Westside in the AM

Boedy · 11-27-2003, 08:06 PM

Going out to Sauvies in the AM to try and draw a good chip anyone else going? I may have room if someone wants to buddy up.

steelhead22 · 11-27-2003, 08:54 PM

I'll be there. Who woulda thought, right? Gonna be a full house, if we're not in the top 15 were outta there. Love this time of year, weather isn't right for fishin' the Wilson, but just right for ducks. 40 mph winds? I'll bet that'll kick the birds up off Sturgeon Lake. Good luck tomorrow.

Swamp Puppy · 11-28-2003, 02:20 AM

on the way in a few...i'll look ya guys up

hunt em up · 11-28-2003, 12:34 PM

well where did everyone go... and how was it....

Boedy · 11-28-2003, 12:45 PM

We got into Mud Lake 8 with Chip #20 think we where 13th number called. Had a choice between Mud Lake 6, 7, 8 when we got up to the window. Talon, Fishnxtc and Joe Traylor (sorry). Lots of Pin tail flying again today but we managed to stay away from them. We ended up with 10 Teal as there was a million flying today and one Hen Mallard. We left the blind at around 11:30 with birds still flying some what. Wind and rain never showed so it was a pretty nice day weather wise and not bad shooting all things considered.

I know Mossberg 3.5 got a good blind wonder how he did.

steelhead22 · 11-28-2003, 12:54 PM

Pulled chip #14 this morning and went out to Mud Lake 11. 9 teal and 2 widgeon when everything was said and done. #9 got 17 teal and 4 widge, #10 ended when they ran out of shells with 15 teal. It was an OK day, just wish we woulda got the weather that was expected.

On the bright side, the coastal rivers aren't blown out and still dropping, I'm outta here! Hunting T-Bay tomorrow morning and hopin' to pick up one of those early winter steelhead on the way home. Good luck this weekend.

Boedy · 11-28-2003, 01:01 PM

Steelhead22 you have to share your secert for pulling low chips every time. I saw you guys drive buy this morning and new you had to have gotten another good draw.

Some guy from 10 came buy looking to buy some shells mid morning but we where pretty tight so couldn't help.

steelhead22 · 11-28-2003, 02:06 PM

Wish there was a secret. When you find one tell me. I pulled #14 and my buddy pulled #196.

The guys in Mud 10 came to our blind first, we couldn't help them out though. To the ya the truth, I don't think I would've even if I could've. I don't know what that sound was coming from their blind, but it wasn't duck calling. Sounded more like a dying monkey or somethin' and it was constant. Drove me CRAZY!!! I don't wanna sound like a jerk, but seriously, if you can't call, DON'T! It only flares birds for everyone else around you and is incredibly annoying. Plus, you're better off not calling rather than flaring the birds that would work in to you. Such is public hunting I suppose.

Anyone know who was in Mud Lake 9? Nice shot on the pintail hen, oops :blush: . There sure was a lot of them around today, but I guess that's no surprise, it's been that way all season. Sometimes those young pins look a lot like widgeon, try to be a little more careful, it ain't worth the ticket or a wasted bird.

Fish Hawk Adventures · 11-28-2003, 04:17 PM

We had Kasey check Mud #9 and they were legal, We also thought that they took a Pin when they dumped those 3. As far as the Calling most of that was Mud #7. Thouse guys drove us nuts all day with there attempt at high balling every 5 minutes. However we did have a little fun with them for about a minute.

steelhead22 · 11-28-2003, 04:42 PM

TALONS-

I talked to Kasey too, and she told me the story of the unretrieved bird (they thought it may have been a pin) that was recovered and turned out to be a mallard hen. Later in the day they made a nice shot on a bird that flew almost the whole way across the lake and then fell. I waited about an hour then headed over there with my dog to get it for them(i hate to see crips not retrieved, plus, I thought it was a widgeon and figured they wanted it but just didn't want to walk all the way around the lake). When I got there I sent her (my dog) out, she picked up the scent, and promptly flushed a HUGE pintail hen from the brush. You mighta heard me out there yellin' at her "NO! COME!". She's lookin' at me like "that's not the game, what's your problem, you seemed to like it when I got the bird every other time?" Maybe not the best training for her, but I couldn't let her get it. What do you do in that situation? Finish the bird and leave it or just walk away? I hated to just walk away and let it suffer, but I don't want to get a ticket for an illegal bird that I didn't shoot.

Boedy · 11-28-2003, 04:55 PM

Saw this on another post and think it should apply.

Nothing in the wildlife laws is intended to prohibit any person from killing any crippled or helpless wildlife when the killing is done for a humane purpose. Any person so killing any wildlife shall immediately report such killing to a person authorized to enforce the wildlife laws, and shall dispose of the wildlife in such manner as the State Fish and Wildlife Commission directs. [1973 c.723 �76]

steelhead22 · 11-28-2003, 05:43 PM

Sounds good to me. Thats all I need. Next time it's getting finished, then I'll let them know at the shack what happened when I get in. Thanks.

ANDYCOHO · 11-28-2003, 06:46 PM

Sounds like you guys had better luck than I...

I drew chip #40, so I headed out to Steelman #2, my old haunt. Only ended up with 1 Ringneck and 1 Widgeon. Didn't have many other opportunities. The birds just were not flying on that side today.

What rigs are you guys drivn'?

I'm in the tall white Jeep Wrangler with the boat.

I would like to meet you guys sometime...

Fishfaced · 11-28-2003, 06:56 PM

On the west side. I am surprised to hear that you guys ar doing ok on the birds. Atleased you have somthing to shoot at. I have been out Wend, Thurs,and today. Other than the hundreds of birds we kick out in the morining, have hardly seen any others. It has been so Slow. I figured if the public was hunting it would make the birds move around better, but it doesn't seem to make any diff. Whats up? Thoes ducks ***** must be getting sore from sitting all day. Is there a lot of shooting going on on the west side? I do not hear hardly any. Must be too far away???

