McCormick Slough RHA

Blue Tip Spinner · 10-30-2003, 09:46 AM

anyone out there been huntin for ducks out in umatilla/boardman area? are the birds in yet? [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img] i'm headin over there on sat with my father-in-law, and trying to figure out if it will be worth it. i haven't heard squat, so i am trying to see if anyone in the ifish world has any feedback for me. thanks for any info.

Get Bit · 10-30-2003, 04:43 PM

I was over there on the opener and didn't do very well. With the cold it should be real good. Do you have a draw number ?

Get Bit

Lured In · 10-30-2003, 05:51 PM

Hunted near Boardman two weeks ago. Pretty slim pickins. Some sites in north central WA are reporting a small influx of birds on the leading edge of the cold air. Let's hope it continues and we get some rain/snow to keep'em coming.

Crashin' Bait · 10-30-2003, 10:37 PM

No new birds, yet. Last Sunday's count was 10 ducks for 27 hunters. Haven't seen any bird flights period. Was hoping for a cold front to hit by this weekend but, so far, only hi winds (30+ mph or it seems like it).

[ 10-30-2003, 11:44 PM: Message edited by: Crashin' Bait ]

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-03-2003, 09:23 AM

i went anyway, and what a day. it took us 1.5 hours to find our blind (they moved the blind and said to use a different parking area, so we did, but no signs on where to go in) but once we did find the blind (around 7:00 am and shoot time was 6:05), we shot our birds in 1.5 hours pickin and choosin which birds we were gonna kill. had them hovering over the decoys and ice when we would shoot. that was alot of fun. the birds didn't respond to the mallard hen call, but the widgeon whistle worked great along with a mallard drake "deek" call. BTS

[ 11-03-2003, 10:26 AM: Message edited by: Blue Tip Spinner ]

Get Bit · 11-03-2003, 08:16 PM

BTS,

What blind # did you hunt ?

Get Bit

Crashin' Bait · 11-03-2003, 09:29 PM

Probably #27. I went to the old parking lot on the back side of the slough. It wasn't fun lugging my dekes back and forth in 80 degree weather on the opener (with my neoprene waders on no doubt).

[ 11-03-2003, 10:32 PM: Message edited by: Crashin' Bait ]

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 11-05-2003, 07:19 PM

Was over there last Sunday 11/2 and the weather was nasty but the ducks were flying.

Should have had our limit for 3 guys but unfortunatly I along with my group were not up to par as far as shooting accuracy.

Nonetheless we got 12 in all and we were very satisfied.

I have another draw for this Sunday and will be more on target I hope.

I am at least going with someone who can shoot a little bit this week but I am just enjoying my draws nonetheless.

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-05-2003, 11:07 PM

i hunted #27. i was there with my father in law and wish i would have brought along another person. it was a kick in the pants. i'm gonna go again this saturday, i think. you gonna be out there Get Bit?

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-06-2003, 09:20 AM

KHH- what blind did you hunt?

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 11-06-2003, 01:51 PM

BTS...

River Blind #12. Ducks were flying all day but irt was tough standing in the water all day. They were releasing water and it came up.

Thank the Lord for good waiders.

Get Bit · 11-06-2003, 04:29 PM

BTS,

Wont head over for a couple of weeks. Hopefully the weather will continue cold.We hunted #30 on the opener. Could have shot teal but tryed to hold out for mallards. Wasn't in the cards. Anybody know what fields are cut now ?

[ 11-06-2003, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: Get Bit ]

Crashin' Bait · 11-06-2003, 07:26 PM

So, BTS, that was you in front of us that grabbed #27. Good show! We hunted out of #10 that day. It was a good hunt.

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-07-2003, 10:19 AM

crashin' bait- yup, that was me. are you gonna head up there again this weekend? i'll be there tomorrow with my father in law. are you gonna be there????

Crashin' Bait · 11-08-2003, 02:18 AM

Nope, BTS, not this weekend. My better half just got out of surgery. But, I'll prol be there throughout most of the season beings I gots me one o' them thar season passes.

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-10-2003, 09:18 AM

crashin' bait- you didn't miss much. warm temps, no wind, some birds, wasn't that great. we should have had our limits, but i couldn't hit a single thing. we hunted in #28, which noone wanted because there wasn't much water, but there was more than enough to get the birds to come down into. we did see three real big bucks walkin around the blind for most of the day, they were ruttin pretty hard, and it is was nice seein those big boys at 50 yards. hope your better half feels better, and take care. over and out. BTS

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 11-10-2003, 10:39 PM

We hunted blind #29 on Sunday and got 2 ducks. Between the 2 of us we shot 8 times. Just wansn't in the cards I suppose. Allot of Teal flying but we did not shoot at them.

The weather turned out to be too much on the blue bird side as the day went on.

Birds were flying too high.

Oh well, better shooting next time. We have the #2 pick on 1/1/04. That will be nice as we will have our pick of the blinds and we also have the #11 pick on on 1/18

Good shooting all.

Crashin' Bait · 11-10-2003, 11:47 PM

Thanks, BTS. My wife is feeling better every day. Hopefully, she'll be well enough to give me a kitchen pass by this weekend. About blind # 29, it has been thee producer on the whole unit for years but, the birds and the weather have to be there. Hope for some "fowl" weather ahead and a strong migration. I remember back when there was two feet of snow on the ground...........ahhh, the glory days.

Kentucky Hog Hunter · 11-11-2003, 08:33 AM

CB,

You are correct... If statistics tell a story that blind has been the major producer...

However, if I am in a good blind...the statistics are deceiving...I can't shoot for squat but when I do get a bird down it makes me want to come back for more.

I love this game but I need to practice...I am sure we could have shot at other birds Sunday but with the 25 shell restriction and my poor ability to knock things down right now, I felt my ammo was better served at attempting good shots...

Oh well, the weather was also not in our favor on Sunday as well.

There will be better days but I still love to go nonetheless.

Blue Tip Spinner · 11-11-2003, 09:11 AM

i've never hunted # 29, but i have done well in all the blinds i have hunted except for the river blinds. over the last 2 years, bluebird day or not, we have had enough birds in our decoys to shoot limits. that is what keeps me going back. good luck and one of these days, i will see you guys up there. take care, BTS

CB- i'm glad to hear your wife is doing better. :smile: