|
TIME TO HUNT WATERFOWL, THEY’RE MOVING!
By: Ron Wilson
December 11, 2003....
Hunting Ducks in the grasslands has finally started to pay off! My son
Donald, grandson
Derick and I had a reservation at San Luis National Wildlife Refuge this
past week.
Our number six draw
would almost guarantee that we’d get the hunting spot we wanted for the
day.
I was pleasantly
surprised at the check-in station when I ran into Framebo, an old
duck-hunting friend. We chatted about old times, new times and how lousy
the duck hunting had been. He told me that he had only bagged about 12
ducks so far this season. Now that makes for some very expensive birds!
I
had asked Framebo about a mutual friend, Bill Phillips. He said he was
doing great and would be out Saturday. Before he could even finish the
sentence I was once again surprised when Bill’s brother, Sandy, walked up
and handed me a cup of coffee. It was great to catch up with old friends
and meet a few new ones.
One of Framebo’s friends asked me why I wasn't writing the outdoor column
for the Modesto Bee anymore. I informed him that I had been replaced. He
went on to say “Joel Hood doesn't know squat about the outdoors”. I told
him he should complain to the publisher or do what I did and quit taking
the newspaper! They’re not the only game in town. The Stockton Record and
San Francisco Chronicle do a fine job of covering our outdoor sports, or
get on-line and visit Valley Outdoorsmen!
Our conversation was cut short when the reservations were called and it
was time for us to go.
As we walked out to the area we were going to hunt we could hear flock
after flock of ducks taking flight. It sure sounded like it was going to
be a great day.
The fog was a little thick but a single teal decoyed in just after shoot
time and I took it. A little latter another teal came through and Derick
nailed it.
The fog started lifting but the ducks continued to work. Another single
came in, I missed it and as it headed skyward Derick nailed it, the bird
was hovering downward when Derick hit it again and as it fell he tried to
shoot its head off with the third shot. I asked him how many times he was
going to kill it, “you hit the bird all three shots”, I explained.
While my reaction time is slowing down Derick’s at 12 years old is in high
gear!
Hunting with my family and the ducks decoying in, it just doesn't get much
better.
By 11 am, we had harvested 11 of the 14 birds that came in. We packed up
and headed for Gustine to do some Pheasant hunting before we headed for
home.
We had one rooster in the tulles that just ran around cackling but
wouldn’t flush. Hens jumped up that would have been easy shots but the
wild rooster just ran around and cackled every now and then. No pheasant,
but we did get a good laugh out of it. That was one smart bird!
A
quick stop at Wolfsen’s Meat Locker in Gustine to pick up some pepper
sticks and some Kentucky Bacon and then it was time to get home and clean
our birds.
The migration is on and its time to hunt waterfowl! Tip of the week: Be
sure and put your draw decoys upwind! |
