The smell of burning powder strill lingers at the south lake

Well the wind blew and the steel flew. We had a crew of just 13 today and they all left with big smiles on there face. A quick figure and I come up with, close to 2.5 cases of shell were emptied into the wild blue yonder today.

It takes a lot of ammo, when you are shooting at waterfowl in a wind of 35 MPH plus. However we dumped plenty of Ducks and Canada’s into the pond. I think we were into Canada’s 5 maybe 6 times today, and the ducks were something else. We had to decoy 75 to 100 flocks of ducks, and we didn’t get into half of them, but we got into our share. We seen maybe as many Mallards today, as we have in any one month, of any of the past several seasons. It was so refreshing, to see flocks of 20, 30, 50, even some flock bigger that that, of all Mallards working the decoy spread. It may sound impossible, but it look like that 60% were green heads too. The wind made it impossible to harvest but a few birds out of each flock. The duck gets out in a hurry when ever you are shooting at them, in a wind like we had today, maybe the first 2 to 3 guys up may have a good shot and then it was trying to catch up with the bird, and burn powder. Love burning that powder.

I know that almost every hunter left with almost a limit of both ducks and geese. We had a couple of young hunter in the pits today, so you know they will have some war stories to tell in school tomorrow, and I am sure, some of the hunters will turn in fishermen , and just may expand something, too. Well it will be memorable trip for several, of them I am sure. What will remain into my memory bank, is the fact that we seen Mallards, and more Mallards. I was convinced that we were never going to see them again. Back 20 years ago when we had big crowds, this would have been one of the 100 plus days, on ducks. I do have to confess that in those days there would never be a day that you would harvest 30 Canada’s, like we did today. Oh, how times change and so do the birds, we see way more Canada’s now and for the past several years, way fewer ducks. Sure hope this is not the only day we see this number of the Green head. That was so exciting to see them again. The only thing I have to complain about was the time it took to dress the two limits I brought home tonight. Thanks Kev for the help. I will never tell him this, but if He had not give me a hand I would be still dressing birds yet. Must get this posted and gets the birds package.

So check back and keep the Troops in your bedtime prayers,

See Ya Carl