Hunting Reports Week 12/13 - 12/19

Rauly · 12-13-2003, 04:04 PM

Sorry I didn't get this up earlier.

Rauly

Lured In · 12-13-2003, 04:12 PM

Did a short scouting trip this morning on the CR. Not much doing. Saw a few flocks of 'bills, a flock of about 20 mallards and the random singles and pairs. Nothing wanted to play though, and didn't even get to massage the trigger. Looks like the birds are really starting to hit the sheet water off the river.

Wetaline...that rain was something else today, eh? [img]graemlins/eek13.gif[/img] We had to run the bilge pump twice to keep the water under the floorboards. [img]graemlins/1zhelp.gif[/img]

Duck n · 12-13-2003, 05:56 PM

Hunted LC today, mostly Blue Bills flying with a few mallards, teal and pintail. Very disappointed in the fly way so far! The only bird that seems to have shown up in numbers are the blue bills.

Our mission was to train the dogs, ended up scratching out two limits. The weather/wind was great for hunting, the birds we got didn't call well we just happen to be in their path.

nitrobass · 12-14-2003, 12:33 PM

Hunted private land in south Benton county and it was horrible. Birds never really flew, we finished with 4. Lots of geese flew by but didnt really want in our field. Very little shooting heard. The guys that hunted yesterday during the storm didnt do that well either.

#1 Okie · 12-14-2003, 03:14 PM

I shot a coyote behind the house with my 17 around 3 today. saw several elk too!

Fishfaced · 12-14-2003, 08:05 PM

Sauvie Island Saturday. Seven ducks for seven guns. Total mixed bag. Thank God for Spoonbills (2). Had to scratch a couple out of the ditch. Not a real banner day for the middle of December.
Sunday not a duck on the pond at 7am

. Spotted a flock of about 10 ducks in the stratosphere

but that was about it. Came back out to the blind @ 3:30 pm for the last flight. 4:39pm still yet to see a duck. 5:05pm ducks all over the place. Should of had a net. Ducks on the Island are so into their routine,it is frustrating :whazzup: . But I am a duckhunter so I'll be back the next chance I get. Guess we need some sub 32* temps. Like that will ever happen! We get that weather about the time we go Springer fishing.

steelheadslayer · 12-14-2003, 08:08 PM

Hunted a private farm on Puget Island Sat. morning in the heavy rain. Between my partner and I we came away with 2 limits. 2 Cacklers, 2 fairly nice sized Tavs, and 4 Westerns, between 10 and 11 lbs apiece.

Better shooting and we would've limited out by 9, I'm glad we didn't or we wouldn't have gotten the bigger birds which came in at 10:30.

Bait Bucket · 12-14-2003, 10:01 PM

Tried to do a little Jungle Chicken hunting this morning but I was turned around near Zig Zag by the state police because I forgot to take along my truck chains. Bummed out about that stupid mistake.

northriver1 · 12-15-2003, 05:53 AM

We hunted ducks and geese near Junctiuon City on Sat. Nine ducks and nine geese. Our shooting abilities left alot to be desired. Enjoyed seeing the ducks as we have not seen that many birds for 5 years.

Swamp Puppy · 12-15-2003, 07:47 AM

hunted ducks on sauvies on friday. 1 bird for 4 guns. nothing much happening out there lately. the only birds flying in any numbers are the pintails. at least you can take one of them now.

Wreckless · 12-15-2003, 08:51 AM

214m muzzle loader Elk hunting Sat & Sun.

Sat. RAIN!!!! When it wasn't raining on us it was snowing on us. Spotted 2 herds (one desent spike), but couldn't get close. I passed a 150 yd shot....No regrets, I still have 3 weeks!

Sunday, No Elk to be had....Good snow on the ground, but no movement that we could find...I still don't regret passing a long shot on a cow.......yet. I'll be back at it next week (time off!!!)

Hey Oakie, you need someone to "thin out" those pesky elk? :grin:

Bill Monroe · 12-15-2003, 08:58 AM

Very little flying on upper Scappoose Bay Saturday; left before the real rain got there.

