2008 - 2009 

Back in Texas 

Page 14

November 19-21, 2008 - Richland Chambers Draw

Normally it would be poor duck hunting etiquette to leave one's decoys out over night on public water for a duck hunt, but that is exactly what I did. But it was ok. This was a Texas Parks and Wildlife drawing for a weekend hunt. I had one wetland cell assigned to me and I would be the only one hunting it. I did go solo on this hunt. Eric or "TexasHeat" on the Texas Hunting Forum was supposed to make this hunt with me, but had to back out the night before and I was not allowed to substitute another hunter. 

This is the pocket of water I was to hunt the next morning. That is some TPWD personnel in the background. Lot's of Coots, but lots of ducks too. 

This is just across the levee from my blind.

Thursday morning sunrise in the Fog. View from my blind.



Blaze being a single coat dog breed can't take standing in water long, so I built her a platform for her to use in the blind. Originally I was counting on my friend bringing a Lab, so I adapted with some scrap wood and a couple boat cushions late Wednesday night. Worked well.




I shot a couple Gadwalls early and waited on big Ducks that never came. So after passing on Gadwalls all morning I ended up finishing with Shovelers. I missed no shots this day.



It was a good day and Blaze had fun.




Friday I did not take many pictures as it was pretty much a repeat of the day before. Gadwalls and Teal this time. After observing the ducks trying land beyond my decoys on Thursday, I actually moved my decoys to where I did not want the ducks to land. And I put the duck calls away. Worked well. Ducks worked my decoys over and over, then would try to land away from the decoys instead of in them. Away from the decoys was now where my blind and I was.

I noticed a neat little Dog with the guys in a cell over from me. A Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever. Hunters would use a Toller's playful antics to catch the attention of inquisitive birds. The hunter would toss a tolling stick from his hiding place towards the shore. The dog goes after the stick with great enthusiasm, tail wagging and feet dancing. The flashy white markings on his chest, feet, and tail-tip accentuate the effect as he retrieves the stick time after time, using the the birds natural curiosity to lure them closer and closer to shore. Before the shot, the hunter would call the Toller back to his side, then would be sent out again to retrieve the bird. 

The owner at one point actually was using his Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever in the way it was originally bred for. He claimed it works.



So overall it was a nice hunt. As a postcard draw it was what it was supposed to be. A quality hunt. Talking to others in the area, there were just not that many big ducks down around there at the time, but it was nice to not worry about anyone setting up on you, being able to put out decoys the night before, and being able to arrive right before shooting time. Friday I was surprised because for the first 10 minutes of legal, none of the other groups of hunters fired a shot. I had ducks, mostly Gadwalls just poor into and around my decoys for that 10 minutes. There must have been between one and two hundred of them when finally someone in one of the other wetland cells fired the first shot of the morning. Then they all rose up before me at once. I could have shot my limit of Gadwalls 10 times over the first hour each day if I had wanted. I had fun watching them work my decoys over and over and being able to take my time and pick my shots.

  
December 7, 2008 - First Snipe Hunt of the Season

Blaze having about a two week break due to me off big game hunting was certainly ready to go hunting again. Hit a lake north of Dallas. Took a good bit of scouting. My usual places had no birds. New spot I had to deal with explaining myself to people with the usual "better not let the game warden catch you", "hey you can't hunt after noon", "ducks are not in season" comments from fishermen and nearby landowner that I encountered. And of course the Blank stare when I tell them I am hunting Snipe, not Ducks and all legal. But I found birds about an hour before I was to head back home. Blaze is happy! And I got some good exercise. It was a good day.

December 16, 2008 -

Well this was the only picture I took on this road trip. I was actually just picking up a Savage 24C that I purchased from someone near Austin, but wanted to make more out of the road trip. So I looked up what hunting areas might be nearby. First was Lake Granger WMA, but a TPWD deer hunt was going on so I was limited to one small area on the lake to hunt. I saw one duck and two duck hunters who had seen nothing. Area looked nice for Snipe, but none found. I located some Dove, but not in season. So I moved on down the road to Somerville WMA. Neat place and I did take this picture of a tree full of Spanish Moss while Squirrel and Rabbit hunting. We saw one Rabbit, but Blaze was only able to chase it about 10 feet before it got into a den. Still it was a nice day of hiking in the woods and I was able to GPS lots of nice spots for future hunts if I am ever down that way again. 

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2008 - 2009 Hunting Season

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