Author: Webmaster

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

08-08-2009 06:33
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After not having any significant rainfall from mid June to mid July, causing our corn crops to suffer, we have had a deluge of afternoon downpours for the last 3 weeks in Anson County.Still somewhat dry, so hope the trend of weekly thunderstorms continues.

Lots of broods of young mallards have shown up on Lake Tillery over the last month. Apparently a good nesting season for our locally raised.

Dove season is just around the corner, my sunflowers have bloomed and matured, and already a good number of doves hanging around.

The construction on our new home has progressed rapidly. Sheetrock crew sanded their putty yesterday and I’ll be starting the painting on Monday. Painting the house myself. Yep, that’s what retirees get to do.

Our midwest trip is planned. 5 of us are driving out to Montana and North Dakota the last of October – first of November to hunt some kind of feathers;ie, ducks,geese,pheasants,grouse,huns.

I visited with a good friend of mine from Ansonville last week. He had one of his grandsons with him. The youngster is 11 yrs. old. This friend, who is retired, travels all over the midwest each fall with his hunting partner to hunt grouse and pheasants. They usually start their hunting in either Minnesota or Wisconsin, and then move onto the Dakotas and end up in Kansas before turning back east. They have stayed for as long as 31 days in the past and usually make about 2 trips per fall. He is hoping to take the grandson this fall during Thanksgiving school break to either Kansas or Nebraska. One things for sure, he has a new hunting partner who tags along like a shadow. It’s a good thing to see.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Neuse River 08-06-2009 07:16
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
I have been doing a little pre-season scouting and it is not real promising for now. I have been dealing with some health issues(which have resulted in some operating capital problems) that have kept me from scouting close to the coast. I have been scouting in the areas near my house for habitat conditions. It is too early to see ducks yet, but it is a good time to find out how the habitat is doing as this will have a direct impact on how the ducks will behave when they get here.

The water is low. The Nuese River is low as well as all the ponds and beaverswamps in the area. One of my favorite creeks to hunt in (for the last 4 or 5 years) is so low that it is impassable to my jon boat and can only be accessed by canoe. My son and I transported our canoes in the jon boat to the mouth of the creek and then paddled up it only to find such low water conditions that I don’t think the ducks will use this area at all. The Nuese is so low in Kinston that it is all but unnavitgatible.

I find this somewhat surprising, but my brother-in-law has a theory that I have to admit has some real plausibility. It has been raining in my area quite a bit. We are getting rain several times a week, at least one of the rains averages out to be a real serious downpour. Yet the beaverponds and the river itself are both low. My brother-in-law’s theory runs that in spite of our consistant rain pattern, it has not rained much to the west of us in the Raliegh area. Therefore, our rain hits the river and goes downstream. With no water coming from upstream for us, we are loosing our water to the coastal waters without getting any resupply from the western part of the state. Seems to make sense to me.

It appears we will have to move farther to the coast to find water. On the positive side(if there is one), the ducks will possibley be more concentrated. Of course, the hunters will be too.

Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest

? 07-19-2009 08:01
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Does anyone have any comments on trout fishing around Cherokee? Is it worthwile,a joke,tourist trap? Please post up as we are seriously considering adding this stop to the family vacation. Thanks in advance.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

opening turkey day in SC and youth day in NC 04-05-2009 04:53
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My huntin’ buddy and I travelled to C’field County, SC on Wed. morning, April 1 for the opening of turkey season in SC. It was damp cool and windy, but the rain held off until after our morning hunt. Score–turkeys 1 hunters 0. We never heard a gobble. We decided to try our luck again on Friday morning, heard one tom gobble twice about 8am and otherwise, all was quiet. Score — turkeys 2 hunters 0.

On Saturday morning I took a 12 yr. old youngster for the youth day in NC at Buchanan Shoals. I had scouted this particular location on Thursday morning in the rain and heard 5 toms crank up gobbling at first light. On Saturday morning, we heard 6 toms gobbling at first light, moved to within about 800′ of the closest bird, sat down, called lightly a couple times, he responded with about 4-5 gobbles, and then the hens that were keeping him company took control of the situation, so we moved on to the next tom and the same scenario was repeated. Hens,hens, and more hens. From first light until 10:30am, we played with 4 different toms, and all were well “protected” by hens. It was dead calm all morning and the 12yr. old son and his father who tagged along had a blast. They either saw or heard resident geese honking and flying along the Pee Dee, woodies squeeling, 2 bald eagles feeding along the river, 6 toms gobbling and their hens yelping and cackling, owls hooting at first light, crows cawing causing the toms to gobble, walked about a 2 mile stretch along the Pee Dee in recently burned under 50yr. old timber, crossed old drainage ditches which were all flowing water that was too wide to jump without getting “a bit” wet due to all of the rains over the last month, and took a 15min. snooze in the woods about 9am while sitting next to a clover plot and hoping one of those toms would leave the hens and come walking in for a visit. It was fun.

Paul

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

“Misc. Stuff” 03-28-2009 08:25
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It’s been awhile since I last posted. I’ve been pretty busy for the last couple months guiding quail hunts at Buchanan Shoals Preserve, helped my oldest son mark a second thinning on a 300 acre- 32 yr. old pine stand, and have helped him with understory burning. This past Wednesday one of the corporate members at B-shoals invited 55 guests for an afternoon of sporting clays, 30 hunted released quail, and we divided them into 10 groups of 3 hunters per guide. The event ended with a steak dinner. This coming Monday will be the last event for released birds at B-shoals for the season as another member will be having a similar afternoon outing for clients.

Then its on to opening turkey day in SC on Wednesday, April 1st. My wife sure has enjoyed me practicing my calling in the house for the past week. Ha!! Those old toms are already gobbling at first light and struttin around the hens. I’m excited and my hunting buddy and I have already chosen our location for Wed. morning in SC.

For those of you who are as addicted to turkey hunting as I am, remember take the kids. There is no greater hunting enjoyment than watching a kid’s reaction to a big ole tom walking up to a decoy while all puffed up.

Paul

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Richmond County 02-05-2009 17:02
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Today, 2 friends and I hunted quail in cut bean fields along the Pee Dee, 1st point by dogs and no shots fired as birds lifted. 2nd point birds had already fed and were gone, 3rd point was a rabbit, 4th point one shot fired and a miss. It was a fun day though, lots of bs about the good old days of quail hunting, good excersize for 4 hrs., and a balmy 24 deg. when we started. My ears are still burning from being in that cold wind. There will be a better day.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Pamlico Sound 01-25-2009 13:42
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for the final day and we decided to go for divers. I was sick, the multiple days spent out in single digit temps were taking thier toll. I got no sleep the night before, hacking and coughing keep me awake. We got out to the sound, set out the decoys and got ready.

My son began to feel ill and we had to break off the morning early. He became sick and we decided to go home(dissapointing, but that is the way the cookie crumbles). Just then, a flock of bills came in and my partner splashed one, I could not fire because it would have been over my buddy’s head. We picked up the dekes and went home. We had ducks that were moving, I am convinced we would have gotten a bluebill limit had we been able to stay. But when your son is sick, you have to go.

But it has been a good season, we shot some ducks, I got my tundra swan and the dog got wet a lot of times.

