Fast start slow finish... still 2020

Mark Kircher · 10-20-2020, 08:24 AM

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.

OH Osthaus · 10-20-2020, 09:27 AM

did you fill the boat with water for the return trip?

Kevin McCormack · 10-20-2020, 09:55 AM

Mark, what brand of cigar are you smoking there? Always nice to have a morning stogie after taking the first ducks of the day!

Double Lab · 10-20-2020, 12:40 PM

Nice going guys. Glad you found some place to punish those ducks. I punished 2 blue wings yesterday here in SD. Thousands and thousands of them along with every other species known to mankind. Having one heck of a hunt this year.

Mark Kircher · 10-20-2020, 02:34 PM

Glad to hear you have things going your way out there Daryl.
What tools are you using this week to harvest your birds? Meriden or Philly or both?
A couple pics perhaps???

Craig Larter · 10-20-2020, 05:55 PM

Daryl say hello to Mike, Jim and the Puffer ladies, tell them we are chomping at the bit to get to SD. Please warm the weather up a bit!!

Mark Kircher · 11-12-2020, 07:56 AM

We are headed back north today to try and scratch some ducks. It has been a very challenging season for us. The first split was a bust - limited opportunities with no migration. The DEC really hurt us here with their new "bright idea" of closing the season during the migration and reopening just in time for the marshes to freeze. Blaming it on complaints from deer hunters who did not want to miss the rut......Bologna.

Anyway wish us luck. If my friend does not kill a few ducks soon.......

Here is a nice black taken in a cut corn hunt with the GHE 20/32" described above. Boy do I love that gun!!!

Mark Kircher · 12-20-2020, 04:03 PM

Tough year. I feel like I have been running up hill for 2 months. Occasionally (like this morning) I reach a plateau......Tomorrow????
Last day of hunting with the 16 ga 1 1/2 frame 32" "Nightmare" this year. Moving to the 3 Frame 32" DHE "Punisher" with 1 1/4 oz # 3 TM bone breakers in morning.

Reggie B · 12-20-2020, 04:09 PM

Cover photo if I have ever seen one!

Mark Kircher · 12-22-2020, 03:32 PM

Big wind this afternoon. 3 frame DHE got a short but productive workout on a His and Hers decoy. Lights on Lights off with 1 1/4 oz TM #3. Travellers for sure. Heavy.