45000 ducks on the Island............Baloney?

[bigshark]

Ok.....I'm changing plans and getting sucked into this rumor....The story goes that there are a lot of northern birds on the island and no one knows why. With the weather we are having why would they come? I just can't believe this but it comes from a trusted source. Futhermore, another trusted source says he was down in the valley yesterday and at 3PM while he was brushing a blind mallards started pouring into the lake with flooded millet. He said by the time he left around 5 PM there had to be 200 or more. The farmer said they had been hitting it for the two prior evenings........Is there anybody out there who can say they have truly seen
ducks in large numbers? [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img] The source of the 45000 count is from a refuge guy talking to one of the larger farmers on the island. The farmer doesn't fib.

[birdhunter]

Here is the ODFW report as of the 3rd. Not that it's always reliable. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

Sauvie Island Wildlife Area:

Waterfowl season begins Oct. 6, through 17 and Oct. 20 - Jan. 20, 2002. The dry weather has not been conducive to great duck hunting. Units feed by tidal influence will have low to no water in them. We are pumping water on the Westside and the inside the dike on the Eastside. The opening day for the Northwest Oregon Permit Goose Zone is Nov. 3, 2001. Please check the 2001-2002 Oregon Game Bird Regulations for changes in the hunt day schedules and bag limits. Parking permits are available on the Island at the Reeder Beach Resort and the Cracker Barrel Grocery at the end of the bridge. Off Island locations are the 7-11 in Linnton and local Fred Meyers, GI Joes, Rite Aid, BiMart Wal Mart, and the Portland Fishermans Marine Supply.

[Lured In]

I saw quite a few migrant geese last weekend but have not heard of nor seen that many ducks. All I have to say is that for every duck on the island opening day, there will be 5 hunters trying to shoot it or you. [img]images/icons/rolleyes.gif[/img]

I may give it a run on Monday though and let you know how it turns out. I am heading out to eastern Oregon for the opener tomorrow.

[Mr. Fisherman]

Bagged 4 with Capin Dan! today. He and the "Rick Trio" had another 8 when I left. I had to leave early. I thought it was a great hunt and there was good action but by no means was the area "buzzing" with ducks.

Hope this helps...

Mr. F

Oh yea... I hunt too [img]images/icons/cool.gif[/img]

[bigshark]

Well what can I say....didn't fire a shot this morning. Should have known it would be like that with dry lake-beds all around. But there were birds in the air....hunters moving
them around I guess. Lots of birds on Big Sturgeon resting when I left....but the big lake is sure low on water. Called my friend to tell him that I would pass on the afternoon hunt with he and his sons as the O-dark-thirty wake-up time had me heading for
homebase. Of course you can guess what happened, they had a great shoot and they also slept-in this morning. I will now be subjected to razzing on the trips with them to their place. Oh well, I'm not going to let
their good fortune effect,effect, effect......effect,effect me! [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img] [img]images/icons/wink.gif[/img]