Timing the migration

[Anatidae]

It might be too early to tell, yet - but based on the 15-day forecast for the areas we're going, it's looking like we might hit it just right for the 5th year in a row........

Saturday, Oct 13 - Mainly cloudy Low: 32 °FHigh: 53 °F
Sunday, Oct 14 - Clouds and sun Low: 41 °FHigh: 58 °F
Monday, Oct 15 - Sunny and breezy Low: 40 °FHigh: 59 °F
Tuesday, Oct 16 - Breezy with clouds and sun Low: 38 °FHigh: 58 F
Wednesday, Oct 17 - Cloudy and breezy Low: 32 °FHigh: 52 °F
Thursday, Oct 18 - Partly sunny Low: 26 °FHigh: 47 °F
Friday, Oct 19 - Rain, some ice mixed in early Low: 24 °FHigh: 42 °F
Saturday, Oct 20 - Times of clouds and sun Low: 29 °FHigh: 46 °F
Sunday, Oct 21 - Clouds and sun Low: 21 °FHigh: 40 °F
Monday, Oct 22 - Cold with snow Low: 18 °FHigh: 35 °F
Tuesday, Oct 23 - Very cold with snow Low: 15 °FHigh: 32 °F
Wednesday, Oct 24 - Mostly cloudy Low: 14 °FHigh: 30 °F
Thursday, Oct 25 - Cold with snow Low: 14 °FHigh: 30 °F
Friday, Oct 26 - Very cold with snow Low: 15 °FHigh: 30 °F
Saturday, Oct 27 - Rather cloudy Low: 18 °FHigh: 31 °F

This will be the first cold snap in this area, so when do you think the heaviest concentration of birds will be there? (I'll give you a hint - we will arrive on Friday, October 26th.)

The amazing part of this is - we picked the dates to schedule around my work load and the Farmer's Almanac (and the Fall Supper I don't want to miss on Saturday night).......and the weather couldn't be more perfect.

I anticipate ducks will be arriving thick, and big honker numbers will be staging on the lake about a mile from our rental house and farm we hunt on - and with the snow moving in and out, the birds will flog a field all day.

Needless to say, I am looking forward to getting some great video footage, this year.....up-close, and personal

Lucky?......no......blessed! Just 4 months ago, I wasn't sure I'd get to go because I changed jobs in February and didn't know how well-received my request for 12 days off, would be. Again, I'm very blessed!

[gator]

ya damned sure are anat, and i wish you all the best....you and the misses have a good time!

gator

[duckkiller]

good luck and have a safe trip. Remember to post some pics when you get back

[Wingman]

[Trip]

[champcaller]

[GulfCoast]

[kaustin]

[Anatidae]

Thanks, fellas -

The amazing thing about the 'timing' is that the snows and virtually all other freelancers will have already headed for warmer climes by the time we get there. What we strive for (in timing our trip) is to try to BE there when the mass migration of ducks occurs. It's unbelievable to see wave after wave of 100 - 500 ducks winging their way South. We've been there twice, to witness the open water become ice, and watch the birds get squeezed out. Last year, we watched the ducks in the area, take flight, form their 'V' and head over the horizon (South). Then you see wave after wave of high-flyers winging South. What we'll get is the really big fatheads that stuck-out the cold weather and are hanging around with the big honks. When it snows, you want to be in the field because that's when the fly all day.......and you have to shoot them in self-defense. This is also when you're likely to see one of those 500-bird flocks knot-up and drop like rocks - all around you. I hope to get something like that on film this time - along with a mallard landing on my footbag with an inch of snow piled-up on his bill.

I'll share photos and stories when I get back - hopefully some good video.

[mudsucker]

[Anatidae]

Farenheit..........see the 'F' after the little zero thingy after the number?

-8C is about 16F, I think. All i know is if you see something with a minus sign in front of it - 'better put some more clothes on. We've hunted all morning when it was 14F........it gets brutal when the wind blows, or gets below 8F. Somehow you don't really notice it until you're trying to film without a glove on your camera hand.

'Kaustin' - I'm just as cautious not to say where we go as I would be at home........but I think it's safe to say we go to mid-latitude SK. I doesn't really matter where you go........an idiot can kill a duck in Canada. I'm living proof.

[RedEyed Duck]

[duckkiller]

[Anatidae]

You'e kidding, right? ('Course you don't really know her that well.....) - but she typically shoots better than I do......she'll do her share of killin'

To violate her shooting lane is to subject myself to relentless, unmerciful, and prolonged spousal retribution........I'm talking in terms of YEARS, here!

I just looked at the revised 15-day outlook.......October 27th is the turning point.......temps will not get above 32 F and the lows will be around 12 and 13 degrees..........that's going to start the freeze-up - which is kinda scary to deal with when trying to time a week's worth of hunting you wait for, all year. But hey, we've had some good trips since we started going 5 years ago........it's just a matter of time before our luck changes. But right now, it's looking like perfect timing for the big 'push'.

[duckkiller]