First diver shoot of the season.
Got up at 3 am. Threw some wood on the woodstove just before it had completely died and fed the pups.
Slammed a cup of coffee and hooked up the boat in the garage.
Found that Bag of Cork Herters Bluebills and Zach and Mikes Gangline rig. Grabbed 36 of my Magnum Mix of Bluebills and Canvasbacks.
Kissed Anya goodbye and told Ginger to take care of her til I got back.
Loaded up Alex and Hit the road to Pick up Duckbrother John at his house.
4:am He was waiting for me, and we were off and running.
About 4:45 I called Duckbrothers Zachariah and Mike, as they were going to rendezvous with us at the launch, but unfortunately, Zachariah slept through the alarm, se we told them to launch when they could and we’d be set up for dabblers early on and then we could make a run on divers mid morning.
At about shooting light, Zach and Mike showed, but the dabblers did not.
We gave it about an hour, had a couple of nice drake pinners buzz the spread, but we let em pass since they were just out of range.
We did have a drake and Hen Canvasback fly by, which we let pass.
I have to take my hat off to whomever set up in the slough in the tdb. They managed a heck of a shot on the pinners that we let pass, and they also let the Canvasbacks go on their way unharmed.
Nice to hunt around someone that takes good clean shots, and doesn’t skybust.
We packed it up and hit the point, Getting our sunburns from the sun and the water glare.
Everyone got a bird and a half (bluebills) and for the 3rd year in a row, the bluebill numbers seem way down again.
We did get to see Mike and what we feared would be his Baptism, as a freighter passed by. He was in his coffin boat, about 150 Yards off Shore and we watched the big bow wave get closer and closer.
Mike is the kind of guy that really immerses himself in what he does, and John and I thought that perhaps we’d have to run and motor out to Fish him out of the water when the wave sunk him.
But he made it without any troubles. That coffin boat is pretty good for stability, and The few birds that we did see today never had any idea that he was out there.
We gunned one Sawbill, so that John could have Sawbill Stroganoff.
It was a nice day, albeit slow. Was good to run the diver set up, and see a few birds divebomb in.
duckboy
First diver shoot of the Year.
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