Posted By:
Huntmdux
Guest

Person County 01-24-2009 19:23
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Embarrassed to say this is my first post for the season, nothing to report about until last weekend. Todays hunt was rather disapointing to end the season. Saw a pair of woodies fly down the middle with afterburners on and they were pouring the coals to it. I never called but instead worked the jerk line, they weren’t buying it to say the least. Still had fun, picked up decs @ noon and enjoyed the boat ride back into the boat launch.

Last weekend was the best I had seen all year, good numbers, variety, and willing to decoy. I only bagged three but one included a first for me, a Drake Pintail. One pellet in the neck dropped him, lucky shot but I will take it, especially for a mount. The other two birds, a Drake Mallard and Drake Ringneck.

Saw nice numbers of Mallards that would give my decoys multiple looks but only a few would peel off for a bettter look. The hens would call to my decoys and I would call back and work the jerk line. Finally a greenhead put his feet in my face so BOOM… he crashed. The Ringneck came in fast and furious then flared to BOOM… BOOM… I guess I was behind him on the first shot but the heavy shot crumpled him on the second.

Well that pretty much sums it up, three for the season, considering I only hunted 4 times this year (all in the final segment) I will take it. Next year I have big plans for many hunts. My son will turn 8 and he is chomping at the bit to go with his dad. One thing is for sure, he wants to be a waterfowler, he spots ducks and geese all the time as they fly over our house I just wonder if he knows what he is getting into? Waterfowling… better known as “the relentless pursuit of self-abuse”, it gets in your system and is impossible to shake. Every year the season comes in I think about changing careers just so I can hunt more, I have yet to follow through but maybe one day.

I would like to thank those that have posted regularly and their commitmet to the site, I do enjoy the read.

One question, I saw tons of Seagulls and have come to this conclusion, what ever makes the Seagulls come in large numbers seams to make the ducks LEAVE in large nubers. Anyone what to enlighten me on why?

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Beaver Pond – Anson County 01-24-2009 18:39
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Hunted with my oldest son in a beaver pond on his land yesterday morning. About 15 mallards and 40 woodies came in at first light and we bagged 4 woodies. The mallards outsmarted us. It was all over in 15 min.

Did not hunt ducks today, the last day of the season. Two of my friends hunted along the Pee Dee, saw a fair number of ducks, but only managed 1 drake mallard.

Now its time to spend time with my setters and concentrate on finding some quail while waiting for opening turkey day.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 01-22-2009 15:00
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Went out to hunt a small creek on the Nuese near New Bern that has a fair amount of current and I thought would not freeze over. I was surprised to find the creek iced over at the unimproved ramp when I arrived. After the nerve-wracking ride on snow/ice covered roads I opted to not turn back and I set out up the creek to find open water. I was surprised to find my favorite location on the creek was open and free of ice.

I set up and began to wait for legal time. I had a pair of woodies come over at legal time but I did not see them in time. Then I had a woodie call from up the creek. I hit the call and it answered. After a few calls,back and forth, the wood duck appeared and parachuted into my decoys. I stood up and smacked it a foot off the water over the decoys.

I then sat there for the next about 3 hours without firing a shot. I had to crank up the boat and save my decoys from passing sheets of ice that would come down the creek and drag them off. Then I had some mergansers come in to my decoys and I smacked a nice hoodie drake. Then about 11 am I decided it was over for the day and set out for home.

Not a great day, but I took some ducks, the dog got wet and I spent the morning out in the snow admiring the beauty.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Pee Dee – Anson Co. 01-22-2009 06:30
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Hunted one morning last week and then yesterday morning on the Pee Dee and very few ducks on the river in the areas where we hunted. Never fired a shot. Conclusion, very few ducks.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Albemarle Sound 01-19-2009 13:56
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 35-40 Degrees
We went out in an effort to target the huge flocks of mallards we saw on Sat. And we were not the only ones. The small ramp we launched at that is usually deserted or at most will have one boat launching from it instead had a half-dozen trucks parked in it’s parking area. We saw hunters setting out in all directions, the information about the huge numbers of birds had leaked out.

But we were all surprised. Not one of the hunting parties bagged a duck, in fact only one boat even fired at a single small group of mallards and they missed. I am baffled by this sudden movement in birds that were in this location by the thousands just two days ago.

We had extremely heavy fog that stayed on the water until about 11:00 am before it began to lift. At times the visibility was less than 50 yards. I don’t know if the ducks were moving around and we just couldn’t see them(a real possibility) or if they had just moved on. The season counts down.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Roanoke River 01-18-2009 08:12
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 0-10 Degrees – Ice
We decided to forego our second day at Mattamuskeet as we figured the lake would be frozen over. We went up to hunt a creek off the Roanoke hoping to find some open water. In spite of the river current the creek was frozen. We broke ice, thinking the current would keep it open long enough for us to hunt. In spite of the current it quickly refroze. We saw large numbers of mallards, but none would decoy. We saw another group of hunters that went out into the sound itself, they saw large numbers of ducks as well, but none would decoy for them either.

Might be a see duck hunt for Monday.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lake Mattemuskeet 01-17-2009 15:41
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
This is my report for Friday, Jan. 16th. I drew a hunt for Blind #1(the disabled blind) for the 16th and 17th of this month. We were concerned about the low temps freezing up the lake like it did last year for my hunt and they were not unfounded.

My hunting buddy began to put out the decoys at about 5:30 am after the oreintation speech and sign up for the hunt. We were pleased to see no ice and he went to work. As I am unable to wade out in the water due to my disability, he had to put out the decoys alone. Amazingly, in the time it took him to throw out the decoys(about 40 minutes) the water began to freeze. At legal shooting time we were locked up in ice. Just that quick. The wind was howling off the water at about 20 mph and with the low temps it was dangerously cold.

About 8:30 am a single tundra swan came in, about 10 yards off the water and about 30 yards out, allowing me to fill my swan tag. We then sat there for two hours without firing a shot, watching helplessly as the ice drug around the decoys. About 10 am my buddy went out to save a group of decoys before the ice drug them out of recovery range.

Then the wind switched from the north to the west/northwest. The high winds blew the ice free of the point and we suddenly began to see some ducks. We began to bring in a few ducks close enough for pass shots and managed to take 3 widgeon,a pintail and a teal; all between 10:30 and 11:30 am. A reasonable turnaround considering the way the day started out.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 01-14-2009 10:23
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a hunt on the Nuese this morning and was dismayed to discover the boat ramp that I used last week to go to one of my favorite spots is closed for repair UNTIL FURTHER NOTICE! .Very disconcerting. However, after some quick rethinking, I went to a second spot that is near to this location that I have not hunted since last year(and only once then).

It is a small creek off the Nuese that my buddy and myself refer to as the “Woodduck Hole”. It used to be very productive for me in years past but I had given up on it as several locals had taken to shooting the roost at this spot and had subsequently scattered the ducks. Evidently they are gone now, for the woodies came in low and over the decoys and I shot a limit of the little feathered speed demons.

It was a cold day, a good day. A duck hunting day.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Washington County 01-10-2009 16:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a puddle duck hunt this morning and were dismayed to have zero wind at sunrise. It was cold, but no wind. We put out our decoys and set up for a hunt with the sun to our back.

