2008 - 2009 

Ducks and Snipe 

Page 15

January 1, 2009 - Ray Roberts Duck

Dave aka "Long Haired Dave" on various online fishing forums is an fanatic fly fisherman who also is a fly fishing instructor and guide specializing in sight fishing for Carp. This was his first year of hunting and was looking for some help. Well, I answered Long Haired Dave's open call for a hunt. Changed my plans for the day and suggested we do a Canoe access hunt on Ray Bob since I was headed that direction anyway. I knew a nice cove out of the wind. Paddling up wind in the dark so we could return with the stronger wind to our back. I found out Dave had never shot a Duck before. The pressure was on.
I used my simple layout blind and improvised something similar for Dave.



Typical for this lake we heard quite a bit of distant shooting before legal. We were visited by a couple Wood Ducks early then Gadwalls a couple times, but for various reasons we were unable to get a shot at those. A single Green Wing Drake dive bombed us on Dave's side; I told him to "take it, it's yours". We have all had the moment, sight bead stuck in the camo, then forgetting to take the safety off. The little Drake headed out of the cove just as fast as it had entered. But, it had been too committed. I told Dave to get ready it will be back, then whistled to it on my call. Came back alright, looked like it was going to land in Dave's lap if he did not shoot it. It ended up in some thick brush behind us. Blaze did her job well and came back with it. Dave's first Duck ever! How cool is that?




The spot I took us to; Mallards usually come in late once the sun is well up. Unfortunately the Mallards just did not show this morning. We did have a couple late Gads land just out the decoys and they were swimming in fast. I had Blaze positioned back in the brush well behind us, we remained frozen like statues, but I could hear Blaze moving around and the ducks moved out. I said out loud to myself "what the heck is she doing". I turned my head just a little and looked over my shoulder. She had moved about 10 feet and was on point and creeping. Then a huge covey of Quail busts. Unfortunately the rules there require orange vest and hat for upland so all we could do is watch Quail fly out for what seemed like 5 minutes.

I came up with a new plan. Pick up, take a commemorative hunt picture and then skull the Canoe into a cove that we had seen birds landing in. With Dave in front at the ready with the gun. A Canoe ambush!



The wind was so bad I felt it not safe once we got there, so we decided to take land and do a jump shoot instead. We both connected with a Drake Gadwall each. An outstanding single shot from Dave folding a fast high bird! Blaze made a long difficult retrieve on a cripple for my bird that made me proud.



We called it a day, went for Hamburgers, Dave headed home and I headed north to Oklahoma. I had time left so went back to my original plan for a day of Snipe hunting. Shortly after pulling back on the road I watched a Bobcat walk across in front of me. Thought that was neat.

An hour later I was jumping Snipe with #7 steel. My aim was off at first and I was way under choked in my first barrel and over choked in my second barrel for what I was doing. But there were enough birds to give me time to get my shooting dialed in. Then it was game on and was able to limit out on the Snipe in no time. One of the Snipe I shot, was oblivious to me and flew right by me. It had been chased off an Island by a yearling Eagle. Man, that was cool to watch.

I had put a full choke in my second barrel with some #5 Bismuth just in case I were to get a shot at a passing duck. While walking up Snipe, I actually had four duck opportunities and connected with all four. What a day!

Kind of a crummy picture. I had been stuffing the Snipe in all my pockets as I went, so they look ratty.




A big public thank you to Dave for spawning an idea to go Duck hunting this day. I thoroughly enjoyed it. It made my season to see this man get is first duck.


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January 10, 2009 -

Headed up to Oklahoma today for some Snipe hunting again. Walked some new ground; well first time for this season. There were Snipe alright, but more barren shoreline. Them buggers kept flushing way to early for me and would use the wind to build speed. I had fly-bys that I just could not swing the gun fast enough to stay on them. I actually fell down while swinging on one because I was turning my body so fast. Only got one Snipe before I gave up to try some field edges and woods for upland game, but skunked on those. Saw...one rabbit, one squirrel. But I did pick up a couple Mallards and a Teal as bonus birds during my walkabout. Then sat on a hill and watched distant flocks of Geese flying across the sunset.

Tweety Bird

Wanted to add to the story. I found a sandy field that had been burned at some time in the past and just starting to grow back over. The edges looked like great Quail prospects. Blaze was working in front of me and one of several Wrens that had been fluttering around in the field flew a little too close to Blaze. In one swift turn of her head, Blaze snapped up that little Wren right out of the air. Then she turned to look at me looking rather proud of herself. She looked like Sylvester the Cat with those tail feathers sticking out of her mouth.

I quickly yelled the "let go" command and out loud said "leave those little birds alone". She opened her mouth and the Wren flew away. Good thing Blaze usually has a soft mouth.

She also pointed, not once, not twice, but three times on Armadillos. 

  
January 16, 2009 - Texas Ducks and Okie Snipe

Texas Hunting Forum member "Flyboy" Howard accepted my offer of an Oklahoma Snipe hunt for today. I mentioned that we would need to wait until the ground thawed for the Snipe hunting, so Howard in turn offered me a Texas Duck hunt on the way to the River. This worked out to be perfect. The morning started near Lake Ray Bob on a private tank. Widgeon and Gadwall dropped in on us at a steady pace. Two limits taken in short time. My fingers were just too cold to take any pictures during the hunt. There was a layer of ice on my gun and Blaze actually had ice hanging off her coat as well as ice sickles off her lips at one time. But I was not about to get away without the post hunt pictures. Thank you Howard, I had a great time!







After a much needed breakfast stop, we hit a couple spots I wanted to try on the Oklahoma side of the Big Lake. Moving on with no birds I was worried that the birds may have migrated on South ahead of the impending front, but I had felt we should find Snipe. The aviation website I like to reference before duck hunts, showed the front staying just short of the Red River Valley today. The birds should have been there, as well as new ones. Thankfully we did finally find birds. I felt relief considering Howard's hosted part of the day turned out so well. It was my turn.

Birds were really fast and crazy flying. With the lake dropping, there was little cover for them so they could see us coming from afar. Our shot to bird ratio was nothing to brag about for sure. But that makes it that much more fun! Howard Dropped the first Snipe of the day. Realize I had missed, shot behind maybe 6 Snipe just before this picture. And I am supposed to know what I am doing.





Snipe were not as spread out on the Lake as in my past hunts, but they were more concentrated when we found them. We did encounter Walks and Wisps of Snipe one might say.

I ended up with a rather incredible picture. As I was taking a picture of Howard on a mud flat, a Snipe flew across just as I snapped the pic.



Blaze was mostly kept at my side unless needed for a retrieve. But some pockets of cover with wet ground I would send her in to push up any birds.



It was quite the expedition hunt today. Lots of walking and even more shooting.



I wanted to line the Snipe up on a log so we could see them in the picture. It is a miracle we got it. Like dominos, every time one Snipe fell off the log, it started a chain reaction dropping them all to the ground.



Blaze at this point was done. Walking in mud all day is tough for any dog. If she looks mad, it is because she is. This is the look of "Let's go home already".



Well today was the last day of Snipe Season in Oklahoma. We definitely closed this season out with a Bang! Big thank you to Howard "flyboy" for going on the Snipe hunt and for the most awesome duck hunt.

With Quail being non existent on my Graham hunting lease this year, see the next page for more Snipe hunting in Texas. 

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2008 - 2009 Hunting Season

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