeau duck decoys
Knight & Hale and Primos duck calls.
Reply With Quote
Originally Posted by todbartell