Just after legal time we had a pair of wood ducks pass through, but we did not shoot thinking they would swing in and decoy. They didn’t. We then had 3 ringnecks blow through at the edge of range, but again we let them pass thinking they would swing in and decoy.

We had several groups of mallards they flew by, returned to the call, circled overhead several times before flying off. We even had two that circled, then landed about 200 yards away.

We had about given up hope when a flock of 5 teal blew into the decoys and we stood up, dropping 3 of the 5(we could have gotten 4 of 5 but my partner and I both slammed the same duck with the second shot for both of us).

Interesting day, 3 teal. Not a great day, but a good day in the sense that we spent it duck hunting instead of sitting at home looking out the window.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 01-08-2009 17:18
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for a hunt on the Nuese this morning and I saw some ducks, but I was only able to connect on a single drake wood duck. I should have taken my three, but for some reason I was not able to complete the deal in spite of several excellent chances to fill out the limit. I took the drake(a very large well plumed out bird) at about 35 yards and it was no challenge for Dixie the Wonderdog as she made short work of it.

The river is still down from last week, I hope it doesn’t drop any more than it already has.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 01-06-2009 15:28
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – 45-50 Degrees
I went out for a hunt this morning and it rained. A lot. Came down in buckets. The big,fat rain drops that almost leave a bruise. It rained so hard I had to use the bilge pump at regular intervals to keep the boat pumped out as I would look down and find myself ankle deep in water.

But I saw ducks. All woodies(with a single,lone mallard hen)and in good numbers. I went to the same location I hunted for the first time last week but was not in the right location(the same as last time, but I was closer to the right spot). I am fine tuning my location, now I know exactly where to set up when I return next Tuesday. I saw 30 to 50 woodies setting up in a section of flooded timber about 75 yards from my location. I did manage a single woodie, but I have much higher expectations when I return next week.

The river has dropped at least 4 or 5 feet since last week. This is surprising considering the amount of rain we have had. I guess the extended drought conditions have the water table so low that the ground sucks up the rain at a incredible rate. I hope the rain from today and that predicted for tommorrow get the water back up.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Pamlico Sound 01-03-2009 13:45
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
My son, my buddy and myself went out for a hunt on the Pamlico Sound. We set out a couple dozen Herter’s magnums and a Ure-a-duck scoter wind powered spinner. At about 10 minutes after shooting time a single buffle buzzed through the decoys and my partner splashed it. After two more whacks on the cripple as it swam out of the decoys we dispatched Dixie the Wonderdog. After a 100 yard chase and several submersions, she caught the hen buffle and returned to the boat. About 10 minutes later a flock of about 6 or 7 buffles blew through the decoys and my partner and myself managed to drop another hen and a drake. Dixie chased down the drake, again going about 100 yards in the open water before chasing it down. We then pulled anchor and went after the second buffle as by now it was completely out of sight. We found it about 150 yards out and at a distance of about 30 yards we sent the dog and she made quick work of the cripple as it was not able to submerge.

We had pretty high hopes at this point for a good day. The wind was light, but steady from the NNW and we were seeing ducks in the area. But then the wind died completely, the water of the sound becoming as slick as glass. I mean zero wind, not even a ripple on the surface of the water. The ducks sat down and did not move at this point and we did not fire another shot all morning. We sat on the spot until about 10:00 am before we decided to call it a day. We had come prepared to hunt all day, but it became apparent the ducks weren’t moving and it was a waste of time.

I intend to return to this spot, maybe next Saturday. I will just hope for more wind(just not too much more!).

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Washington County 01-02-2009 08:04
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a hunt on the Roanoke River this morning. I was hoping the cold temps and high winds would push in the ducks looking for sheltered,open water.

Didn’t work out that way, I got skunked. I did have a group of 3 mallards buzz me at first light, but they came up from behind me, crossing the creek instead of traveling down it and I did not have time for a shot.

Saw another group of hunters in the area and they had the same idea I did, but they were baffled as well as to the lack of ducks, they too got skunked.

I guess that is why they call it hunting.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Anson County 12-31-2008 18:52
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6 friends, including myself, dove hunted this morning beginning at first light. Started slow, but once the sun topped the tree line on the timber along the edge of the field, birds poured into the field in groups of 5-15, and for an hour it was fun. I finally bagged 9 with 2 boxes of shells. The strong winds made shooting a real challenge.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Washington County 12-30-2008 12:35
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
I went out for a hunt this morning and managed a single black duck. I saw some ducks up high, but not much down low. I think it is possible the cold weather up north is starting to push some ducks down.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

12-27-2008 16:22
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Yesterday at dusk, my sons Adam, Austin, and I were at my dock on Lake Tillery throwing dummies in the water for Maple and Adam’s choc. lab, Paris, to retreive when Adam ask me if the high flying flocks of birds he was seeing were ducks, and they were. For about 10 min. we watched what we estimated at 400 mallards flying downstream. They were so high they had to have nosebleed. I’m presuming they were new birds migrating into the area and most will probably end up at Pee Dee NWR.

This morning I hunted in my impoundment along the Pee Dee on my farm in Chesterfield Co., SC. Lots of woodies, and although I never saw them come into the pond, I heard mallards on the water. Maple and I set up in the flooded corn in one of my lowground fields, but all of the ducks landed in the flooded timber. I usually have my small jon boat at waters edge by now and use it to hunt in the flooded timber, but have been lazy so far. The boat will definitely be at the pond by tomorrow afternoon so I can use it for hunting in the timber the remainder of the season.The impoundment still lacks about 12″ in elevation of being a full pond, but currently has about 10 acres flooded. The river was full to its banks and I heard some hunters shooting downstream.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Campbell Creek 12-27-2008 15:45
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 45-50 Degrees
Went out for a draw hunt in the Spring Creek Impoundment and it was not exactly a hunt to remember. There were fishermen out in the creek in droves and they kept the ducks scattered. I managed a single ruddy duck and saw coots by the hundreds. About 9:30 am someone got bored and opened up on the water chickens and they went in every direction.

The hunting is not good in the state impoundments at Campbell Creek at this time.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Anson County – beaver swamp 12-26-2008 06:22
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My oldest son asked me to join him Wednesday morning to hunt a beaver swamp on his land about 3 miles south of Wadesboro, but I had a conflict. He hunted alone and and killed 3 woodies and 2 mallards. 50 woodies and 20 mallards dropped into the swamp at first light and he limited out in 10 min. This is good, especially for mallards to be using a swamp that is 10 miles from the Pee Dee. It usually means some new birds have migrated into our area. Hopefully the remainder of the season will be a good one.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Craven Co. 12-23-2008 11:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a hunt near home today as I had to be home early. I went to hunt a new spot, one I spotted during off season scouting, but had never hunted.

I saw some wood ducks early but I was not in the right spot in the creek. I will try this spot again and move my location. The end result, no ducks today but interesting intel for the next time.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Hyde County 12-22-2008 12:30
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a duck hunt this morning and as Winnie the Pooh would say,”It was a very blustery day”! The temp was 30 degrees and with the 20 mph winds, it felt much colder. The dog drug in water with each retrieve and it would instantly freeze as soon as it touched the boat.

