How we spent our day...

[Brett Hoop]

From your earlier writings I had thought of GBE and Kay. So I am not at all surprised to see one of my own favorite quotes of his attached. Your Mrs gets an atta girl for the Christmas Smith! It's hard to hold a pheasant cock in hand and have your eyes digest the all of him!

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Brett Hoop

From your earlier writings I had thought of GBE and Kay. So I am not at all surprised to see one of my own favorite quotes of his attached. Your Mrs gets an atta girl for the Christmas Smith! It's hard to hold a pheasant cock in hand and have your eyes digest the all of him!

Brett,

Thanks for responding. I'll tell Elaine. She deserves more thanks than I can ever give her, and not just for letting me indulge in guns and hunting.

[Marty K.]

Today was the first day of our second half of our waterfowl season....for the last couple of weeks we have watched rafts of Scaup and Canvasback along with many groups of Whistlers....We were geared and hoping for a spectacular day...With plenty of shells, fresh cut ham slices, rolls and cinnamon rolls....we started out at 5:30 to find flat water, zero wind and little moving....My son brought along his hunting buddy and we had 3 retrievers with us,... My sons 5 year old Black Lab "Wynie" who really is the perfect combination of English conformation, calm temperament but with a deep desire to retrieve...what we all try to find...my younger 2 year old yellow has desire but I am still in the process of getting her to settle down and be steady to shot and for this reason I left the double in the car and deferred to others to do the shooting... Although the Scaup and Canvasbacks we where hoping for didn't materialise we still enjoyed working the whistler decoys to try and have them land right where we wanted them...We were able to fool a few and all 3 retrievers got work as they took their turn....a worthwhile training session and fun shoot...we had an early lunch on shore by heating up clam chowder to go with the Christmas ham ..... always a new experience to get out and be with young developing hunters as they continue to learn how to set and tweak their decoy spead......and then back home in front of the fire by 2 o'clock for me....satisfied and again rewarded by mother nature.....

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Marty Kohler

Today was the first day of our second half of our waterfowl season....for the last couple of weeks we have watched rafts of Scaup and Canvasback along with many groups of Whistlers....We were geared and hoping for a spectacular day...With plenty of shells, fresh cut ham slices, rolls and cinnamon rolls....we started out at 5:30 to find flat water, zero wind and little moving....My son brought along his hunting buddy and we had 3 retrievers with us,... My sons 5 year old Black Lab "Wynie" who really is the perfect combination of English conformation, calm temperament but with a deep desire to retrieve...what we all try to find...my younger 2 year old yellow has desire but I am still in the process of getting her to settle down and be steady to shot and for this reason I left the double in the car and deferred to others to do the shooting... Although the Scaup and Canvasbacks we where hoping for didn't materialise we still enjoyed working the whistler decoys to try and have them land right where we wanted them...We were able to fool a few and all 3 retrievers got work as they took their turn....a worthwhile training session and fun shoot...we had an early lunch on shore by heating up clam chowder to go with the Christmas ham ..... always a new experience to get out and be with young developing hunters as they continue to learn how to set and tweak their decoy spead......and then back home in front of the fire by 2 o'clock for me....satisfied and again rewarded by mother nature.....

Marty,

A great account of your hunt, and I especially liked the fact that you included something about the food you brought along. It reminds me of the Nash Buckingham stories that often include descriptions of food (and that always make me hungry). Funny how hunting and eating go so well together! (BTW, a great photo!) I also enjoyed reading your assessment of the idiosyncratic nature of the dogs. I'll bet you enjoyed the hunt as much without the gun, handling the dogs, as you would have taking a limit. Thanks very much for letting us go along on this hunt (including lunch!).

[C.O.B.]

I was hoping to get in a little deer hunting but spent the morning in the ER with a broken rib

[mobirdhunter]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I was hoping to get in a little deer hunting but spent the morning in the ER with a broken rib

I hope you are OK! Sounds like a story in there somewhere. My best to you for a quick recovery.

[C.O.B.]

Thanks Gary. The story is almost as bad as the rib I had gone deer hunting and didn't see a thing and was back at my buddies having a beer and visiting with friends, playing Polish horse shoes etc. Well seeing as it's Christmas eve an all I head home early. Went to bed fairly early and started coughing and I knew exactly when it happened, I felt it go

The Doc said it's not an uncommon occurrence. It's going to sideline me a bit however.

[Marty K.]

Garry...I very much enjoyed your story and philosophy....well written..... thanks for taking the time to share...you did inspire me I must admit....my best to you this holiday season...
Marty

[Brett Hoop]

Originally Posted by Rich Anderson

I was hoping to get in a little deer hunting but spent the morning in the ER with a broken rib

Holy Smoke!