Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Beaufort County 09-01-2012 16:50
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
We went out for a dove hunt on the opener and it was a great day. It has been cool for the last two weeks, rainy and overcast with temps in the 80’s. For the opener it cleared up and got hot, go figure.
Logan, my 15 year old, was hunting his BLM Shadow, both did well today, Shadow retrieved 5 doves and performed well for my son. Last season was less than encouraging for Shadow as he did not do well his first season, but hard work in the off-season had him on his game today. He performed flawlessly, better than I could have hoped for. Logan did his part, made sure Shadow stayed hydrated in the 92 degree heat.
I shot a limit of doves by 10:00am, Dixie did well, though at her age, she labored in the heat. I kept her hydrated and as soon as the limit was acquired, I soaked her with cool water and got her in the shade. I then went over and sat with my son for the last hour we hunted, we picked up and left at 11:00am, just as the heat became oppressive.
Both of my hunting buddies did well, one limited out, the other shot 10, pretty good considering his 870 Express was jamming and was in essence a single shot.
Can’t wait ’till Monday.
[Edited By Scott-Tolar on 2012-09-01 16:51]
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Craven Co. 01-30-2012 06:26
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for the season closer and it went as the last break in the season went, pitifully. We saw ducks, much as we had most of the season and in good numbers. But none would decoy, in fact they seemed downright decoy shy. To make a long story short, we got skunked.
This season is now in the books, it has been one of the worst since I came to live in NC nearly 30 years ago. But this is the normal ebb and flow of nature, they can’t all be good seasons like last year. I expect to see a lot of duck stuff for sale on Craigslist in the next few weeks.
I talked to several other duck hunters on the closer, no one got a duck. There were several theories, but they seemed to all have the crappy weather this season as the culprit.
Time to put the gear away, the guns are cleaned and put up. The decoys and other gear will be stowed within the week. Time to get ready for next season.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Field Report, Jan 26th 01-26-2012 17:23
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Went out to hunt a small creek in the area we hunted for bluebills several times in the last week. We saw puddle ducks coming out of the creek and decided to give it a try. I emptied out the boat, removing 5 dozen bluebill decoys and replaced them with a decoy bag containing 8 mallards, 12 teal and 3 wood duck decoys. I loaded up the robo duck as well.
We got there in good time and set up our spread. We set up on the western side of the creek with our boat and waited. We were buzzed by 2 large ducks right at legal time, but wasn’t able to fire a shot. We were overflown by about 75 to 100 ducks of various species, but very few were low enough to shoot at. I called and called, but none would pay us any attention.
About 8:00am, my buddy took down a drake merganser as both of us emptied our guns into a passing flock that was making Mach II. Dixie made short work of the retrieve and since I missed all 3 shots was able to talk trash to my buddy for killing a fishduck.
We shot at several teal that came by, none were good shots, but they were within range. We decided to take any decent shot that presented itself as we were not getting them to come in over the decoys. At about 9:00am, I took down a ringneck on my third shot.
We sat there until about 9:45 when we called it a day. This has not been a productive season.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Field Report, Jan 24th 01-24-2012 16:28
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 50-60 Degrees
I went hunting with a buddy to the same spot as last Saturday. I relocated to the east side of the creek we were hunting in as all the birds we saw on Sat. were on the east side of the creek. Today they flew on the west side! That is okay. We saw puddle ducks flying in and out of a side creek and I managed to drop a fully plumed shoveler drake. Dixie the wonderdog made short work of the retrieve and we watched teal,gads and mallards moving out of the side creek all morning. I had never hunted this location before last Sat., I had scouted it several times but never duck hunted there. That is going to change next year.
As for the remainder of the season, we intend to put up the bluebill decoys and return to the side creek on Thursday to hunt the puddlers. There are 3 guys that are staying in a house on the creek that are going to hunt every morning and afternoon until the closer. I just hope they don’t find the puddlers before we return on Thursday. We will then figure out based on the results as to how to set up to hunt on the closing Saturday.
Posted By:
Sloughslogger
Guest
Upper Cape Fear River 01-23-2012 10:06
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 45-50 Degrees
Report for Saturday, January 21, 2012: Five of us hunted a slough off the river. Three woodys bagged. What a misreable morning. A mile walk in and it rained as hard as it could until after first light. Woodys flew sporadically as they do this part of the season. All local birds and wise by now. We need some cold weather for a good ending.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Field Report, Jan 21st 01-21-2012 16:31
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 45-50 Degrees
We went out to hunt bluebills this morning on the Pamlico Sound. It was a last minute adjustment to our plans, we had to wait and see what direction the wind was blowing. We have realized we can’t rely on the weather reports, they have consistantly gotten wind speed and/or direction wrong so consitantly that we have almost begun to rely on the method of setting up based on the opposite of the forecast.