I started out in poor fashion, my alarm clock did not go off(it is a new clock and this is the second time it has failed. once more and it goes in the trash)and I overslept. I awakened on my own about 45 minutes late, I jumped up, threw on my clothes and took off.

I got to the ramp pretty close to the time I had intended to arrive(I get up early to allow for the unknown)and to my surprise the water was low. Very low. The north wind and low tide combined to blow the water out of the small creek I intended to hunt. Then, due to the low water, I dropped the boat off the end of the ramp and had to spend about 20 minutes freeing the trailer. Running very close to legal time, I found out I could not get where I wanted to go becuase of the low water so I set up in the channel with the wind to my back. I threw out 6 mallard decoys and set up the blind. I had a dozen mallards, one dozen woodies and a dozen ringnecks I had intended to put out, but I was running so late that I didn’t have time(plus I had to pick up all the decoys I threw out by myself since I was alone and the high winds promised to make that a chore). I set up the boatblind, loaded the gun, looked at my watch. Two minutes after legal shooting time.

I looked up to see about 10 ringnecks headed up the creek. I hit the mallard call, just a few quacks and a feed chuckle. They bailed into my decoys and I stood up, taking my first triple of the year. Three ringnecks in the water, feet up. I sent out the dog and she did a good job. Then we set back up and I looked out to see a flock of blackducks headed up the creek as well. Hitting the mallard call, they turned and parchuted into the decoys. I stood up and smacked one at about 25 yards.

I saw a lot of geese, but I don’t have a Northeast Hunt Zone Permit this year. I saw some swans for which I do have a permit, but none came close enough.

Three ringnecks and a blackduck. A good day.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Impoundment – Pee Dee 12-21-2008 08:24
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A friend joined me in my impoundment along the Pee Dee in SC this past Thurs. morning and lots of woodies, but no big ducks. We got 4 and lost one cripple that Maple could not find.

On Saturday morning, I hunted with some friends in their impoundment along the Pee Dee about 4 miles south of mine, I never shot, but they got 6 woodies and missed on 2 mallards.

Hunting in 60 deg. morning temps,long sleeve shirt and waders only, swatting
mosquitos, and having to watch for cottonmouths in mid December is not my idea of good ducking conditions. Hopefully we will see some colder weather patterns before seasons end.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 12-20-2008 12:38
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
Went out for a duck hunt in the same location that I shot the 3 duck limit earlier this week. It was quite a difference today.

The ducks had shifted thier flight pattern from earlier in the week and we had ducks in the area, but not many flew over us. We shot 2 woodies and 2 mergansers.

Dog made a epic long distance retrieve and is out in the back yard asleep as I type.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 12-17-2008 13:46
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
Went out to hunt the Nuese near my home and I got my first woodie limit of the year. It was a hard,slow three wood ducks, but a limit of the little ducks is a limit after all.

Dixie the wonderdog is still doing her best to try my nerves. She flared the first flock again today. I left the e-collar in the truck today, a mistake I won’t do again. She is so starved for retrieves that she is hard to control.

I then had a pair of woodies come in, cupped over the decoys and I managed to put one drake in the water, feet up. While Dixie was out on that retrieve, two more came in and I managed a second drake at about 35 yards. Dixie brought in duck number one and made short work of duck number two.

We then sat there for three hours without firing a shot. I saw a few ducks within range, but as is often the case with woodies in flooded timber, you don’t see them until they are upon you. I had one woodie come in low, but I had a mouth full of crackers and couldn’t blow the duck call for fear of clogging it up.

Then, as hope for a limit was all but abandoned, a single wood duck drake came cruising in, five feet off the water. I smacked him and he went down in heavy brush about 50 yards away in a cruising descent. I sent the dog, in the heavy current she kept scenting the duck far away from it’s actual location. After some concentrated whistle blowning and frantic hand signals(one of which I can’t use with women or children in the boat), she finally listened to me and plowed into the heavy brush that was situated in about 8 feet of water and in strong current. She brought back the duck, evidently it had been killed instantly, in spite of the locked wing descent that put it down so far from the boat. It may not have been pretty, but all in all it was a pretty good retrieve. I have her a dog bisquit for that one.

Textbook overcast rainy day with a limit of wood ducks and a happy dog. Good day.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Roanoke River 12-16-2008 13:12
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for a hunt on the Roanoke this morning. I saw some ducks, but since I was by myself it was hard to spot the ducks until they were upon me since at this spot they come from all over.

Dixie the wonderdog has fully recovered from her surgery and had her first day afield since the Nov. opener. She has been in duck retriever withdrawal for at least 3 weeks now. She was pretty antsy so I had to put the shock collar on her to get her under control.

In spite of the collar, she managed to flare the first flock of ducks, a group of about 10 woodies. After she was re-introduced to Mr. Franklin’s wonderful invention(electricity) she quickly calmed down. Sort of.

I had several ducks fly by at easy range, but they would surprise me from the direction I was not looking in. Typical luck for me. I then managed to drop a woodie drake and Dixie got to make a retrieve on a cripple, she had fun. I later dropped a Greenwing drake(about 9:30 am). I saw several large ducks(mallards,black ducks) at about 75 yards but they would not decoy. I also saw several large flocks of teal early, but they never came close to me.

A fun day, two ducks. Happy dog.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Anson, Richmond, Chesterfield 12-10-2008 05:49
– – –
Yesterday, a friend and I hunted quail all day in Anson & Richmond Cos., NC and Chesterfield Co, SC. We skipped around, released the dogs at lespedza food plots, circled a 10 acre area around the plot then loaded the dogs and moved to the next food plot. We mostly talked about the good old days for quail hunting, but did manage to find 4 average sized coveys of 8-10 birds per covey and killed 6 for the day.

Last year the impoundment in the lowgrounds on my land along the Pee Dee in Chesterfield Co. never had water due to the drought. Yesterday, it was half full of water. With the rainfall we’re supposed to receive this afternoon and tomorrow, should have close to a full pond for the opener in SC on Saturday.

Hope you guys have fun on opening morning in NC. Should be plenty of water in sloughs and beaver ponds for Saturday with the anticipated rainfall over the next 36 hrs.

Remember, take the kids with you and be safe.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Roanoke River 11-29-2008 17:23
Cloudy, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Went out for the Nov. closer on the Roanoke.
My hunting buddy managed to connect on a widgeon and a ringneck. I didn’t even get to pull a trigger.

There were a few ducks flying, but not many. perhaps we might get some cold weather to move the ducks down.

The bright spot is that when the season starts back up in December my lab will be fully recover from her surgery and ready to hunt.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Roanoke River 11-28-2008 15:13
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Went out for a hunt on the Roanoke River this morning. Saw a few ducks, but no large numbers in the area I was hunting.

I did manage to take a greenhead,a greenwing drake and a ringneck drake. The teal and ringneck decoyed and were taken just off the water in the decoys. The greenhead(a redleg migrator)circled the decoys 4 or 5 times before I realized he was not going to decoy and I took him at about 40 to 45 yards( the very edge of range for steel shot).

Without the dog it was hard work to retrieve the ringneck and the greenhead as both were cripples and had to be chased down but we managed to recover our birds.

