Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern, ME 12-15-2007 08:32
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
I went to bed last night with dreams about doing some mother freakin damage on the sea duck population add to that I had invited two people (father and son)on there first sea duck shoot. Needless to say I was both stoaked and nervous about the trip. Then there was the wheather to deal with. Well I got to the boat ramp in Saco only to find a group of hunters standing around at the entrance to the road in. After asking if all was ok they said the ramp was all iced up. So I drove in and sure enough the ice was indeed frozen to the ramp and the water was iced out to 30′. I beat myself up trying to think of ways to launch the boat SAFELY. So I opted to call the trip off. There were other ramps aroud but I knew they would be iced up as well. It may be over for the year, due to the ice and my free time. I guess if I had enought time I could clear the ramp out the day before but with these temps it would just ice up again. Oh well, at least I gave it a go. There were about 3 other hunters that pulled into the ramp only to turn around. My dog Murphy was a bit depressed as well.
Till next time.
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern ME 11-24-2007 22:48
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
This Fall has been a bit dim. Have not been out duck hunting but only twice and have gone deer hunting about 6 times and have not even jumped one. My wife is on bed rest until the end of March so I have to be around the house to help her out. Hopefully I can get a chance to go duck hunting at least once with my dog Murphy.
All for now.
Posted By:
paul-reynolds
Guest
Scarborough 11-18-2007 08:23
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Hunted the marsh yesterday, there were allot of red breasted mergansers around. Saw one small flock of geese that left the marsh early. We shot the few mergansers that came into the decoys. There were several flocks of mallards and blacks flying through but none were interested in our spread. We had one golden eye that caught us by surprise and made it away unscathed. I was hopeful the recent weather change would push more birds in the area but there seemed to be less bird in the marsh now than had been in weeks past. I plan on getting out over the thanksgiving holiday weekend as much as possible. Have a good turkey dinner and remember all that we have to be thankful for.
Posted By:
paul-reynolds
Guest
biddeford 11-14-2007 17:02
Cloudy, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Hunted Saco Bay this weekend. The water was rough and the birds were not flying as well as I would have liked. We took a few scoters and shot at a few eiders. There were small flocks of Oldsquaw ( I will never call them long tailed ducks) that buzzed the decoys but none came in. I am hopefull this weather change will move more birds into the area.
As for the earlier part of the season the warm weather has not helped much. I have a grand total of twenty birds that had been shot so far this season. I took a nice hen widgeon in Scarborough in October and the rest have been teal geese and a few mallards.
I hunted up north in September and our group took 47 geese in two days of hunting. We also took a small bull moose to round out the trip.
The first half of the season does not get me too excited as I like to get after the migrants in the late season. There has been a large flock of mallards roosting on the Saco river at night and this flock usually grows as the weather gets colder. Well thats all for now I will let you all know how this weekend’s hunt goes. Till then stay safe.
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern ME 11-11-2007 12:32
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
It has been a rather slow start for me this Fall hunting wise. I had a fairly big test to study for to move up here at work and then around the same time had to put in for jobs coming open this July. Before all this I lost a coworker in a car accident. So With all this behind me now I am getting out more. Went deer hunting twice now and sea duck hunting twice as well. Have not seen any deer yet. Lat time out for deer I saw a Mink, or at least something that looked like a ferrat. Hope to get out for deer or ducks on Tuesday.
Later
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Mid Coast 10-26-2007 16:09
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Today I saw my first oldsquaw by Round Pond. Also saw several small groups of surf scoters. I have yet to shoot one! Have not been out since last report. I had a new electrical panel put in the house and decided to stick around for that. This weekend is suposed to get snotty! Saturday the 27 is the resident opener for deer. On Monday it opens up for all. Last year it rained reel good on the opener. I will be working all weekend as usual.
