Fast start slow finish... still 2020

[Mark Kircher]

Thursday afternoon Craig and I went up to the New York state northern hunting zone to explore a marsh neither of us had hunted before. My nephew had been hunting it on and off the previous two weeks with some success on teal and woodies. (He had taken a blue wing a few days prior - I have still never taken one so I was excited to get there).

We dropped the jon boat and headed upstream to a pond just outside the opening to Lake Ontario. Winds were strong out of the west at 30+. No sooner had we set up Craig started working a group of 5 mallards. He brought them right over our blocks and I was able to punish two big drakes for their mistake! (32" GHE straight grip 20 bore F/F 1oz. KM) Craig's pup made light work of retrieving them and we were feeling strong!

With that 30MPH wind and 2 in the boat in first 10 minutes...we thought we were going to fill our limits. Unfortunately, that was the last time we raised our guns. 2 hours of watching birds move far off to the east but no more shooting. Odd to say the least. A good fit for 2020.
Anyway...it was a hunt! Felt good to be out there! More to come as we get water in the marshes.