|
DUCK OPENER WHOOPIN!
By: Ron Wilson
November 8, 2011.... The duck season opener for me really sucked
while my buddies in the
grassland were hammering them. My grandson Derick hunting on the
river had his limit in 15 minutes with a mix bag of mallards and wood
ducks. His buddies managed to scrape a few, but most of them were not
what I call true hunters.
We sat in the blind at
Modesto Reservoir and everything we saw were flying too high. A
couple mallards came by in back of the blind but they were so slow we
never saw them in time until it was to late. The key on this body of
water is to get a good draw and on the opener we weren't in one. However
there were 3 good places to be and they got 'em.
After a breakfast of biscuits and gravy by Chef Brett Boetto, one of
our partners. Yes I have gone in with another group of guys. Last year
Bruce Hamby told me he was bringing in a new partner and I objected and
told Bruce I would not hunt with him as he was unsafe to hunt with. I
said you should know that as he has not only blasted your ear drum but
another partner landscaper Joe not once but twice and I was not going
to wait until it was my turn. Bruce said we need partners with money.
Well I think he made a big mistake as now he not only lost a partner
that paid his share but he now has that much more competition when it
comes to getting a good draw at the reservoir.
Partners Jim Fernandez, Don Wilson, Brett and I waited until 9 a.m.
when I said its not happening at our spot, lets go kill some honkers.
They were up to the challenge and we were in the foothills by 10ish.
Got them set up and they got 4 out of the first group. Brett was
excited while Jimmy was so so emotionally and for my son Donald it was
just another day shooting local honkers. On the next group we got four
more. Jimmy shot once, Brett forgot to load his gun and son Donald and I
emptied ours.
The geese were a little far out by the time I said get them so I
guess that was my fault. On the next group they did a little better as
Donald smoked them while Brett and Jim did ok but I think the geese were
just too close to them. We got into one more group and by
1 p.m. we called it
a day with 21 honkers.
We tried the blind at the reservoir the
next Saturday with
the same results ducks were flying lower as I could see them but they
didn't work our area. Called it a day by
9 a.m. as I had a
lunch engagement in
Stockton with my fishing partner Carl Wagoner and his wife
Eloise.
 Stayed
around the house until
November 2nd when Ryan Thompson said he would like to go shoot a
honker. We arrived in the foothills around 8 or so as these local
honkers have there own flying patterns and time tables when they come
and go or just stay in one area.
It wasn't long until I got Ryan into over 50 honkers and he blasted
them getting 4. These were Ryan's first honkers and he was very, very
excited. Ryan said Ron I really like this. I possibly may have created
another waterfowl hunter, time will tell. We stuck around for a couple
hours but no more geese showed up.
A large greenhead mallard duck came by within 30 yards. The ducks
brilliant greenish/blue head was just sparkling in the sunlight as I
drew up on him as the gun barrel passed his head measuring the lead and
then I pulled the trigger and it went click. Yep I had another senior
moment where I forgot to put a shell in the chamber. Had two in the
magazine but Oh well. The only good part was that that was one less bird
to clean.
When I got home I snapped a quick picture of Ryan and his geese and
then showed him how I breasted them out. Some of them old birds is like
skinning an animal at times.
Ryan thanked me for a great time in the outdoors and then headed home
as he had a little ranch work to do. One thing about being an almond
farmer its a 7 day a week job, especially this time of year. I hope to
have some duck pictures soon. |