I can’t wait for my lab to recover from her surgery and get back in the water.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenoir County 11-27-2008 10:06
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Went out to hunt a series of ponds off the Nuese River this morning. I had to go without my trusty lab Dixie, she had to be operated on this week for Pyometra(I think that is how it is spelled)and she will be on light duty for 10 days. She howled like a banshee when I pulled out this morning at 4:30am.

I got set up in good time and once again I was beset by mergansers. At least 75 or 80 of them. I tried to ignore them, but they aggravated me. They would fly into my decoys and then swim off. After about 30 minutes they would take off from the other side of the pond and fly around for about 10 minutes and parachute back into my decoys. Wash,rinse, repeat. Over and over. At about 9:30, I knew it was time to pull out so I would not be late for turkey. So when they parachuted it that time, I stood up and smacked a hoodie drake. Without a dog, I had to go get it myself. Made me sad.

Had some geese circle me in the area and pass within the very outskirts of range(about 40 to 45 yards), but I did not try them. I will hope they come closer on another trip.

[Edited By Scott-Tolar on 2008-11-27 15:05]

Posted By:
miltone
Web Member

Beaufort County 11-23-2008 06:30
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Scott, I enjoy your reports so I will get off my hump and write one myself. We need to get other guys to do the same. I guess we
all figure if we write to much all the guys from the west will flood in here. I check the reports from VA and MA and those guys don’t post nothing.

Well my report:

Actually two reports:

Wednesday 11-19-08: Cold but clear and some wind from the west. Hunting by myself. Set up mallards, ringnecks, and teal. Just after opening time a pair came in side ways to me and I took the lead bird out real nice
with a over head swing shot. Droped out side
the decoys. Wind not blowing to much so I waited to pick this one up. About ten minutes later a large flock of 30-35 ringnecks came in pasted high once. I let then pass the second time. I love to hear
the sound of those wings. They turned back and cupped wing right in my face. Beautiful.
Took out two birds. Picked up these three.
The first one was a ringneck drake. Now had
two ringneck drakes and one ringneck hen in the boat. About 10 minutes later three came in low, right to the edge of the decoys. I took all three. Two more ringneck drakes and a ringneck hen. All over for me in 45 minutes. This is the frist time this has happened to me in the last 6 years. Great.

Saturday 11-22-08: Went back to the same place as Wednesday but with my two buddies.
Same conditions. Same spead. Hoping to clean
up on the ringnecks but it turned out different. Had three mergansers come in early and took them all. Nothing moving for
about 20 minutes. Then from the right of us a large flock of about 18 large birds can in and dropped into us with wings fully cupped.
We took them with two automatics and one double barrel between us. Six birds fell from the sky after 8 shots. I believe I had one assit and two of my own. It was raining ducks. Went out to pick up. 5 mallard hens and one mallard drake. First time any of us had had this large of flock of mallards decoy on us this good. About 10 minutes later a flock of abouy 9 mallards worked us good but never came in. Never saw any ringnecks. Stayed about another hour and 1/2 and did not see any more birds. But that one flock will be a with all of us forever.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 11-22-2008 12:53
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 25-30 Degrees – Open Water
Went out for a hunt on the Nuese. As usual the Nues proved it is a unpredictable place to hunt. The water has dropped 6 feet since Monday. The hole I scouted from land(and was unable to hunt from the land) on Monday was almost too low to get into today.

We put in the river and started up the swamp we intended to hunt. We could not get into the back of the swamp where we wanted, but we did the best we could and set up near the mouth of the channel going into the backwater.

We had a flock of about 5 woodies come in right at shooting time, we took two of them. In fact, one of the ducks, the drake I shot, actually landed in the boat and hit the dog in the head. She was surprised to say the least. My buddy’s duck, a hen, went down about 10 yards behind the boat. We opted to not send the dog at that time as we were hoping for more woodies in the opening minutes. We saw some woodies and some mallards, but got no more shots.

We stayed in the spot until about 9:30 am. My 11 year old was getting cold so we decided to head in. We sent the dog on a blind for the hen which she made quick work of. A textbook blind in heavy brush.

A good day.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

North Dakota 11-16-2008 08:09
– – –
I arrived home this past Friday evening after a 3 week trip to ND hunting waterfowl and upland birds and by far the best trip ever. Waterfowl were everywhere until the big snow and freezeout and after the storm we hunted ducks in pea fields. Pheasant hunting was superb and more huns than I’ve ever seen in previous years. I took my 3 setters(Andy,Mollie,Sam) and yellow lab(Maple). They worked triple time during the trip and did not want to get out of my suburban for routine pit stops on the 2 1/2 day return home trip. Just slept and rested. This year I rented the home from one of the landowners and our group really enjoyed staying close our hunting areas. Prepared our meals at the house, ate wild game taken during daily hunts, washed our clothes about every 3rd night, but had to travel 17 miles to the nearest gas pumps. What can I say. It was fun!!!

On a local note, my oldest son hunted ducks yesterday and bagged 2 woodies and one drake mallard.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenior County 11-15-2008 15:33
Cloudy, Rain & Thunderstorms – Over 70 Degrees
Went out for a Saturday hunt and it was eventful if nothing else.

When I left the house at 4am it was not even sprinkling, it was overcast, but dry. I got to my spot and set up my decoys. At legal time(about 6:10 am)it was so dark due to heavy cloud cover that shooting was a impossibilty. Then at 6:28 am it happened.

Due to it being so warm, I was in my camo T-shirt and lightweight face mask. Suddenly the wind picked up and I saw a few fat raindrops hit the pond. I somehow had a funny feeling and picked up my raincoat and put it on. No sooner than I zipped it up, the bottom fell out.

It poured down rain for so hard for 45 minutes that I could not see my decoys. My canoe filled up with water and my gear was floating around in it. Lighting was striking the ground all around the area. It was so bad it scared my lab Dixie and she cowered underneath my hunting chair as we sat concealed in the underbrush. With weather that rough I decided it was better to hunker down that it was to move while the lighting was that fierce.

About 7:20 it began to lighten up and by 7:45 it was down to a light rain. Then the second surprise of the morning occured.

Ducks started parachuting into the pond from all directions. Just one down side, they were all hooded mergansers. Several hundred of them over the next 2 hours. I took 2 large nice hoodie drakes(they are good for dog training this summer). The dog made 2 excellent retrieves including a very nice 150 yard blind on a wounded hoodie that really made her work for it.

Not the best hunting day I ever had, but interesting anyway.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Campbell Creek 11-11-2008 16:54
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
We went out for a Veteran’s Day hunt at the impoundments since the holiday fell on a Tuesday. I didn’t expect to see too many people as most businesses no longer give this day as a holiday(a trend I personally find offensive). But I was wrong. The parking area was loaded when we arrived at 3:45 am. We set out for a little used impoundment that is usually ignored by most hunters. In fact we were the only ones in this impounment while the main impoundments were packed. We were hoping to have them run the ducks to us.

Didn’t work out that way. At a few minutes before shooting time a flock of woodies blew through, we had to let them pass. Then a flock of 5 woodies came in low at about 10 minutes after legal time. We managed to take one wood duck and the dog made a excellent retrieve. We watched as the hunters in the impoundments around us pounded away at the ducks, lots of skybusting. With the impoundments so crowded, I guess no one wanted to try to work them. I saw no one decoying birds, it was all pass shooting.

