Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Scarbourough 11-21-2005 10:07
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Combat hunting was at it’s best Sat morning. I counted 7 people including the group I was with in a 1/2 mile patch of woods. There was a deer shot 75 yards behind me around 0730. Didn’t even know there was anybody behind me! Ended up haveing a spike walk past about 75 yards on the other side of a swamp. Brush was way to thick. so no shot. Jumped 2 deer while walking trough the same swamp earlier. They are defanitly holding up in the thick stuff. With all the people in the woods I can see why. Haven’t been out for ducks for a while. Trying to chase the deer around. Will go soon. It’s only getting better. This wheather we should be getting Wed/Thurs will help a lot.
Posted By:
MUTTLEY
Guest
Downeast 11-20-2005 18:35
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
The count out in Cobscook bay the other day:
500-600 scoter (mostly surf)
450-500 Eiders
200-250 Old squaw
200-250 buffle head
Seem to be hard to get move’n (tight to there rafts), and when they do, they’re not hard on the blocks, a little scitish. Gotten a few. Weathers been real fair (to warm) but S.C.A. have stayed down, H2O temp is still 48 deg. Have only seen two other boats out hunting(from Pennsylvania), they said they did well. Scallop season soon to begin so the boats will start to be in they way in the main bay.
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern Maine 11-17-2005 12:06
Mostly Cloudy, No Precipitation – 45-50 Degrees
Haven’t been out for any ducks since my last report. The second half of pudler season opened back up on the 14. I will be deer hunting down in Scarbourgh this Sat. So far I have seen no deer and not a lot of sign. Went out Monday and tuesday In Falmouth and had no luck. Was on new land and moslty walked and scouted out places. Found a real nice one though! Hopefully with this wheather coming in soon it should stir up the deer and the ducks. Meerymeeting should be ecellant as the days go on. The last week is the best in my opinion and usually very cold and icy.
Later
Posted By:
DuckDoc
Guest
STONINGTON,ME 11-07-2005 10:40
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I WILL BE UP HUNTING INTHIS AREA,DEC1,2,3.dO THE EIDERS HAVE GOOD PLUMAGE ?dOES THIS AREA HOLD A DECENT AMOUNT OF BIRDS,THAT TIME OF THE YEAR? HAS ANYONE EVER TAKEN/SEEN KING EIDERS AROUND THIS AREA?
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Southern Maine 11-07-2005 09:32
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
This Saturday will be remembered for a long time. Went out for some sea ducks Saturday (I needed a fix). When I got to the ramp I saw only one other duck hunter. So I launched my boat and started for my usual spot. I passed one group of hunters (who had no nav lights on!) and asked them were they would be setting up, I wanted to be nice and not take there intended spot. Not sure where they went but I had the spot I wanted and had no other boats in sight only very distand shots. I put out all the floaters I had, about 46 on four separtae main lines. There was a 3′-4′ swell with a very light 5 knot wind in my face, overcast and very warm for Nov. Opening time came and the action was slow. It really picked up about 0700. I ended the day with 1 hen eider, 2 hen white wing scoter, 2 drake white wings, and one very nice drake old squaw. I did manage to loose 2 old squaws that I crippled so insead of getting one more duck to finish out my limit I put the gun down and picked up the camera. There were so many common and white wing scoters along with old squaw flying around that there were no slow moments. To my suprise I saw about 4 hen eiders, mostly singles, no drakes at all. My ammo supply went rather quickly, mostly to cripples. I was using Federal #2 1 3/8 oz. 3.5’s. Used 3 shy of a box! The squaws were most likely getting a very large pattern since they were skirting the edge of the spread. All my strings of dekes were about 8 yards off the beam of the boat. A good day over all.
Lastly some important safety items.
DON’T try and catch a hunting knife no matter how shiny, new and sharp it is!
WEAR hearing protection when shooting 3.5″ shells!
One more thing. If anyone out there is looking for a gun safe, I’d recomend the Stack On Security safe with the digital key pad. It ran $330 at Dick’s sporting goods with a $15 coopin. Holds 16 guns and has one shelf and storage bins on the door.
Later
Posted By:
Scott Pope
Guest
Sea duck contacts 11-05-2005 17:44
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Moses,
Just returned froma two day hunt with Todd Jackson of Penobscot Bay Outfitters in Searsport.
Me and my buddy hunted last Monday and Tuesday. Limited both days by 8:30 a.m. Would have been sooner but we had to wait for the few old squaws around to fly by. Todd hunts strictly out of boats and had big flocks of eiders on os both days. Also shot a couple of surf scooters. We went to hunt mountable birds and there are so many in the area Todd hunts you can be choosey. He also has a great lodge at his place with good food and accomodations. I am on the road and dont have his info handy but he advertises in DU and Wildfowl magazines.
