A 10 ga. AH put back in action
 

The duck gods smiled on me yesterday shooting a 10ga AH. I don't believe this gun has been out in the marsh for a very long time. Fun to get these old guns out hunting.

Wow Craig, something new? Your killing me. We have had typical clear skies, warm temps. (can you say bluebird days) and no birds moving.
Give Lucy a scratch behind the ear for me.

Daryl our early season closed today, our marsh froze last night and we had no wind and fog. No luck today but tons of mallards around but hard to finish. Yesterday was amazing I had groups of 40-50 birds just dropping in to my hole with a few toots on the call----amazing, must have seen 1000 birds. One of those magical days for us duck hunters then you just select drakes. The AH is new to me and the first time I hunted with the old gun. Beautiful day!

A day to remember for sure. How long are the tubes? I'd love to see some close-ups of the receiver.

32" tubes. Lucy says I love ear rubs Daryl. She said say hi to Fox and Parker. I got a willy on two drakes and killed the black with the second shot so Parker double pin coming unless there is a triple pin!!!

really good hunt you had there not many times in our lives does this kind of hunt come along...thats a really nice old ah 10 ga there...i bet she really enjoyed being in the field again...also what loads were you useing in your new ten....charlie

Someone's still duck hunting??? It's -15 here tonight and almost 2ft of snow on the ground! :crying: The sicle season may just open early this winter...:whistle:

Very nice Craig! Lucy is looking good!

Scott: Lucy is nuts for birds and I lose very few but her downside is being vocal (whining) in the blind, her eyes remind my friends of a crazed downhill racer!!

Marking at a hunt test

I did'nt see her whining as a downside. I just love her enthusiasm. Great little dog and you've done well with her.

Great pictures and hunt. I take it a "willy" is like a "Scotch Double", two birds with one shot. I have had a few of those and it is always a surprise and it is something you will always remember, especially the gun, dog and place. I did a triple on dove with a 20 gauge hammered Parker. Dropped a dove with the right barrel and a Scotch Double with the left, Bene, my last little Boykin Spaniel, retrieved and I was in the field where I was introduced to dove hunting. Got a Scotch Double with a 28 gauge Woodland Zephyr in a different field with the Bene. Another story, but I sold the 28 gauge that had been my great uncles to a friend for his daughter. I saw her shoot a pheasant with that little gun 11 years ago on a brisk and cold snowy day when she was 14. I was a proud as her father.

Thanks Harry, yep a willy is the same as a Scotch Double. The two drake mallards landed in the water so it was an easy pick up for my dog. The third bird shot dropped into the cattails and I thought it was a hen mallard which would have been a limit of mallards (3 total and I had 1 in the boat). Lucy came back and it was a Black so I had room for one more mallard. A group came in about 10 minutes later and I picked a Drake and it was over by 8:15 am. You can appreciate my excitement, a new gun and 4 greenhead studs and a Black.

My tail wags for you.

Craig, that's great the duckin is so good in your neck of the woods. Here in New Hampshire we are suffering from very warm temps and not much duck movement. Our inland season is open until the 13th, but its hard to find a duck as all the water on the big lake ( Winnipesaukee) is still completely open as are the back ponds. Hope it cools off soon or we are in for a repeat of last years lousy season.

Steve: Believe me the hunting has been difficult here also due to the warm weather but I just hit it right and a push of new birds came into our area. Most days 1 or 2 ducks and I have been hunting hard. Our second season opens 12/26 and I am hoping our marsh is still unfrozen which is becoming much more common in recent years.

We had gators out in force when I went to the Santee River. Hot weather stinks this time of year.

Craig, our second season opens next Tuesday 12/15. For once ALL our blinds are brushed and ready. Lots of ducks coming into the Chesapeake Bay in small to medium sized flocks every few days, mostly small divers and a few mallards and blacks - no "Northern red legs" yet. Sorting out my longline diver rig day after tomorrow with an in-the-water test to get ready for the 'Big Boys' - Cans and Readheads, which are reported to be filling up the mainstem of the lower Bay near Hoopers Island and the Honga River. Tic-tock..Tic-tock.....

Craig, well for all my complaining about the inland duck season here, my buddy and I took the Duck Boat down to the salt today and had a pretty good day. Two Geese, should have been four, and blew it on some Mallards, but all and all a good day.