Another duck hunt

[Kurt Densmore]

Haven't been getting skunked on any hunts but they have certainly been slow for this time of the year. The late mallards haven't come down and the early migrants are gone. Haven't seen any numbers of woodies in a couple of weeks. Buffies, Mergs and Goldeneye are showing up in numbers. Saw many buffies today but none wanted to come into the decoys. First hunt this season on a northwest wind and temps dropped 15 degrees after we set up the decoys. From sweating at 55 degrees to a nice 15mph wind, 40 degrees and a drizzle. Even with near perfect duck hunting weather the birds still didn't want to move much. My hunting partner and I shot at a pair of Mallards and a pair of Hooded Mergansers. I connected with the GHE 12ga on both that I shot at. My Chessy chased the crippled Hoody all over the place. I knew one of them would tire out and was hoping it was the bird. After a lengthy pursuit she finally brought it too hand.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I love a sawbill shoot, and hoodies you can actually eat believe it or not.

DLH

[Rich Anderson]

I was entertained by hundreds of Mallards and Woodies dropping into a pothole of flooded timber during the first few days of deer season. You could watch them swimming around and listen to their conversations. The pothole froze and no ducks untill the warm spell opened it back up and one day there must have been 100+ Mallards in it. There hasn't been a duck in it in the last few days however.

[Kurt Densmore]

I was entertained by hundreds of Mallards and Woodies dropping into a pothole of flooded timber during the first few days of deer season. You could watch them swimming around and listen to their conversations. The pothole froze and no ducks untill the warm spell opened it back up and one day there must have been 100+ Mallards in it. There hasn't been a duck in it in the last few days however.

Thanks for the invite to hunt them Rich !!?? :cool:

[Rich Anderson]

Nobody hunts them.

[charlie cleveland]

why......... charlie

[Destry L. Hoffard]

Because it might scare the deer. *rolls eyes*


DLH

[Don Kaas]

I was "scared by a deer" this morning. Firearms season for antlered deer opened here in PA yesterday as always (as well as antlerless in our county). I took a walk around my property yesterday in the 70 degree weather to check for "poachers"- I saw a couple of does but no trespassers... I didn't even take a gun. I was working this morning in my home office and the dogs wanted to go out. I opened the front door for them and there was a nice 8 point buck walking across the corner of my front yard but 40 yards from the front door. He stood there for a minute and slinked off slowly into the elderberry bushes...I think I'll look for a sawed off SC trap gun and make it into a slug gun and keep it by the door:whistle:

[Rich Anderson]

Why...well it's not my property and the landowner is an avid deer hunter and the deer do bed in the heavy grass and wooded areas around the pothole. It is hard to deer hunt if someone is in there banging away at the Ducks. There are days when I'd rather have the PArker than the Winchester M70 at this spot.

[Don Kaas]

In MD they close the waterfowl season for opening day of firearms deer season.

[Eric Grims]

I too have a GH 12 duck gun but have been hesitant about taking it out as my set up is a mobile blind a little tight with two shooters and a dog. Things get wet and messy. I also was sea duck hunting last week and was wondering what folks do to protect the vintage guns from the wet and the salt. I have washed modern guns with water, air compression and complete breakdown but I am not skilled enough to get into the underside on the SxS. I hear some folks seal the old guns with wax. Be interested in suggestions and experience.
thanks

[John Marscher]

Chessies will go all day...nice hunt

[King Brown]

We gun in salt or saltish water frequently and don't worry about keeping them in good shape. When I leave the house there's an extra wipe with an oily rag and at hunt's end the usual take-down, wiping with oily rag and pulls-through to remove moisture. Rust is not a problem. Guns are made for all weather. Not using them in slop at sea, on the ledges, in sink tubs or in harbours would not be considered when I was a young man in our villages of subsistence fishing. It's the same in my village today. Guns may be used, looked at and admired but to leave them home diminishes the great tradition of Parkers and the rest, in my view. My LC Specialty, Francotte, Parkers, Sauer, SW, Army/Navy, SKB etc know what salt is and don't complain.

[Destry L. Hoffard]

I've hunted with several of mine in salt conditions and not had any huge problems. You've just to to oil them before you go and when you come home. I've also always wiped them down with a damp cloth as soon as I got back just to get any actual salt off the gun.

Destry