Posted By:
DukDad
Guest
Guilford Salt Marsh 12-17-2002 11:00
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 40-45 Degrees
I set out in my canoe for an afternoon hunt all by my lonesome and finally popped my cherry. Not by harvesting some exotic wild life but by taking my first post Labor Day swim (with all my gear of course). How refreshing to back stroke through the swamp in December all the time remembering what Screaming Teal had told me just before I left, “Don’t stand up in the canoe, it might tip over”. Some things you just have to learn on your own I guess.
After my workout I decided to resume my quest for the Little Black Ducks that had been buzzing me the whole time I was fishing for my fowling piece. With piece once again in hand (more literally than figuratively) I crept though the mud to their hiding place whereupon about 100 birds jumped high into the air (something I hoped I could learn before my next canoe trip). One curious little bugger decided to investigate the waterlogged figure standing in the swamp covered from head to toe with mud and now he resides in my freezer.
Later, after spending some quality time with my slide rule and calculator I came to the conclusion that this outing was definitely a net calorie loss.
Tud
Posted By:
Dave-Proulx
WFC Sponsor
Hfd County 12-16-2002 19:47
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Lots of geese, good movements on both the river and in fields. Killed 2 banded birds this week.Snow melt should help keep geese around.
Also seeing quite a few mallards on the Ct and Farmington rivers. Few woodies still around on the Farmington river as well. Not seeing as many black ducks yet.
Posted By:
the bull
Guest
THAMES RIVER 12-16-2002 04:25
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 40-45 Degrees
Nice somewhat rainy day on the river on 12/14/02. Saw some geese and some divers just after legal hours but not too many birds flying all day. My hard charging friend was able to coax a diver in the spread and that was the only taker of the day.
Bull
Posted By:
DanburyDucker
Guest
Candlewood Lake 12-14-2002 21:05
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 40-45 Degrees
If you haven’t been to the state ramp near Squantz pond in more than a week, be prepared. Water level is going down quickly. Best bet is to launch off the right hand side of the ramp. I haven’t been out since last Saturday, but picked up a new 25hp 4 stroke Yamaha that might require a sickday sometime this week. With all the rain and snow melt, I might even check out the great swamp area in Ridgefield. The area behind the bank just off 35 on Farmingtontonville road was loaded with Mallards last time it flooded.
Good Shooting,
DD
Posted By:
Bigwaterdogs1
Guest
River 12-09-2002 18:15
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 0-10 Degrees – Open Water
Great day today Shot mallards& blacks, one banded mallard too. Lots of birds around but not a lot worked the decoys. Shooting came sporradicly My buddy shot well, I on the other hand took a while to get my act together but managed to in the end. To the guy wanting opinions on cold weather and dogs, It primarily depends on each dog, ie; health, age, ability if they can get up and stretch to shake off the cold and if they have a dry place to sit after the retrieve. I have a young chessie who was just as happy swimming with ice on his whiskers today as he was swimming in the summer. Each dog has their own cold tolerance level and it is up to the owner to know the dogs personality and physical traits so they can make an educated decision as to when the dog has had enough. Remember most dogs will stay out there untill they are hypothermic just to be with you doing what you love to do together. There are steps you can take to helping your dog stay warm like getting one of the new 5 or 6 mil neoprene dog vests with the flotation. I use one on my dog and even though he made a lot of retrieves today in icy water he was warm under the vest, enough so that I used him to warm my hands. I strongly recommend getting a vest. Also giving the dog a dry place to sit and off the bottom of a metal boat floor will help. The metal will draw the heat right out of the dog making him colder faster. Also a good diet will help your friend good food high in protien and carbs will help. ( NOT the stuff you buy at the grocery store).I hope some of this helps you with your question just be aware of your dog he will tell you when he has had enough. Feel free to contact me if you would like to talkj further.
Posted By:
DanburyDucker
Guest
Heading out tomorrow on Candlewood 12-08-2002 22:22
Arctic Blast – 0-10 Degrees – Ice
Gonna be about 8 degrees when we get out there. Any dog owners have an opinion as to how long a dog should be out in that weather?
Saturday we hunted islands off of Vaughns neck. Lot’s of high flyers. Going to try a wind protected cove tomorrow.
Posted By:
iamklink
WFC Sponsor
essex, bethlehem 12-07-2002 15:56
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danburyducker, good to hear from some one close by my home town of middlebury. hows your season going? last time i got out was last weekend, saterday afternoon. we came in with 9, one of our best outtings in a while. been seeing lots of birds moving in. the north is frezzing up quick. i hope we have some open water for a while longer. keeping my fingers crossed for temps in the upper 30’s. good luck
alex
Posted By:
Dave-Proulx
WFC Sponsor
North of Hartford 12-06-2002 17:05
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Hunted Ct river north of hfd. today. Pretty good numbers of mallards, blacks, geese. Only took two birds, but learned that I kill ducks much better if the gun is loaded when I pull the trigger.
Posted By:
DanburyDucker
Guest
Candlewood Lake 12-03-2002 13:33
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A few mallards here and there near Vaughns Neck during the Thanksgiving day holiday. I’d be out more often if I didn’t fry one of the cylinders on my Merc 20. Putt–putting out there with my spare 5hp doesn’t get me to my favorite spots. Anyone hunt close to Danbury Bay, any luck?
Posted By:
Dave-Proulx
WFC Sponsor
Farmington, Ct 11-30-2002 17:04
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
One for the scrap book today. Hunted a golf course in town and put a hurtin on the geese. Four of us limited out and then called more birds in and took some great pictures. Must’ve seen over 500 geese.
Duck numbers starting to build, but still a lot of open water on larger ponds. Starting to see more birds on Ct river. With cold weather, it won’t be long.