Talked to a group coming out at the same time as us(about 10:00 am). A group of three hunters, one wood duck between them.

We saw a fair number of ducks. Just too many hunters(with us contributing to the overcrowding problem).

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Pamlico River 11-08-2008 16:55
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for a hunt on the Pamlico River in a spot that has produced well for me in the past. We were at the boat ramp at 4:45 am, and we set out in good time to be set up before shooting time. As we were getting ready to pull out of the ramp, another truck pulled up to the ramp, and the men set about to launch thier boat. They looked at us and asked us if we were hunting and we were suprised to learn they were there at 5:00 am to go fishing!

We set out to our location and were set up in plenty of time. When shooting time came, a flock of ringnecks flew over, right at the edge of shooting range, headed back up the creek past our location to the very headwaters of the small creek we set up in. We let them pass thinking they might pass back back later in the morning(which happens frequently at this location). Then a wood duck came in low, well within range but surprised us as it was barely above the grass when it cleared the creek and blew past us before we could recover.

Normally in this spot the ducks come from up the creek and we set up accordingly. We were surprised when by 7:30 am no ducks were seen coming up the creek. At 7:45 am a flock of 3 teal came in from behind us, not from up the creek as expected, but from directly behind our boat, cutting across the creek. They set wings and parachuted into our decoys. We stood up and took two of them just off the surface. The dog made two excellent retrieves, both blinds on cripples, one that took off several times and was actually caught in the air by the dog about 75 yards from the original location that the dog first tried to take the duck.

After that excellent dog work we were enthusiastic about the morning. This spot is one that traditionally has ducks flying late so we were fired up. Several boats pulled up fishing the small creek we were in but both turned around when we waved them off(politeness you so seldom see anymore). We set there until 9:30 and to our complete bewilderment we never saw another duck fly by. We picked up our decoys and set out to the ramp.

We soon saw why no ducks came up the creek. At the mouth of the creek, a dozen or so fishing boats were set up fishing for trout. We continued down the river to the ramp, running a obsticle course of boats all the way to the ramp. The ramp we had been alone at when we left at 5:00am (except for one truck) was so packed that trucks were parking along the road outside the parking lot! There were 27 trucks and trailers that I counted, and they were all fishing in the area we were hunting. It explained why we saw no ducks coming up the creek, normally they came up the river, turned into the creek we were hunting and followed it to near where we hunted. No ducks made it past the gauntlet of fishing boats without flaring long before they got to our creek, and any that did were turned away by the dozen boats in the mouth of the creek itself!

We still had a good day, we shot two teal and the dog made two retrieves that were excellent. We also learned that we only want to hunt this location during the week, never on Saturday and NEVER, EVER WHEN THE TROUT ARE BITING!

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenoir County 10-24-2008 13:13
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
I went out for a scouting trip this morning and I once again found mallards. It is quite encouraging to find mallards this early in the year. I just hope they continue to hang around until Nov. 8th.

I was scouting a small beaverpond near my house. I found this spot last spring, but the low water at that time made the area inaccessable. This is my first return trip to check it out and the first time I have found water in the location. The pond was shallow, about a foot deep except for the channel running down the center of the pond. The ducks were located in the open area near the dam itself. I jumped up about 25 to 30 woodies and at least a half dozen mallards.

The weather is already turning cool, that is a good sign . The forcast is for rain tonight and tomorrow. That is good news as well. If the positive signs continue, this might be a really good year.

[Edited By Scott-Tolar on 2008-10-24 13:16]

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenior County 10-22-2008 14:37
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
I have two scouting trips to report.

First scouting trip, last Monday. Went out to scout a small beaverpond near the house. The water is in the swamp, not as deep as I would like, but usable. It is difficult to navigate the swamp due to the shallow water,cypress knees and fallen debris, but it can be done. I got back to the hole in the back of the swamp and jumped up about 30 woodies as well as at least 2 mallards. This is the second time to scout this spot, both times I found ducks in the same hole around 10:00am (a pretty good sign for woodies!). The fact the ducks are using the same hole every time is encouraging for this spot.

Went to scout a spot in Greene County that I found after the end of last season. Last Feb. the water was high and the ducks were in this spot. Now the water is low, and I did not even hear a single wood duck squeal in the distance. Not a good sign for Greene County in this location.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenoir County 10-11-2008 12:47
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 60-65 Degrees
Went out with my son to scout a location near my house this morning. We got in at first light. We saw about 10 or 15 ducks in a small swamp near my house. This is small hole, not to be hunted more than about twice a season, but it should produce a 3 duck woodie limit at least that many times. We moved down the creek that feeds the swamp and saw some more ducks, not many, but low flying and at ease.

I will use this as a quick hunt in Nov, and perhaps once again in Jan.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Anson County 10-04-2008 18:10
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 50-60 Degrees
My 2 oldest sons and I hunted in a wet slough about 400′ from the banks of the Pee Dee this morning and it was all over in 5 min. 50-75 woodies poured in thru the hardwoods and heavy fog and we each bagged our limits. We each had our labs and took turns allowing the dogs to retrieve. I had my yellow lab,Maple and her puppy, Maggie. It was Maggie’s first duck hunt and fun to watch her excitement. Maggie is 10 mos. old.
Last year this slough was almost dry and no woodies, but this morning it was full of water and woodies.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 10-04-2008 11:07
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 50-60 Degrees
Went out with my son for the closing of the 4 day October season. We arrived at the ramp on time at 5am and set out up the river for the 6 mile run from the ramp to the spot we wanted to hunt. We arrived about 6am and set up our decoys.

A flock of about 5 or 6 woodies buzzed our blind just prior to legal shooting time. A flock came through our location about 20 minutes after legal time and I didn’t connect on a shot. Then a flock of 4 came through about 15 minutes later and I dropped a nice wood duck drake. Then it happened.

A fisherman in a white bass boat pulled into the small creek we were hunting in. I tried to wave him off, but he didn’t seem to see me. So I got out my strobe light and flashed him. I thought it looked like he saw me strobing and waving, but he continued to fish, moving closer to my position. So I then fired a shot into the air to get his attention, strobed him and waved him off. He continued to fish. I pulled up my boat anchor, and rode over to talk to him. I pointed out that he was fishing so close to my spread that he would mess up our hunting. He continued to fish as he answered that he didn’t know I was hunting. I asked him did he see me waving and hitting him with the strobe? Yes he had, but didn’t know what I wanted. I found that hard to believe, but I then asked him what he thought it meant when I fired a shot in the air. He said he had no idea, never missing a cast in our entire conversation.

I realized he didn’t care if he messed up our hunting, so I decided to move myself. I told him that my son and I would go farther up the creek about 300 yards to take the small branch to the right and reset up at the end of the creek. So I bid him a good morning and my son and I picked up our decoys and set out farther up the creek. Just as we finished setting out our decoys we looked up, and there he was again, fishing up the little branch we had gone to, even after I had informed him of our plans. I didn’t say anything, we picked up our decoys and decided to go home. As we passed his boat, he called out “I’m sorry I am messing up your hunting.” I informed him that it was okay, that the important thing was that he got to have fun fishing today and it was my fault for expecting him to show any courtesy or respect for our hunting this area and having gotten there first. Just because we were at the ramp at 5am and rode up there in the dark and set up to hunt this small creek before he got there, it did not mean he did not have the right to do as he pleased with no concern as to the needs of others.