Swamp Puppy · 11-28-2003, 07:22 PM

ended up on Mud #1 with 3 other guys..two 16 year old young men that can really hunt up some birds and one of their fathers who can also hunt. we shot 26 total birds.. 19 teal (yeah, those buggers were everywhere!!!) 4 widgeon and 3 mallard drakes. my buddy Brett (the guy i was with this morning) shot a double banded drake. one federal band and one reward band for 100 bucks. lucky ******* . ha ha ha.

i really should have bugged out at 11:00 like i was supposed to..but i was trying hard at that point to get our 28 birds for the morning. it dried up about 11:30 and by noon i had to get out of there..another 30 minutes i am sure we would have gotten those last 2 for the full 4 limits.

Boedy · 11-28-2003, 07:45 PM

Sounds like a good day Ed. We didnt see many Mallards flying around us at all and the few we did see didnt give us any shots. Glad it worked out for you guys today.

Andycoho I saw your Jeep today, next time I see it will make you and stop by.

Killertraylor · 11-28-2003, 08:28 PM

Andy - I saw you too. I'm in the new blue Dodge quadcab - was behind you in line a few spots today but I'm the one who drew #20 and hunted with Boedy, Talons and XTC. That's cool that the other ifishers did well. We were in Mud 4 on Wed. and could have limited on Greenheads if we would have shot a little straighter - ended up with 9 mallards a few scaup on Wed.

Wish we would have taken Mud 7 instead of 8 today- the birds really wanted to suck into 7 today. That's the first time I've hunted 8 - I was suprised how close 8 was to 7 and 9. Had to keep my eye on those guys in 7 so they didn't shoot us. Sure had fun hunting with you guys - lets do it again soon.

Swamp Puppy · 11-29-2003, 09:13 AM

i might go on tuesday..

gottafish · 11-29-2003, 12:09 PM

My buddy had mud 3 they ended with 3 mallards

steelhead22 · 11-29-2003, 04:46 PM

We are usually in a maroon Toyota Tacoma XTD cab. We're thinkin' about going out Tuesday, but I think we're going to the Eastside in the Malarky Unit. I've never hunted it but I'd sure like to get it dailed in, seems like it could be a good 2nd option when we don't draw well. Anyone going tomorrow? I don't THINK we will, just don't feel like battling the huge crowds on the weekend when we can go during the week.

Swamp Puppy · 11-29-2003, 04:51 PM

i met those guys down on Mud #3..nice guys.

hunt em up · 11-29-2003, 05:22 PM

If you want to learn the malarky unit you better have a boat because it is a long walk and I mean long 2.5 miles, other than that the East Side is pretty slow right now.

steelhead22 · 11-29-2003, 05:28 PM

Yeah, I think that's the plan. I'm gonna take my boat down the Gilbert River then park it right there behind the Seal Unit and walk from there. How long will the boat ride be with a 15 hp motor? Is the Gilbert a shallow river and do I need to watch out for snags? How 'bout the ramp up on the north end of Mcnary, is it a good one? Any info is great.

hunt em up · 11-29-2003, 10:52 PM

sorry I can't help you out on that one, but the place you are talking about parking your boat and hunting I think is a pretty good one I always see boats back there, I think the best guy to talk to about that would be Jerry over at the eastside check station he know everything about that island and is very helpful, good luck.

1pump · 11-29-2003, 10:54 PM

If you're going to hunt Malarky, stay out of my spot!! :grin:

Steelhead22, the Gilbert is plenty deep but has lots of deadheads. I used to run it with a 15hp. A long ride, but not unreasonable, especially if you're not carrying a huge load.

steelhead22 · 11-30-2003, 06:47 AM

Thanks for the info guys!

1pump- Where was your spot again? I just want to make sure I don't go there on Tuesday.

:grin: If anyone is out there Tuesday and you see a couple of guys and a black lab walking around looking like they are lost, we are, say hi and point us in the right direction.

By the way, my boat isn't camo, but that shouldn't matter right? Since we won't be hunting from or anywhere near it.

1pump · 11-30-2003, 09:14 AM

My boat isn't camo, and I hunt right out of it if the water's high.
I do cover it with a camo net if I'm shooting out of it, but I don't usually bother with anything if I park it elsewhere. It doesn't matter if it's blaze orange as long as it doesn't move.

TWB · 11-30-2003, 05:57 PM

Steelhead 22-if you are going to Malarky Unit on Tuesday, here is some up to date info.

The hot shoot the last few hunt days in there has been almost all teal. Today, the 30th, they were gone, fairly slow. There are however waves and waves of Pintails using Malarky lake. Just a few legal ducks mixed in. Be careful.....it's a realy good place right now, to shoot the wrong bird!

After watching other hunters shoot at Pins in there, I'm convinced that some guys just can't ID these ducks....? Fortunatly for the Pins and there pocket books, they shoot as bad as they ID birds.

There are some boom logs that were loose and floating in the Gilbert, I didn't see them in the dark. They could really spoil your day! They were up near Seal, but who knows where they will go with the tide?

Right now you have to park on the Gilbert and walk over to the lake, not enough water to get around Malarky point on low tide.

Good luck,
Jerry

[ 11-30-2003, 07:04 PM: Message edited by: TWB ]

steelhead22 · 11-30-2003, 07:51 PM

TWB- Thanks for the info! That helps a lot. It's ridiculous how bad some guys are out there at identifying birds. I've seen quite a few birds shot at and some of them killed/wounded. Heck, just the other day a group brought in 3 pins to the Westside checkstation. :shocked: That must've been a nice fine.