Lots of geese flying Sunday, but nothing much landing in our area. Did not see a duck Sunday...well, some hooded mergansers...Gorgeous day though and the dog chased down a cripple from a neighboring lease...they were shooting so high some of the birds didn't even flair...it's not just a Sauvie public problem.
For some reason, the ducks aren't moving that far over from the island this year.

Lured In · 12-15-2003, 10:37 AM

Hunted Sauvie Eastside on Sunday. 3 guns, 5 birds, Three Mallards, One Pintail and one widgeon.

Definitely birds moving around, but they are VERY decoy/call shy from what I could see. I know a couple folks had a good shoot, but that was certainly the exception.

skahorse · 12-15-2003, 02:13 PM

I went out to a private farm outside of McMinnville on Saturday. The owner there has a real sweet duck lake(flooded corn fields). 5 of us there, we had a limits (35) by 2:00pm(We started shooting at about 8:00am). Half Mallards and half Wood ducks. It was the best hunt i've been on yet!

Here's to my first limit of ducks!

--Skahorse

skein · 12-15-2003, 06:25 PM

We got back last night from elk hunting, pretty pooped but exhilarated. We had a great three days of hunting, and although DipSeaDiver didn't get an elk we still had a wonderful time up in the hills.

She had at least three opportunities for shots, passing up two of them. Her one shot fell low simply because we misjudged the distance. I saw the impact through the bino's - right below the chest. It would have been perfect otherwise.

The truck is about the middle of the flats down there. We hunted on up to the top and came back around the other side. Beautiful country!

No road hunting for this little lass as you can see. We spent our time following fresh tracks or elk we had seen, and covered miles and miles of timbered draws and open meadows.

In the second set of pics, there was a small herd bedded down just over the highest rimrock at the top of the first picture. We figured if we could get up to them, we could get a close shot before they spooked.

We were just about out of the timber at this point.

She made it, but passed up on the shot because she was breathing too hard and couldn't get steady enough to be sure of her shot placement before the elk moved away. She made the call and I was proud of her. I was also proud of her for being up on that rimrock (straight up in the snow) to put the stalk on that last little herd. She got within about 80 yards after a pretty daunting climb!

About 300 yards to go to the rim.

It was truly a great hunt with my favorite hunting buddy - my wife.

Skein

[ 12-15-2003, 07:39 PM: Message edited by: skein ]

ANDYCOHO · 12-15-2003, 08:59 PM

Great pictures Skein!!

Thanks for sharing!

corrirod · 12-15-2003, 09:10 PM

Great effort Janice! [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img] [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

You DA' Woooman!

DipSeaDiver · 12-15-2003, 09:50 PM

Here I sit, reminiscing and bemoaning my inability to connect and bring home the big "E" and my one-man fan club informs me that "The Hunt" has been posted on Ifish for all the world to "see". Gulp! :blush:
So...., I decide I better read what he posted.... [img]graemlins/program.gif[/img]
As I read what he wrote and look at the pictures, I realize that it's not about bringing home the meat. That's the bonus!
It's about being out there, going where they are, seeing the world they live in, learning to respect their abilities and hone my own. It's about being with people you respect and enjoy.

It's about living!!

What a wonderful life!!
Thanks Skein!!

Lured In · 12-16-2003, 07:21 AM

Skein and DSD...sounds like a great hunt and making those tough decisions only make the next hunt that brings meat home, that much more sweet.

[img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

Ska...congrats on your first limit and for getting hooked up with some folks that got you into birds. I can still remember my first limit, too. [img]graemlins/applause.gif[/img]

birdhunter · 12-16-2003, 08:55 AM

Been hunting the North Valley. Saturday took an hour to get that limit of mallards from a flooded field. Sunday that same field was under 6 feet of water. By Monday it had dropped back down and but shooting was much slower. 4 ducks - 3 mallards and a gadwall of all things. Sheet water everywhere. Today's a nice break. Might do a central valley hunt tomorrow if there are some interested parties. PM or e-mail. Skein?

