Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 11-09-2004 21:40
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Greetings from the flat lands down Jersey! Snows on the move tonight heading down to jump the bay for Delaware. Flight started maybe an hour after sun down and hasn’t stopped yet. Only wish it was season so I could catch the late comers rising off the meadows out Griscom Swamp in the AM. Gunning last Saturday, I was fortunate to have twiddle dumb and twiddle dumber set 80 yards down wind from me at sun rise. Hard to figure if they shot worse than they called or called worse than they shot. Needless to say any of the big puddlers that swung wide to come in were spooked off. GWTeal saved the day with their normal low to the water and right into the spread maneuvers. Six GWTeal makes limit but seeing a limit of greenheads get shot at and spooked out from under you … just doesn’t make it. Of course the only big ducks to make the turn short and drop right in were Sprig … they knew their season was out. There were a fair number of ducks moving on the meadows but not an exceptional number. Quite a few Hooded Merg’s have shown up and were moving about. A buddy of mine that guns the upper Egg Harbor tells me that Monday he thinks he saw a Woody. Today he could have shot one for every shell he had right over the stools and he carries three boxes. Well the best we can do this week is Thursday … hope the boys gunning opening day of Coastal ZOne are moving them on the salt meadows … to me in the brackish South zone. Not sure how a mid-week opener for Coastal will pan out nor if the Woodies will still be around with the freeze. Trying to get out there …
[Edited By Ray-Sands on 2004-11-09 21:42]
[Edited By Ray-Sands on 2004-11-09 21:45]
Posted By:
Marshmudd
Guest
Heislerville/Denniscreek 11-08-2004 19:24
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Still seems like mostly local birds around. Saw a couple of flocks of GWT, some Blacks and Mallards. Missed an easy shot on a Drake Widgeon. Hopefully some decent numbers of northern birds will arrive soon. Plenty of Canada’s around, could have had a limit if they were in season.
Posted By:
Richard-Foxx
Guest
Dennis Creek 11-01-2004 18:56
Cloudy, Occassional Rain Showers – 45-50 Degrees
Well almost Nobember and we had skeeters biting us till the wind picked up.
Not a stellar hunt.
We didn’t see many birds, didn’t hear many shots and wound up with 2 blacks and a GWT.
We saw quite a few blacks, pair of pintails, about 150 GWT and 10-15 mallards.
We need some weather.
Posted By:
Ray-Sands
Field Editor
Griscom Swamp 10-27-2004 22:09
Cloudy, High Winds – 50-60 Degrees
Greeting from the flatlands down Jersey. With sun up so late in the day I though 430am would do just fine to gun Saturday … Wrong. Two guys were setting up in “the spot.” They must have seen the +40 teal sitting there too. So on to plan B. The wind was hawk’en at legal and the reeds were whistling! Managed a drake sprig, Suzy, black and (3) teal. Birds passing right to left died with a bang. Birds passing left to right flew off laughing after bang, bang, bang and a comment. Have to work on that! It was five missed GWTeal. Suzy and the sprig were gifts. After shooting the black, I was just watching my buddies off in “the spot” miss flock after flock. Four in bang, bang, bang four out. Three in bang, bang, bang three out … I have to get up 2am to be there next weekend.. Birds were not breaking my way just getting out of Dodge. Then something made me look up and there was a pair of sprig right to left – bang. It was a young drake that was still eclipse and had no tail. Then had four different groups of blacks came right over and into the spread – but had the limit. Each group didn’t sit long. Then a trio banked and pitched right in to land. Nice picture so I grabbed the camera and just before I took the shot I realized the trailing bird had wing bars! Bloop went the camera and bang went the gun. A Suzy! So glad I invested in a water proof camera! All of the birds less one of the GWTeal were juveniles. The Suzy still had a greenish bill and two of the teal were half as big as the mature one. Was a good day. Overall a fair number of ducks were moving on the meadows and shots were heard until I left at 845am. Wouldn’t go buy extra shells … well maybe if they are going to fly left to right. So what happened to the Snow migration this year? Haven’t heard a one. Always out there…
Posted By:
muckdoc
Guest
Fortescue 10-26-2004 20:23
– – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted Sat AM. Very few teal. The usual local blackies. Not much else.
Posted By:
Richard-Foxx
Guest
Matt\’s Landing 10-23-2004 18:15
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted Heislerville WMA this morning. We didn’t see a ton of birds, maybe 100 GWT and 100 plus black ducks and also what we thought was a gadwall.
The birds worked good early, we knocked down 5 GWT and 2 Blacks. It was me, my son Woodie and gunning partner Tomatoe Steak.
If we had our sheet together we probably would have a few extra birds. We tried to get Woodie the first few shots and he finally kncoked down a nice drake black.
Heard a few Snows though we never saw them and saw the about 500 Chain Gang Canadians. Heard sporadic shooting from the sound of Dividing Creek, Thompson’s Beach and Moore’s Beach.
Ray Sands, I read your posts and thanks for the good work and dedication.
Posted By:
NC Spinning Wing
Guest
10-22-2004 11:47
– – –
Thanks for the report on the snows, we are forgoing this weekends trip, and will be down for ducks and geese in late Nov.
Posted By:
Marshmudd
Guest
Cumberland/Salem Counties 10-18-2004 19:22
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 50-60 Degrees
Saw a few flocks of snow off in the distance, looked like they were over the Bay, but were heading in-land.
Posted By:
NC Spinning Wing
Guest
AC 10-18-2004 12:23
– – –
Hey All,
Does anyone know if there are snows in South Jersey?
I am scheduled to hunt them Saturday?
Thanks
JC
Posted By:
Brian-Rogers
Guest
DE BAY AREA 10-17-2004 13:14
– – –
Just wanted to know if anyone had been out in the DE bay after seaducks or has seen any seaducks up and down the DE bay area? I was thinking bout giving them a try but have not been able to get out and take a look around, any infor would be great,
