Where is Anatidae?

[feather]

Haven't seen any post in a while...anybody know if he's still around?

[GulfCoast]

He is probably off in the North hunting.

[GET-N-RITE]

I have been waiting on his Canada trip, along with this duck season prediction post all year.

[donia]

they're back from canada (ehh)

[ScottBrown]

I was wondering this the other day. Hasn't he usually given us the run down of his trip by now?

[Agua]

[feather]

[peewee]

He's done left us for Facebook[CRYING FACE]

[Anatidae]

Naw - I don't 'do' Facebook. Like me or not.....really?

Thanks for asking. It's been a crazy year. We went from 1 dog to 1+9.......then were going to only keep one puppy, then after raising these pups for 7 weeks, I started having regrets about not reserving one for myself.

2 days before taking 3 pups (plus mama and our 2 PLUS Charles Dwyer's pup, cause he was judging the 'Grand') to Atlanta to ship to new owners in California, we got word that one of the owners is out of the country and not making any attempts to make arrangements to have her puppy picked-up........and could we wait a week. Plane tickets already bought and we're leaving for Canada in a week. So, Not no, but HELL no!

Perfect........that was a God-send......a sign.........so I got to keep a male pup after all. So we take Mama and 2 8-week old puppies 2000 miles and back after 5 weeks in Canada, first rabies shots and a one month CDC quarantine agreement on pups coming back to the US.

Then - lots of training, adapting our lifestyle, and occasionally wondering, "What were we thinking?" But no regrets.

Fast forward a year (to now). We had a good trip to Canada this Fall and B.J. got plenty of ducks. 'Rip' and 'Taz' went on their first 'real' hunt for live birds in a pea field that had 60ac standing peas that the combine couldn't get to because of wet conditions. It was unbelievable. Rip retrieved 4 birds the first time out. 2nd hunt he picked-up all 8 of mine including a 2-in-1 retrieve on 2 fat greenheads. Awesome way to start wonderful memories with your new dog. Then we had a great set-up on a honker shoot and got 16 with Rip and B.J. Awesome hunt - birds came-in on a string......just picture perfect. 'Taz' got her turn on the ducks in the pea field and she is the most birdy dog I think we've had in a while. She sees EVERYTHING!!

So, we're still getting them acquainted with the 39-step set-up sequence for boat hunting at home.......I think they just about have it down. Taz got her first fathead over water, yesterday. It was neat to hear the greenhead, see her ears perk-up, find it, lock-on, watch him circle twice and pitch-in straight-on about 20 yds out......and she never made a peep. 'TAZ"!!......sploosh! I love it!

OK here's Rip on his first boat hunt........was good 'blind time' for him.......no ducks to work, but he got settled-in to the routine.


Enough o' that - but they've kept us busy........the HAVE to be worked daily, or they'll drive us nutz.

I'll put a video clip up that will tell the story about the ducks. Rip and I watched them through 10x binoculars at about 200 yds and I got dizzy.....it was like a kaleidoscope only with about 6 different layers of ducks swirling around in the pea field. Most I've seen yet.

On the way up and back, we saw more honkers in Manitoba than I have EVER seen. It rivaled some of the largest concentrations of snows I've seen in a given region. They were everywhere and we hardly even saw any snow geese.

So, the numbers are awesome again.

Unfortunately, the freeze line is way up the road again.....and it's late. A lot will have to happen real soon. We left the largest concentration of ducks UP there when we left Canada the first weekend of November. The honkers hadn't really started to show-up yet, and the Big birds hadn't arrived yet. And it stayed warm and wet for a long time afterwards.

So, while I think the population is substantial.......the weather has not been conducive to a big-enough push to create any urgency to come South.

We didn't even hunt opening weekend and have only been 4 times since the 2nd weekend. Just one of those crazy years.

All I can tell you is - if you want to know where the mass migration is........pull-up a temperature map and look where the daytime highs are around 35 (green).......or in the upper teens (purple) for overnight lows.

Thanks for checking on us - 'just been a busy year with the now 16-month old 'twins'.......Topbrass Just Turn Me Loose ('Rip') and Topbrass U-Betcha Sweet Taz ('Taz').

Happy Hunting!

[mfalkner]

Randy,

As always, great story and awesome pic. I knew those two were going to be quite the handful - just the thing to keep you guys limbered up!

[Wildfowler]

That's a great-looking retriever you got there. Thanks for sharing.

[Anatidae]

Thanks, y'all......I LOVE that dog! I think he picked ME!

Anne says......."A boy and his dog"......

[feather]

FANTASTIC! Welcome home to all!

[tha bugman]

Had a sighting on the Tombigbee the other day


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[hntrpat1]

Good to see you back old friend