Buck50 · 12-16-2003, 03:01 PM

My son and I hunted SI on Sunday. Started at the Westside I drew 191, he drew 192. Hmmm well lets try Eastside. We get there, the standby line isn't too bad. We end up with Hunt #4. Never been there before so we ask the guy at the window what kind of walk it is. "Oh not bad only a few hundred yards". Yah right! A few hundred yards. of 4" deep mud! Pushing the deke cart through that was real fun!
Still didn't do all that bad for a late start. In the first 30 minutes we had three Widgeon come into the rig, they all stayed. It took till almost 1PM to get two more, a shoveler and a ringneck. Oh well at least I had a good day with my best freind!

wetaline · 12-17-2003, 12:29 PM

Not outsmarting myself paid off today.

Left the house as the sun was starting to show from behind the cascade - problem was it was so clear i could see the cascades and the sun and there wasn't a breaze to be found... heading out hwy 30 and didn't see a bird in flight or on the ponds along the way. almost turned around (this is where i didn't outsmart myself). But thought i'm almost there might as well follow through. Turned out getting my limit in a couple hours. mixed bag of widgeon, mallards and one teal. There really wasn't a lot of birds moving over the columbia fly-way but, about every 10 mintes they'd appear from no where and drop into the dekes.... Great way to spend a wednesday morning.

skein · 12-17-2003, 09:04 PM

Had a pretty good day today and just had to share.

Birdhunter and I drifted a section of the Willamette and had a pretty good morning. Not numbers necessarily, but we saw quite a few ducks - and lots of water. I mean it was really up. We actually launched the driftboat on the road into the ramp and floated it down to the launch itself. The drift didn't take nearly as long as it usually takes either.

But it was my usual clear, sunny day in the duck swamp. Anytime you want to duck hunt without all that pesky rain, just give me a call. I'm 100% bluebird weather so far this season. Go figure.

I cheated though.

After we split up, instead of heading straight home, I decided to go by a goose field I have access to. There was a mixed bag of probably 800 geese out there gabbling and honking, and I just couldn't resist.

I watched them for a while and planned my assault, sneaking down a fence until I ran completely out of cover. I laid down and did the belly-crawl through the 6 inch grass, freezing every time their heads would come up. Finally (!) I was in range (I hoped) and they were getting pretty antsy, with the closest ones starting to move away. I decided it was now or never. I busted one clean on the first shot, and picked off the second one just about the limit of my range. A double! On a goose stalk!

I was a little wet and muddy, but the grin was from ear to ear.

Skein

Lured In · 12-18-2003, 08:48 AM

Skein...aren't you getting a little old to do that sneakin' in the mud stuff? :shocked: :tongue:

Next time just call me and I will help you out. :grin:

Fishfaced · 12-18-2003, 08:52 AM

Nice Job Skein, Noting like a good belly crawl and shoot on geese. Beats the heck out of setting up and hoping they come in.

skein · 12-18-2003, 09:20 AM

Lured In,

Quote:

...aren't you getting a little old to do that sneakin' in the mud stuff?

<font size="2" face="verdana,arial,helv">Don't you know it! I thought my neck was gonna die! I'd peek up and there would be 500 heads straight up, and I'd figure oh no, they're gonna fly. So I would put the head down and freeze and when I'd peek back up I wouldn't see but two or three sentry heads - the rest of 'em were back down feeding. They really wanted to be in that field.

It wasn't pretty either. The farmer is going to think some giant slug slithered out across his field. But, hey, I was savin' his grass. I mean, I did it for him, not for me. :grin:

Skein

billc_sbio · 12-18-2003, 09:09 PM

Great stalk Skein!

For our part, we went out on the east side of Sauvie WMA this morning, took the boat and setup in a favorite location on Malarky Unit that often produces well during high water.

Things started off and were fairly quiet, picking up slightly during the 1st hour then pretty much dying off.

My friend Kevin and I had 5 Mallards, all singles, come right in, nice and close just like I like 'em, and we got all 5! But that was it! Others in the unit were shooting a moderate amount, but I'm not sure how successful they were.

The guys across the Gilbert River from us, over on Holman Point were blazing away, but my guess is that much of it was the usual high shooting and I saw several wing tipped ducks crashing out onto Sturgeon Lake!

I REALLY wish the game cops would watch these folks and when it becomes apparent that they're blatantly guilty of wanton waste, give 'em a ticket! There's really no excuse for this kind of shooting...

[ 12-18-2003, 10:13 PM: Message edited by: billc_sbio ]

nitroduk · 01-05-2004, 09:28 PM

great job dipsea!!