He looked shocked, and I think a little ashamed for his actions. He didn’t answer me back, instead he sort of hung his head and didn’t face me. My son and I rode away and went home.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Pamlico River 10-03-2008 13:31
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Went out for the third day of the four day October opener and got skunked. I am disapointed, this is one of my favorite spots that has always produced for me in the past. It is true that it is much better hunting in November, but it is usually good for a couple of wood ducks each, sometimes some mallards and teal.

We were cutting it kind of close to shooting time getting out our gear, but we were set up with 15 minutes to spare before legal shooting time. We saw several flocks of mallards, four or five small flocks of woodies, but nothing that came within range. Then a flock of four gadwall came in on us.

I have no explanation for our poor marksmanship. Up to this point neither my partner or myself had fired more than two shots to down a bird, but we both stood up and emptied our guns at these ducks at about 30 yards and didn’t touch them. I am baffled and a little disgusted with myself. Had we knocked down two or three of this four duck flock, our poor day afield would have been a rousing sucess.

All in all it was a good day however. This particular spot is spectacular, the scenery is amazing. We saw some ducks,and in spite of not taking any, it was a great day afield.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 10-02-2008 17:47
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 50-60 Degrees
Went out for the second day of the 4 day Oct. opener. I decided to stick to the Nuese River(being close by with gas at 3.79 a gallon). I picked an area that was downstream from my opening day hunt.

I went alone today, my usual partner had to work. He will be rejoining me tomorrow as we hunt one of our favorite locations.

I got to my spot about an hour before sunrise and set out my decoys, about a half dozen each mallards/woodducks/ringnecks(I like ringneck decoys because they are brightly colored and seem to draw the attention of ducks in timber) and got set up. It was a good spot, even though on my next trip I intend to relocate my boatblind to a different location. With the flight path they were using, in the location I picked I only saw them at the last possible second. I had numerous ducks get by me(in groups of 1 or 2 to groups as large as 5 or 6). I did manage to drop 2 wood duck drakes by about 8 am, with the action slowing to a complete stop at about 9am.

[Edited By Scott-Tolar on 2008-10-02 17:48]

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 10-01-2008 16:41
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Went out for the season opener this morning. I went to a newly scouted location that I had never hunted before. I had paddled my canoe into this spot but discovered that the area that I would want to set up in to hunt was over 6 feet deep, making it too deep for waders. I attempted to find a good route to access this spot with my boat and returned today.

As we arrived, heavy fog began to roll in. Without having a route marked on GPS I was unable to find the exact spot I wanted to set up in. I found a pretty good spot after about a half hour of wandering around lost in the fog and we set up. We put out about a half dozen mallards,3 woodie and 3 ringneck decoys and concealed the boat in a good spot.

We saw and heard a fair number of ducks, not a huge amount, but had we been been in the open landing zone I wanted to find we might have faired better. As it was, we managed to down 3 woodies between the 2 hunters. The dog made some good retrieves so it was a good day, all things considered.

The water is up, the swamps have water in them and the ducks are beginning to find the backwaters. If the water stays up, should be a good season.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 09-20-2008 10:47
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 60-65 Degrees
My son and I went out for a scouting trip this morning. The water is finally up, the river was easily navigable and the creeks were deep enough to access with a boat for the first time in months. Prior to the trip today, the only way up the creek we were scouting was to transport the canoe in the boat to the mouth of the creek and switch to the canoe to access the creek.

My son wanted to paddle around in his new creekboat, so we hauled his cb and my canoe in my boat to the creek and off loaded to paddle up the creek.

I was at this same location about 3 weeks ago. At that time I saw no ducks and no sign of ducks in the area. What a difference a little water and some cool weather can make. I did not see a lot of ducks, but I did see about 25 to 30 wooducks and 2 mallards. This was not a whole lot of ducks, but it was 32 more than I saw three weeks ago!

The beaver ponds are starting to fill up with water. With the extended drought of this entire summer, the vegetation has really grown up, filling them with plenty of forage for the ducks when they show up.

If the water stays up, and the weather stays cool, it would be a good omen for the upcoming season.

Went out on Sat. to target some resident geese. I had been watching them for the past several weeks, trying to pattern them for a successful hunt.

These geese had been coming into a series of ponds owned by a friend of mine on a consistant basis. They arrived almost like clockwork, arriving about 12:30 to 1:30 every day, landing in the center pond on the south side of the pond. I had glassed them on a off for several weeks and decided that I knew thier pattern well enough to set up a successful hunt.

My son and I arrived at the ponds at 10:30 am and paddled out to the location the geese had been using. We set out our goose decoys and then pulled my canoe and his creekboat up into the brush and built a makeshift blind utilizing the underbrush. We were well hidden by 11:30 and we settled back to wait.

Like clockwork, we heard the geese approaching our location at 12:35 (I looked at my watch to check the time when I heard them). They passed by behind us, just out of our site and landed in the first pond! I have no idea why, they had consistantly targeted the second pond without exception for weeks. I know they did not see us, I don’t even think they came by close enough to see our decoys. For some reason they chose a different pond that day. They were extremely wary in the pond they had chosen, staying on alert and in the very middle of the water.. As we drove out down the dirt road, they flared immediatly from a great distance. Previously they had ignored vehicles on the road, but now they seemed skittish of the truck.

I will try to glass them again this next week to try to figure them out. I guess that is why they call it hunting.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Roanoke River Game Land 09-08-2008 13:22
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – Over 70 Degrees
Went out for a draw hunt on the Roanoke River Game Land. It was a beautiful area, the fields were excellently maintained. The fields were planted in a mixture of milo and sunflowers.

The shooting was a little slow, I and my partner managed to drop 5 doves each by 10:30(my buddy had to be at work at 12:00 and I had a afternoon doctors appointment). I was told the hunting was very excellent prior to the hurricane, but for some reason the hunting dropped off afterwards.

I am now finished with dove hunting for the year. I will be getting ready for geese and for the Oct. opener for ducks now.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Wayne County 09-01-2008 18:32
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
I was getting down to the wire with no cut corn located when I found some cut on Sat. afternoon. Sat and glassed it for about 30 minutes and saw many doves flying around. Of course this is to be expected since no other corn was cut in the area. Went out for the season dove opener and had a great day.We were in our spot before 10:30 and waited eagerly for the opening time of 12 noon. I shot a limit of doves by 4:30 with the action really picking up around 3:00. In fact, I shot 11 of my doves between 3:00 and 4:30. My lab Dixie did some excellent work, finding not only my limit, but another 4 doves for a nearby hunter that had shot some he couldn’t locate. Most of the retrieves went down in a tobacco field rather than the open cut cornfield, so she really had her work cut out for her. A good day and some excellent retrieving work.

