All the leaves are Brown.

[Brian Stucker]

Northern California is experiencing a severe drought.....water and waterfowl.
Although there are some areas doing quite well, parts of the Butte Sink by Colusa and the Grasslands near Merced, the rest of us are quite frustrated with no weather and less ducks. Really dire.http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/banghead.gif

The new thing is to set up 'private refuges' where the birds can sit unmolested and hopefully fly the club in the storms. There are so many of these areas that the birds sit all day and wait until 6 or 7 PM to fly out to feed. Morning comes and the daylight exposes thousands of feathers around the blinds and feeding ponds. http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/violin.gif

My place is fairly well positioned in the flyway and of good size. There 520 flooded acres with 400 set aside as refuge...some of which are stacked with ducks. We watch from a distance with binoculars and see the birds getting a suntan. So damn frustrating. http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif

I went out to adjust boards in a rice box near the 'refuge' and several thousand ducks flew out for several days before returning. Haven't fired a shot yet.http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/bigcry.gif

Just wonder how the rest of you gentlemen are doing in your areas this year. I'd sure like to hear someone is killing ducks/geese somewhere.http://parkerguns.org/forums/images/smilies/cool.gif

[Jack Cronkhite]

AND THE SKY IS GREY

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=120&pictureid=1352

I'VE BEEN FOR A WALK ON A WINTER'S DAY

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/normal_HPIM7187sgw.JPG
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albumsuserpicsnormal_20081014_IMG_9999_5sgwsmall.j pghttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/normal_IMG_7925sgw.jpg
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/normal_20081014_IMG_9999_5sgwsmall.jpg
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/normal_P1060894sgw.jpg


STEPPED INTO A CHURCH I PASSED ALONG THE WAY

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=144&pictureid=1968


CALIFORNIA DREAMIN' ON SUCH A WINTER'S DAY

http://parkerguns.org/forums/picture.php?albumid=143&pictureid=2029

[Brian Stucker]

Awesome pictures. Killin' any ducks up yonder?

[Jack Cronkhite]

None left here. Kicked 'em all out several weeks ago.

Latitude: 50° 27' North
Longitude: 104° 36' West

Before the snow

http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20070426_IMG_9999_12sgw.JPG
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/Untitled-1%7E0.jpg

[calvin humburg]

Jack your pictures are great. Three phesant day that's great what is your limit up there? Bought me a Cyber-shot DSC-HX100V now I can get my cup holder on my tower fixed so I can watch the direction cd to help figure the dang thing out. Taking pictures on auto some good some not so good. Here's some see how it makes the red around his eye's stand out.

12717

12718

12719

12720
The red don't look two bad in these but in some it looks over powering.

12721

[Dean Romig]

That's a good looking pointer Calvin!

Some nice pictures Jack... but I'm glad we don't have audio on this thing - I don't think we could stand listening to you sing your rendition of The Mammas and The Pappas :duck:

[Mark Ouellette]

Calvin,

Good photos!

Back in those decades so long ago before digital auto focus cameras the rule of thumb for an amature with a little talent was that a roll of film (24 to 36 shots) would yield one really good photo.

The present technology of point and shoot cameras ups those odds significantly. Since one doesn't have to pay for developing just to your best with the light and angle of the sun, framing the shot, and subject matter. Then don't spare the shots! You'll throw out half of them but the others will capture moments forever!

Mark

[Jack Cronkhite]

Calvin: There ya go. Much better than the phone camera. The last pic has resolution for sure - muscles, veins, bones all showing a pointer that gets exercised and fed well. Nice shot. Auto focus can be nice but it also can end up focused where you don't really want it to be. Dogs on the move still get auto focus on my end. The closer you are to the dog filling your frame, the greater the probability that auto focus will get it right for you. Then you start getting picky - darn, the eyeball is not perfectly focused, but the nose shows every pore. But, it's all good fun. Our daily phez limit is 3 and all must be roosters. 6 possession limit. It is a hard days worth of hiking to get the three. Mind you, if every shot connected, the day might be shortened a bit - but once I'm out there, I will stay until the sun is setting. If I happen to have 3 early on, I will scout out new areas along the creeks.

Mark: Film and I did not get along well as far as ratio went. A roll of 36 stayed in the camera long enough to be surprised what was on there once it was developed. Never really got into photography until digital and no developing costs. In life before digital, probably had 3000 film pics in 50+ years. Post-digital, around 100,000 in 7 years. Ratio probably not great but have some memorable shots. Then along came digital manipulation software and a not-so-great shot could become a good one. A similar progression can be seen with wing shooting. Kinda difficult with the .22 but better with a single shot shotgun. Then better with multiple burst possibilities and then even better with spreader shot I hear.

Dean: You definitely don't want to hear me sing. It is not a joyful noise.

Cheers,
Jack

[Mark Ouellette]

Jack,

You are a master of the digital shots. Maybe it's just the light where you are shooting but you post some "Kodak Moments"!

What are you using for photo processing?

Mark

[Jack Cronkhite]

For the outdoors, I try to have the sun at my back. Sometimes that just is not possible. A large lens hood helps to avoid lens flare. If I want to play with an image, I have been using Photoshop CS3 (hard to believe it is considered obsolete now and I haven't even learned it's full potential) :eek:

[Kurt Densmore]

You have more snow in KS than we have in central MI. Some areas of the state got dumped on recently.

Nice looking pointer and nice pictures! You will really enjoy the new fangled digital devise...

Kurt

[Brian Stucker]

This is a morning repeated since the beginning of duck season.....grim.

This was heralded as possible the best duck season in a generation. Ironically, the same authors may be writing about the worst duck season in a generation soon.

Anybody use Gaucho Outfitters in Uruguay?

[Jack Cronkhite]

Brian: Next year, you may want to come north early, rather than chase them south later.

AK (http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5308)
MB (http://parkerguns.org/forums/showthread.php?t=5687)
and my little world in SK
http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/IMG_7908sgw.jpghttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/Untitled-1%7E0.jpghttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/28884/IMG_7427.jpghttp://http://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20070325_IMG_9999_38sgw.JPGhttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20071028_IMG_9999_12sgw.JPGhttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20080409_IMG_9999_9sgw.JPGhttp://www.shotgunworld.com/bbs/cpg1410/albums/userpics/20080409_IMG_9999_4sgw.JPG

[Brian Stucker]

Sounds like a very good idea. Has to be more ducks up there.