Last duck hunt of the season

Richard Flanders · 09-30-2013, 08:55 AM

We went out on our last duck hunt of the season this weekend. Started the trip out with a gorgeous sunrise from our hill and a snowy drive over Ptarmigan Pass on the way to Minto Village. The drive back on Sunday was even snowier. We managed a few birds - 6 for me: 4 pintails hens + 2 buffleheads, but the marsh was pretty silent for the most part. We managed a mixed bag of pintails, mallards and buffleheads(anything is game on the last day of the last hunt!). I shot my 32" 1883 hammer gun and Classic Doubles ammo to good effect. That gun will really reach out there and seems most effective at 50+ yds. I had the help of a friends black lab - too bad that by the time she gets a duck to hand it looks like it's been through a wood chipper! A bit more training is in order, I think... It was a wonderful weekend despite the slow shooting. I'd sit there and stare out over the sunny marsh thinking about where I was, what I was doing and with whom and could have cared less if ducks flew by or not or whether I hit them or not - it's such a small part of the experience..... Saturday morning was absolutely still with flat mirror water and we could hear swans take off from a long long ways out, their wings slapping the water until they got enough airspeed to lift off. What a morning. Those male buffleheads are sure pretty little things!

I almost forgot! I got a good honest double on passing pintails on Saturday - MOST unusual for me. I'm not sure who was more surprised, me or the ducks... They came in from left to right and were making a low fast pass to have a look at our decoys.

Dennis · 09-30-2013, 10:00 AM

Beautiful pictures, Richard. It looks like you had a great time and got some ducks too. I agree about the game being a small part of the hunt. Sure we want to bring something home but success is also represented by the camaraderie between good friends, admiring nature at its best of beauty and sometimes just looking at a fine firearm to admire its lines, beauty and the way it was put together so long ago. Congratulations on a fine hunt.

Dennis

10 bore · 09-30-2013, 02:33 PM

wow, what gun did you use, looks like you took the feathers wright off

charlie cleveland · 09-30-2013, 02:37 PM

what a picture you have given us of the last hunt..thanks charlie

Mark Garrett · 09-30-2013, 03:06 PM

Your a lucky man, and we are lucky to have you share with us ,THANK YOU!

Mills · 09-30-2013, 03:18 PM

Beautiful photos. I am jealous

charlie cleveland · 09-30-2013, 09:37 PM

is that youre doctor friend pictured.... charlie

Richard Flanders · 09-30-2013, 10:16 PM

No Charlie. That is Kate. She and her husband Tom (not shown here) do this duck camp on this little island every year. Tom has been hunting off this island since the early 70's and has been around long enough and made enough friends in the nearby native village that no one messes with our stuff when we leave it all set up through September.

Scott: I take their beaver fur coats off for the pictures....

Normally the best shooting is in early October when the big mature northern birds come pouring in off the north slope of Alaska, but this year we're pretty sure they all came through early.... very early... and that it's over. The shooting is nearly non stop if you catch them coming through and it's about 75%/25% big mature mallards and pintails when you catch that flight and is unbelievable shooting - they just stream over you for hours non stop. It's nothing like the horizon to horizon flites you see when hunting with Destry on Lk St Clair in Ontario but it's spectacular for here. I think that based on this fall it's going to be an early and long and cold winter here in the Interior.... Bring it on, I say! I have lots of firewood....