Posted By:
moses
Guest
11-02-2005 06:29
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have some guys from indiana that would like to sea duck hunt next year can anyone point me in the right direction or give me contacts??
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Portland and Mid Coast 10-29-2005 15:39
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
While driving by water from Portland I saw good numbers of eiders offshore around Half way rock and lumbo Ledge which was about 2-3 miles offshore. Today back in Boothbay There were about a thousand eiders off and around Pumkin Ledges. The weather was perfect for hunting them but I was working. Nice calm seas, very little swell seas about a foot or so with a light 3 knot wind. Also saw my first surf scoters of the year in Boothbay’s outer harbor, about 6 all together. So far the seas have calmed down a lot and should remain that way for the early part of this coming week. I hope to get out in the Saco river for some sea ducks on Tuesday.
The regular duck season has closed until November 14 but sea ducks are open until the end of January. The regular archery season also closed this past Friday and the resident firearm season opened this morning. Had some sleet and a few flakes this afternoon. I’d say that cold front is hear. The second part of the regular season should be a lot better.
Later
Posted By:
Andrew-White
Field Editor
Mid coast 10-24-2005 20:50
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Well NO hunting for me. Centcom made plans to “VISIT” her college friends in NH. Can you say WHIPED? Well all I did was keep there 2 labs and mine from tearing up the house while watching the TV and ocasionally sleeping. I think I got caught up on my sleep so I will be that much more sharp in the blind.
Am not sure when I will get out again as this weeks wheather looks like complete poop! If it is not to windy I may hit Meerymeeting Bay or some sheltered pond or back water. As for sea ducks, still haven’t been since the opener. Better safe than sorry! Took a trip from Boothbay down to Portland today and saw eiders the whole way down, no shortage. I think I saw my first white winged scoter of the year.
UPS delivered a dogs vest and a Lucky duck decoy which I put together at work this morning. For $24.95 it looks real nice and sturdy. Has anyone used one of these? (the Lucky Duck) I will need to return the dog vest for the LG instead of the XL. It is real loose in the chest which will act as a scoop when he swims. He is a smaller pup and has a trim stomach. I think he has been watching my John Baistow DVD’s. I came across an interesting article (which I can’t find to post up for you to read) regarding this years Atlantic flyway councils annual meeting (for Maine). It is different than what Mr. Fox posted. Maine actualy chooses to have a smaller bag limit on ducks. The Flyway council syas the #’s can sustain a higher bag limit but Mainers opt to go lower. The point behind this is that the average hunter may only shoot about 2 ducks per day of hunting! Anyone heard of this being differant?
Later
Posted By:
Richard-Foxx
Guest
Bad News for the Atlantic Flyway 10-20-2005 09:12
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As most of you know, I was Sea Duck Hunting with a few members of this site the last 2 days.
As hunting goes, during lulls in the action conversation starts. We talked about a variety of topics one of which was the direction and the recommendations of the Atlantic Flyway Council.
Some of the recommendations that they wanted to implement this year was “Hunter’s Choice”. I can guarantee you that this will be a hot topic again next year.
Hunter’s Choice would be this. We will have a 4 bird limit. This could be all “4 limit birds” like Mallards.However, there would be no restrictions on hen Mallards so theoretically you could shoot 4 Hen Mallards. Teal, Gadwall’s, Wigeon and Shoveler’s would also fit into this category.
A bird with a 2 bird limit like Bluebills, Wood Ducks and Red Heads would effect you like this. You shoot 2 Bluebills. No more 2 bird limit specie’s. No Red Heads. No Wood Ducks. Now you can only shoot 2 Mallards, both of which could be Hens. You could also finish off this limit with the other 4 bird specie’s, Wigeon, Gadwall’s etc. Or, Merganser’s.
Your 1 bird limit specie’s, Canvasback’s, Black Duck’s and Pintails. Shoot a Can, no Pintail. Shoot a Pintail, no Can. Shoot a Black, no Pinatail or Can. You now have three birds left to fill you bag.
One of the disturbing things to happen this year is that Merganser’s now count against your daily bag limit.
The Flyway Council Rep from Ontario wants to increase and ease restrictions on Snow Geese as they are destroying their breeding habitat, farmers crops and marsh’s. For some reason, there is tremendous opposition to this from this Council. Why?
We have only a few strong voices for the hunters, one of whom is Paul Castelli the Head Biologist from New Jersey who is their Flyway Council Representative.
There are a few other hunters on the Flyway Council but none who speaks with the knowledge of the resource and conviction to work with hunters like Paul.
We need to fight this trend to restrict our hunting rights. If this is implemented next year it will decidely impact your hunt and make up of your bag.
This type of Daily Bag Limit will severly restrict yours and my hunting rights and opportunities.