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern ME 10-18-2007 10:40
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted out of my “secret spot” on Tuesday. Had a low tide at 0848, legal shooting was at 0526. Went with my usual hunting friend. We had 5 strings set out a bit after legal time. We saw a lot of eiders, more hens than drakes. The drakes were imature and I didn’t see mature drakes. Also saw about a dozen white winged scoters. I took a nice mature drake that I hope to put on the wall. Didn’t see any oldsquaw. This time last year I was coverd up in common scoters and the eiders showed up in mid November. It’s funny how it changes season to season. We did some scouting and located some new places but they are more exposed to the ocean and any wheather. Saw a tuna fisherman sitting off Wood Island trying to get lucky. The new blind workes great. I just need to weigh down the netting a bit as it tends to blow with the wind. Hope to go again this weekend. Almost forgot…the total for the day was 10 eiders 2 of which were hens and 1 white winged scoter. We lost on cripple!
[Edited By Andrew-White on 2007-10-18 11:45]
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Mid-coast 10-14-2007 16:25
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
For the past several days I have seen many eiders in small to moderate goups in and around Boothbay harbor and the surrounding tidal ledges and islands. Today I took a trip up to Bath Iron works and saw many boats fishing for stripers infront of BIW. One boat landed 2 stripers within 5 min of arriving there. They were using tinker mackerell hooked onto an Eagle Claw circle hook with 30″ of mono leader. Above the barrell swivel they had a 4oz egg sinker and were fishing it on the bottom. The fish they landed were close to 30″. I decided to head down to Popham Beach and at the lower end of the river I saw thousands of eiders. Most were probably pushed into the river by the passing Noreaster. Hope to get out Tuesday and at least take my first shots of the season. Asdo I have posted some recent offshore fishing pictures in the photo gallery. Check em out.
later
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Casco Bay 10-03-2007 18:01
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
My father and I went out grouse and woodcock hunting Monday afternoon down in Kennebunk in some of my old stomping grounds. We hunted some good cover and only flushed one nongame bird and a chipmonk. Tuesday I had planned to go seaducking but had arrived home late Monday night and my boat was not set up for duck hunting. A friend called me later and wanted to go mid-morning so I awoke early on Tuesday and got the boat ready. This was more of a recon hunting trip than a reg hunting trip. We did set up and had some eiders and common along with surf scoters give us a wide flyby. The ducks were being pushed around the bay by the local lobster boats hauling traps. The wheather was great and my new blind looked and preformed great. I have taken pictures of it and once I load them off the camera I will post them under “Duck Boats”. Lastly my father helped me weld up a 2 wheeled “dolly” out of 3/4″ angle iron, 3/8″ steel rod, some fender washers and two old bmx tires. It looks and works slick. The idea came from Waterfowl Magazine a few years ago.
Later.
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Mid Coast 09-30-2007 20:46
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Since my last entry I have built my blind on the Lund. It turned out real well. Am waiting on one more 12’x20′ camo net tarp and an outboard cover from Cabela’s. The blind should be more effective in covering the entire boat from the water line up to a seated person, about mid chest height and the bow platform. I splurged and bought an outboard cover for the kicker. Last year I had a ragged blind only on the Port side of the boat and nothing on the stbd side. So I hope this helps to bring the ducks in better without spooking. Hope to get out Tuesday for the second day of the sea duck season (both reg and sea duck open tomarrow Oct 1). My livewell needs to come out of the boat and the 3 bags of decoys need to be put in the boat along with all my other crap. Tomarrow I will be upland bird hunting with my father down in Kennebunk, somthing I have not done in years!
Have been seeing a lot of drake eiders in and around Boothbay Harbor. Mostly immature drakes. Have not seen any squaw yet. Today I saw 6 Surf Scoters by Isle Of Springs. Hope to take one for the wall this year. Hope I hunt more than I fished this year and that the wheather isn’t too nasty but a little colder sooner for hunting sake. My dog Murphy is ready to go for this season. His little brother Kirby most likely will not hunt this year unless I do some serious training! I should take him a few times by himself maybe with Murph. It’s a lot to handle both of them in the boat. Will see. On another note My wife and I are expecting an addition to the family March 30. Only 6 more months to go. She does not want to find out the sex, althought I am certain it will be a girl!
Later