On a less than happy note, I found out that some guys went in and hunted the geese I had found and was saving for a hunt with my son next Sat as my dove hunting partner knows these other guys and when I described the spot to him, he recognized it as the spot his buddies were going into this morning. I can’t complain about it, I can’t expect to always find geese(or ducks for that matter)that no one else has managed to find. I wanted to go on the dove opener with my son and hunt geese next Sat., I should have instead hunted geese early and doves after lunch(this being one of those rare years when I know where the geese are on the opener). That being said, you can’t always have your cake and eat it too. I hope the guys that went in had a good day. I heard they are really good guys and very ethical hunters. I am going to try to slip in next Sat. if the geese are still coming in(I will check it out early one day this week). I want to go on a goose hunt with my son.

I hope all had a safe and happy dove opener.

[Edited By Scott-Tolar on 2008-09-01 22:17]

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Opening dove day 08-28-2008 02:11
– – –
Monday, Sept. 1st will mark 53 consecutive years that I have shared opening dove day with family and friends. A tradition that my father started with me when I was 8 yrs. old has continued today with my 3 sons(ages 30,27,22) and each of our circle of friends.
And now, with the early goose season coinciding with the opening day of dove season, we also begin the day at first light with a goose hunt. Today, with my 3 sons growing older and doing more with their friends, the opening dove day is one of those few cherished times that I am able to share the moment with the four of us being together for the whole day.

If you have children be sure to include them and start your own family tradition. If you don’t have children, ask a friend who does and be sure to include the kids. The kids are the only salvation for the future of our hunting heritage in this country.

And most importantly, be safe, which translates to a fun day had by all.

Paul

[Edited By Paul – Kiker on 2008-08-28 02:23]

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Nuese River 08-26-2008 05:59
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Went out for a scouting trip on the Nuese to check out water conditions. The end result is not good. The water is very low. The creeks are dry enough off the main channel to make it impossible to travel(unless you have a mudboat). We need rain.

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Lake Tillery 08-12-2008 05:19
– – –
My neighbor here at the Lake loves to bass fish. He lives in Monroe, but comes to his lake house about every weekend and fishes. This past Fri. evening I was at my dock when he walked down, drank a beer with me, and ask me to go bass fishing with him early the next morning.I ask him the usual question “they bitin much” and his reply was no, but he had a big smile on his face. I gathered he had found a “sweet spot” but was not going to elaborate any.With that grin he had on his face, I decided I’d go.
We left his dock at 6am and travelled about 4 miles up to the lake(I’m sworn to secrecy) and from about 6:30 until 8am on Sat. morning, we were in schools of largemouth in a feeding frenzy on shad minnows just like the perch you see on the lake these days, and caught and released a huge mess of bass in the 2-3lb. class. Now that was fun.

Paul

[Edited By Paul – Kiker on 2008-08-12 05:21]

Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest

Anson County 08-03-2008 11:01
– – Over 70 Degrees
Yesterday, I stopped by my farm and checked my 3 1/2 acre sunflower field. The pods have almost matured and should be ready for me to mow by the end of the 3rd week of August. This year, I decided I would save myself the extra $30 per 50lb. bag and did not buy and plant roundup ready seed. I sprayed a combination of roundup and 2-4-D about 10 days prior to drilling my seed and fertilizing, and, of course, by not being able to spray a second time after the plants were about 2 wks. old, I now have 10 times the number of weeds as I do sunflower plants. However, I plan to spray again about one week before mowing, kill everything,sunflower plants and weeds, and it should spread sunflower seeds good enough for doves to find.I usually hunt the area once a week and get 3-4 good hunts for a small group by not overhunting.

Once again, I look forward to the opener for resident geese as well as doves, and for you guys that hunt on Lake Tillery, I’ve been seeing 50-200 resident geese on the lake for the last 2 weeks. The weekend boating traffic breaks them into smaller groups, but during the week I’ve seen the group rafting in the middle of the lake at dusk.

Our plans are made for our fall midwest Oct.-Nov. hunting trip. Three friends and myself are driving out for the 2-3 week trip of hunting waterfowl and upland birds.

Wacammaw Perch have really been schooling top water out from my dock for the last week. Each morning and evening 2-3 boats are fishing for them. I have yet to try them, even though I could catch them while fishing off my dock.

Summer humidity is finally here. Be careful with outdoor activities, cause the “monkey” is out there and he will jump on your back if you don’t plan accordingly.

Paul

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Eastern NC 07-19-2008 13:18
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Went out to scout a beaverpond in eastern NC this morning. As expected, the water was very low. I found a lot of trees down in the channel that caused me more than a little work to try to get to the very back of the swamp.

I jumped up no wood ducks. Not one. However,once I had managed to get into the very backcountry of this swamp, I was suprised to hear the sound of mallards coming from the nearby woods. Forcing my canoe back in very furthest reaches of the swamp, I realized that there a series of ponds on the adjoining property. I did a little scouting around and found the ducks as well as the pond they were in.

Using the internet, I ascertained the name of the owner of the property from tax records. While he declined to allow me to hunt on this series of ponds(he liked the mallards and would come down to see them several times a week), he did give me permission to access his property from the swamp for fishing and canoeing purposes. He was a very nice guy.

It turns out he owned the swamp as well. I had always thought it was state property. He did give me permission to hunt the swamp. I will return with a chainsaw to clear out the fallen debris in order to make the passage easier. This is a spot that has produced for me in the past and now that I know how to get into the very back regions of this area, I intend to check it out better.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Craven County 07-12-2008 10:37
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
My son and myself went out to scout for woodies at a location that is pretty near home near New Bern. We were on the road by 3 am., I was suprised at the large number of bass boats I was seeing. We hit Hwy 70 headed east and I was passed by at least a dozen bass boats. I remarked to my son that they must be have a bass tourney somewhere. When we arrived at New Bern we were passed by 3 in a row that turned in at the Lawson Creek boat ramp. I was not concerned as we were headed quite a distance from this site and I thought they would not affect us. We got out well before first light and set up off the main river to monitor activity.

By about 20 minutes after sunrise we had not seen a single duck, not even at a distance. This is not a good sign when targeting resident woodies, so I decided to change my position before the optimum scouting time was over. I traveled about 15 minutes farther up the creek to check the backwaters, but again, I jumped up no woodies. We eased back out into the river and headed to another creek that has been a good spot on occasion in years gone by. Then it happened.

A bass boat blew up the river past me going like 70. I kid you not, that boat was flying. Crap, I thought, they have run up all the ducks on the river, I won’t get to see them staging. I was soon passed by 2 more. I got to the creek to check it out, a bass boat was in the mouth of the creek and two men were fishing furiously. I pulled up and cut my motor. I asked the men if anyone else gone up the creek(I still had hopes of scouting the back of the creek). Two or three boats they replied. Oh, well, I told my son, time to go home. Still we had a beautiful sunrise and we know at least one spot that we are not likely to hit this Oct. opener.

I am going to check another swamp next week to see how much water it is holding and to see if any resident woodies are hanging around.

Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor

Lenior County 07-09-2008 15:00
Cloudy, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Went scouting at a swamp that was holding ducks earlier in the season, the water is almost completely gone. I jumped up about 6 woodies at the mouth of the feeding stream, but there were no other ducks in the swamp.

We need water.