We arrived at the small ramp at about 4:45 am. It was pouring down rain and the wind was howling. Suprisingly enough from the predicted direction. We sat out in the darkness and pouring rain to a spot I had located on my GPS several years ago but have yet to hunt. It is a beautiful location, we had only one other boat in the area with us and they set up 500 yds to our south. Very considerate.
We saw tens of thousands of bluebills. They were flying in flocks that ranged from 15 to 20 to huge flocks of hundreds of birds. They came in waves, at times the sky was filled with flying birds. At one point we had at least 5000 birds in the water out in front of us.
We have been trying to hunt the open water for the last several weeks. We have seen huge numbers, but they were very decoy/boat shy. They would come by, 75 yards out, and keep going. Today we set up on the shoreline and we found no remedy to the problem of extremely wary birds. These birds would not come near the shoreline, instead rafting up offshore by the thousands as well as out in the open water of the sound.
I have a theory, I think this warm weather has had the birds rafted up on the Chesapeke and after many weeks of constant pounding, they are highly educated. We normally have to deal with well-educated east coast ducks here, after running the gauntlet that is the Chesapeke Bay, they arrive here well educated. But we normally have some birds that bypass the Bay and come straight down to the sounds. Those are the easy birds to hunt.
I think the weather has been so warm(today was 50 degrees with misquitoes on Jan 21st), that the ducks hit the Bay and set up. I think after a constant pounding for better of a month, they have become so shy that they are very hard to hunt.
We are talking about the merits of layout boat hunting next season.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Field Report, Jan 19th 01-19-2012 10:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a quick hunt this morning near the house.My buddy and I used to refer to this as “The Wood Duck Hole”, but we have not hunted it much in the last few years as roost shooters began to hunt there, blowing out the roost. They would hit it for every day until the ducks disapeared for the year. Hoping things might be different this late in the season, I took a chance. I put my boat in at the unimproved ramp and set out to my spot. I am not supposed to go by myself since I am a cripple, but my buddy had to cancel at the last moment. I got to the spot and put out the decoys(3 woodies and 2 mallard hens). I went to set up the boat and blind when I grounded my boat on a cypress knee. I was unable to free the boat by legal shooting time and after 3 or 4 flocks of woodies got by me I decided to just load the gun and sit in the open. Within moments a flock of 4 came up the creek.
I managed to knock down a woodie hen using all 3 shots. Dixie went to retrieve it and it dove on her. After concentrated hunting on shore and in the water, it suddenly resurfaced in the open about 40 yds from the boat and about 30 yards from Dixie. I hand signaled her in and she chased it down. Excellent work on Dixie’s part.
Another flock came up the creek and I missed all three shots. It was a long shot, but within range(about 40 yards) and it was straight up the creek. I don’t know why I missed.
I had to pull out in order to make my doctor appointments at the VA. I will try this spot again next Tues.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
NC coast 01-17-2012 14:05
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Went to hunt divers on the open water today and did not fire a shot. It is not that we didn’t see ducks, it was quite the opposite. We saw thousands. But the wind did not blow as forecast(at 15 to 20 mph with 30 mph bursts) and the water was as slick as glass. We watched them rafted up on open water, not moving. At all, all day.
This is not my first trip since the 6th, it is my third. But the last two trips before this one were identical to this and I did not bother to write a report. My laziness is no excuse, but I was so disgusted that I just didn’t do my due diligence. I apologize.
We have gone out every day based on weather reports calling for wind that either never arrived, or arrived so late as to be after we were already home! I just unhooked my boat and the wind is blowing gale force. Two hours ago you couldn’t get enough wind to make a ripple on the water.
I hope we have the weather turn cold and the wind come in from the north. There is only two weeks left to the season, It came in like a lion with excellent hunts, but is going out like a wimpy lamb.
Posted By:
Sloughslogger
Guest
Upper Cape Fear River 01-17-2012 08:07
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
This posting is for Saturday, 1/14/12.
Got my waders patched but they still leaked a little. Looked like I stepped on a beaver stick.
Hunted the same beaver slough next to the river. About 4 other trucks showed up after we arrived to hunt the same swamp; about eight folks in all. We all agreed to space ourselves out and share the hole. There was enough room and everyone was agreeable. We saw about 50 woodys and while many were shot at only several were brought down. No limits this morning. We all walked out the same time and the GW was there to greet us. Everyone was legal.
It was a good morning and I hope to see these guys there again.
Posted By:
Sloughslogger
Guest
Upper Cape Fear River 01-09-2012 12:24
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 35-40 Degrees
Hunted a river beaver pond Saturday morning. First time I’ve been out after my surgery in November. Wasn’t quite up for the mile walk in and out but did it anyway. Only saw 5 wood ducks. Saw a pair of mallards take off out of range and someone else shot at them. No ducks and waders leaked after I stepped on a bottle. Pretty sunrise though.
