Now That It's All But Over...

[Had Enuf]

9. Been killen all year long.

[Super Black Eagle]

3,500!! no wait, that's how many miles I put on my truck!!!

6..... too far away to scout, but had a real good hunt with friends, and lots of hunts with my dad. And got to shoot the heck outa some birds on three or four hunts.

[SWAG]

7.5 with my son (age nine) loving it no matter what the ducks were doing. Probably a 6 or so if not for his enthusiasm.

[sunnylab]

9.7 It's been the best season I've had since 99-00.


Exactly what he said!!!

i agree but w/ an even 9 instead of 9.7

[drake slayer]

2 ive been alot and it's sucked.

[Double R 2]

9+

Forrest's firsts includes ross' geese, speck, Canada (even a banded one), and several ducks. Duncan managed his first duck. Despite having missed the big Alberta shoot, Delta is fewer than 75 less ducks retrieved than this time last year and despite a poor south delta showing I never zeroed and had 50+% really good shoots there. Arkansas, Mississippi friends, family and clients ensured a meorable season as far as good numbers (more than last season for sure) and times.

[Bates]

when you hunt the river, no water = no ducks

fat 0

[jdbuckshot]

i'll rate it as a 4, its been the worst year for ducks here in sw missouri and se kansas. i move to the ducks, the ducks move away! but none the less. alot of good times were had, and i'll finish it this weekend with a smile and lots of memories! killed my first red head, and golden eye this season, that was cool!

[Double R 2]

Recieved in an email. Kindof sappy, but reminded me of this thread.

Lessons on Life

There was a man who had four sons. He wanted his sons to learn not to judge
things too quickly. So he sent them each on a quest, in turn, to go and look
at a pear tree that was a great distance away.

The first son went in the winter, the second in the spring, the third in
summer, and the youngest son in the fall.

When they had all gone and come back, he called them together to describe
what they had seen.

The first son said that the tree was ugly, bent, and twisted.

The second son said no it was covered with green buds and full of promise.

The third son disagreed; he said it was laden with blossoms that smelled so
sweet and looked so beautiful, it was the most graceful thing he had ever seen.

The last son disagreed with all of them; he said it was ripe and drooping
with fruit, full of life and fulfillment.

The man then explained to his sons that they were all right, because they
had each seen but only one season in the tree's life.

He told them that you cannot judge a tree, or a person, by only one season,
and that the essence of who they are and the pleasure, joy, and love that come
from that life can only be measured at the end, when all the seasons are up.

If you give up when it's winter, you will miss the promise of your spring,
the beauty of your summer, fulfillment of your fall.

Moral lessons:

Don't let the pain of one season destroy the joy of all the rest.
Don't judge life by one difficult season.
Persevere through the difficult patches and better times are sure to come some time or later

[Chuckle12]

you sissy...

[dukbum]

you sissy...

look whos talking!

[Double R 2]

It's all good. My season was completed when Duncan killed his first duck.

Hearing about Tadpole and bigwater trying to drive their 4 wheeler through 6 feet of water, to spare themselves another 50 yards walking, was the icing on the cake!

[Anatidae]

killed my first red head, and golden eye this season, that was cool!

Isn't it neat to see something you've never seen before?

Several years back, we watched a duck approach the decoys. We just sat there wondering what the hell it was.....never seen anything quite like it. It looked like a duck, 'had these big white patches on the wings....."Hmmmm.......must be a Wigeon", I thought. It made another pass and I got a better look........'still didn't know what the hell it was.......'kinda looked like a coot, that time. Then it finally came to me....."I bet that's a Goldeneye".........let's see........BOOOOOM!Sure-nuf......a hen Common Goldeneye (but I had to confirm it by referring to Frank Todd's book on waterfowl). Only duck I've seen with 3 white bars on the wings. 'Not a very pretty duck, BTW.

Then, the same season......same spot......we kept hearing this wierd noise, one morning. I got the binoculars out and began glassing. About 250yds away, there was a Black Swan (also determined after consulting Todd's book) that had escaped from somebody's exotic waterfowl zoo, and made it's way to the River. We saw it several times, but never had any desire to harm it. Just kinda neat having it around, to watch.

Not many folks can say they've seen a Black Swan (common to Australia/New Zealand) while duck hunting, huh?

You just never know what you're going to see, next trip out. That same year, I saw the water get ankle-high.....in our boat. That was after a 1/2-mile run in 3 foot swales. Helluva South wind creating a negative roll in the swollen current heading South. Bilge pump ran for a good 10 minutes once I realized the switch was on 'manual' instead of 'auto'........DUH! But hey......it was worth it......helluva hunt that day! 'Had a duck twist his butt outa joint trying to turn around after I hit him with a 'come-back'......man, I haven't seen that in a while.

[Chuckle12]

Hearing about Tadpole and bigwater trying to drive their 4 wheeler through 6 feet of water, to spare themselves another 50 yards walking, was the icing on the cake!

And all of that to save a 70 yard walk in knee deep water. I can't imagine they had much ground clearance in the first place with both of them on the bike. They some big 'ol boys. Watch out for that beaver run!

[Double R 2]

They some big 'ol boys. Watch out for that beaver run!

They were walking back to the shop to borrow another 4 wheeler to get theirs out and I could hear water sloshing in their waders and coat pockets over the phone Took me a second to figure that that smooching sound was BigW puffing on wet cigs:lol: