Posted By:
John-Kruse
Field Editor
Potholes Reservoir 10-19-2007 17:28
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
Okay,
I said I was done as a VFE and I’ve got to admit that I’m less than pleased by how Waterfowler.com has kept up on their promises. But….There is something to be said for communicating our love of waterfowl hunting online. With that in mind – Here’s the Opening Day Report:
I hunted Saturday, Sunday and Monday on Potholes Reservoir. The opener went pretty well, with 13 birds for 3 hunters. Sunday tailed off dramatically with only two birds shot by us. However, one of those was a banded bird (that my friend has not called in yet).
Monday I went out with three other hunters and a guide on the Mar Don Duck Taxi. The company was good the but the shooting was slow for us (and everyone else in the area). We managed 5 ducks but did have a fun airboat ride getting into and out of the dunes (going over land in a boat is a very unique experience).
I put together a You Tube video/ slide show about my experiences with the Duck Taxi over the last couple of seasons. You can view it by logging onto the link below:
Meanwhile, the WDFW has posted a bird hunting report for North Central Washington in their latest Weekender Report. Here’s the pertinent info:
“Waterfowl hunting opened Oct. 13, when WDFW wildlife biologist Rich Finger and waterfowl specialist Mikal Moore checked duck hunters on Potholes Reservoir and the Columbia Basin wasteways. Hunter averaged 2.5 ducks per person, and the harvest was mostly American wigeon, mallards, and green-winged teal.
“Early morning fog on the wasteways obscured visibility and limited success of some parties,” Moore said. “But few went home empty-handed. Hunters should watch the weather reports closely as cold weather and wind brings new birds to the area.” Moore said the early migrant species, including northern pintail and green-winged teal, are arriving in large numbers and can be found in association with shallow seasonal wetlands, and local cinnamon teal have largely migrated to warmer climates.
Moore reminded waterfowlers there is additional opportunity to harvest canvasbacks this year, with the daily bag limit doubled to two birds due to exceptional production in the Canadian prairies.
Pheasant hunting opens Oct. 20. The number of wild roosters in Grant and Adams counties should be similar to recent years, boosted periodically throughout the two-and-a-half-month season with game-farm-raised roosters at WDFW release sites. See release site details at http://wdfw.wa.gov/wlm/game/water/ewapheas.htm.
Meanwhile quail and partridge hunting, under way since Oct. 6, has been fairly good in some areas. The highest densities of quail are in the dry land portions of Grant County, but huntable numbers are available at some locations in the irrigated parts of Grant and Adams counties. Good opportunity for Hungarian or gray partridge is in central Adams County on WDFW Hunter Access Program lands.”
I hope all of you have a great season and I’ll drop in from time to time with more reports and news.
Posted By:
Kwack Wacker
Guest
Yak Valley 10-19-2007 13:51
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Seems like a few more ducks movin around this week after a little rest from the barages of the weekend, jumpshot a couple teal the other night, I have a feeling this next week will improve, Good Luck once again this weekend I’m sure some guys will a get limmits, hopefully me!
Posted By:
Kwack Wacker
Guest
Yak river 10-19-2007 13:47
Sunny & Clear, Morning Fog – 35-40 Degrees
First day was good and we got limmits including a Drake redhead. 2nd day was slow for us but we still scratched out a few woodies and a banded hen mallard.
By the way the youth hunt was great for us and we got 28 ducks during the 2 days and 7 species.
Good Luck this weekend and wahck em!!!
Posted By:
Ralph-Engle
Guest
North of Spokane 10-18-2007 14:59
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
First report of the year. The hunting was good on Sat and much slower on Sunday. Talked to several others who had a good Sat. but slow Sunday. Hang in there! They will come, after all we have built something haven’t we?
Ralph
Call em in close and shoot the BOY DUCKS
Posted By:
westsidequackwacker
Guest
10-18-2007 11:25
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hey all opening weekend was good here around the sound out on the flats in nisqually limited on mallards and wigeon on saturday and sunday..lots of birds still showing up weather is getting colder and wetter..have a good weekend all and shoot em in the beaks!!!!
Posted By:
dabears101
Web Member
cherry valley 10-17-2007 23:05
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 35-40 Degrees
went out today and got 2 one of my own and one that my friend got it was his first duck EVER so that was pretty cool being the one that called it in for him
Posted By:
Hugh-Carney
Field Editor
Basin/Yak Valley 10-17-2007 10:51
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As usual the reports for the opener are all over the board. What looked like higher than average numbers didn’t pan out in all areas. The reports from the lower Yakima Valley show that it was really slow on Sat and Sun. The area I hunted was ave. on Sat and really slow on Sun. but scouting helped us limit. With the warm and quiet weather any flying was done by 8:30.
I took the late afternoon on Tuesday to look around and it was barren in the western Basin. Not only a few ducks in the air but almost nothing to be seen near or far. We are expecting strong wind and rain the next few days and that may change things. There is even a forecast for snow in the overnite hours in some parts of the Columbia Basin and Yakima Valley. That changes again for the extended forecast and temps back near 70 by next Tuesday and Wed.
Season is closed Oct. 18th and 19th so they may settle back into some areas and Sat could be a bit better.
-Hugh
Posted By:
westsidequackwacker
Guest
puget sound 10-11-2007 13:38
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looks good for opener here on the west side lots of ducks starting to show wigeon are starting to show in some numbers diver are worken there way down green wing teal and lots of local mallards around should be a good opener. looks to be a blue bird weekend but heck it opening day!!!!!!!!!
shoot’em in the beak!!
Posted By:
Hugh-Carney
Field Editor
C. Basin/Yak. Valley 10-11-2007 10:40
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Don’t forget the bug spray. The temps for the weekend are expected in the low 70’s and calm in the Yakima Valley and mid 70’s and calm in the basin. There hasn’t been any significant cold to kill the bugs so they will be in force. Watch for bees nest particulary ground nests, too.
-Hugh
Posted By:
dabears101
Web Member
10-10-2007 19:43
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Just a couple more days, i myself cant wait that long but me and a friend are going to go out sunday morning before the hawks game and hopefully get some shooting in before all the pheasant hunters come in. Hope everyone has a good opener.
