Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest
08-08-2009 06:33
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After not having any significant rainfall from mid June to mid July, causing our corn crops to suffer, we have had a deluge of afternoon downpours for the last 3 weeks in Anson County.Still somewhat dry, so hope the trend of weekly thunderstorms continues.
Lots of broods of young mallards have shown up on Lake Tillery over the last month. Apparently a good nesting season for our locally raised.
Dove season is just around the corner, my sunflowers have bloomed and matured, and already a good number of doves hanging around.
The construction on our new home has progressed rapidly. Sheetrock crew sanded their putty yesterday and I’ll be starting the painting on Monday. Painting the house myself. Yep, that’s what retirees get to do.
Our midwest trip is planned. 5 of us are driving out to Montana and North Dakota the last of October – first of November to hunt some kind of feathers;ie, ducks,geese,pheasants,grouse,huns.
I visited with a good friend of mine from Ansonville last week. He had one of his grandsons with him. The youngster is 11 yrs. old. This friend, who is retired, travels all over the midwest each fall with his hunting partner to hunt grouse and pheasants. They usually start their hunting in either Minnesota or Wisconsin, and then move onto the Dakotas and end up in Kansas before turning back east. They have stayed for as long as 31 days in the past and usually make about 2 trips per fall. He is hoping to take the grandson this fall during Thanksgiving school break to either Kansas or Nebraska. One things for sure, he has a new hunting partner who tags along like a shadow. It’s a good thing to see.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Neuse River 08-06-2009 07:16
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
I have been doing a little pre-season scouting and it is not real promising for now. I have been dealing with some health issues(which have resulted in some operating capital problems) that have kept me from scouting close to the coast. I have been scouting in the areas near my house for habitat conditions. It is too early to see ducks yet, but it is a good time to find out how the habitat is doing as this will have a direct impact on how the ducks will behave when they get here.
The water is low. The Nuese River is low as well as all the ponds and beaverswamps in the area. One of my favorite creeks to hunt in (for the last 4 or 5 years) is so low that it is impassable to my jon boat and can only be accessed by canoe. My son and I transported our canoes in the jon boat to the mouth of the creek and then paddled up it only to find such low water conditions that I don’t think the ducks will use this area at all. The Nuese is so low in Kinston that it is all but unnavitgatible.
I find this somewhat surprising, but my brother-in-law has a theory that I have to admit has some real plausibility. It has been raining in my area quite a bit. We are getting rain several times a week, at least one of the rains averages out to be a real serious downpour. Yet the beaverponds and the river itself are both low. My brother-in-law’s theory runs that in spite of our consistant rain pattern, it has not rained much to the west of us in the Raliegh area. Therefore, our rain hits the river and goes downstream. With no water coming from upstream for us, we are loosing our water to the coastal waters without getting any resupply from the western part of the state. Seems to make sense to me.
It appears we will have to move farther to the coast to find water. On the positive side(if there is one), the ducks will possibley be more concentrated. Of course, the hunters will be too.
Posted By:
Terry Wiseman
Guest
? 07-19-2009 08:01
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Does anyone have any comments on trout fishing around Cherokee? Is it worthwile,a joke,tourist trap? Please post up as we are seriously considering adding this stop to the family vacation. Thanks in advance.
Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest
opening turkey day in SC and youth day in NC 04-05-2009 04:53
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My huntin’ buddy and I travelled to C’field County, SC on Wed. morning, April 1 for the opening of turkey season in SC. It was damp cool and windy, but the rain held off until after our morning hunt. Score–turkeys 1 hunters 0. We never heard a gobble. We decided to try our luck again on Friday morning, heard one tom gobble twice about 8am and otherwise, all was quiet. Score — turkeys 2 hunters 0.
On Saturday morning I took a 12 yr. old youngster for the youth day in NC at Buchanan Shoals. I had scouted this particular location on Thursday morning in the rain and heard 5 toms crank up gobbling at first light. On Saturday morning, we heard 6 toms gobbling at first light, moved to within about 800′ of the closest bird, sat down, called lightly a couple times, he responded with about 4-5 gobbles, and then the hens that were keeping him company took control of the situation, so we moved on to the next tom and the same scenario was repeated. Hens,hens, and more hens. From first light until 10:30am, we played with 4 different toms, and all were well “protected” by hens. It was dead calm all morning and the 12yr. old son and his father who tagged along had a blast. They either saw or heard resident geese honking and flying along the Pee Dee, woodies squeeling, 2 bald eagles feeding along the river, 6 toms gobbling and their hens yelping and cackling, owls hooting at first light, crows cawing causing the toms to gobble, walked about a 2 mile stretch along the Pee Dee in recently burned under 50yr. old timber, crossed old drainage ditches which were all flowing water that was too wide to jump without getting “a bit” wet due to all of the rains over the last month, and took a 15min. snooze in the woods about 9am while sitting next to a clover plot and hoping one of those toms would leave the hens and come walking in for a visit. It was fun.
Paul
Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest
“Misc. Stuff” 03-28-2009 08:25
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It’s been awhile since I last posted. I’ve been pretty busy for the last couple months guiding quail hunts at Buchanan Shoals Preserve, helped my oldest son mark a second thinning on a 300 acre- 32 yr. old pine stand, and have helped him with understory burning. This past Wednesday one of the corporate members at B-shoals invited 55 guests for an afternoon of sporting clays, 30 hunted released quail, and we divided them into 10 groups of 3 hunters per guide. The event ended with a steak dinner. This coming Monday will be the last event for released birds at B-shoals for the season as another member will be having a similar afternoon outing for clients.
Then its on to opening turkey day in SC on Wednesday, April 1st. My wife sure has enjoyed me practicing my calling in the house for the past week. Ha!! Those old toms are already gobbling at first light and struttin around the hens. I’m excited and my hunting buddy and I have already chosen our location for Wed. morning in SC.
For those of you who are as addicted to turkey hunting as I am, remember take the kids. There is no greater hunting enjoyment than watching a kid’s reaction to a big ole tom walking up to a decoy while all puffed up.
Paul
Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest
Richmond County 02-05-2009 17:02
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Today, 2 friends and I hunted quail in cut bean fields along the Pee Dee, 1st point by dogs and no shots fired as birds lifted. 2nd point birds had already fed and were gone, 3rd point was a rabbit, 4th point one shot fired and a miss. It was a fun day though, lots of bs about the good old days of quail hunting, good excersize for 4 hrs., and a balmy 24 deg. when we started. My ears are still burning from being in that cold wind. There will be a better day.
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Pamlico Sound 01-25-2009 13:42
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Went out for the final day and we decided to go for divers. I was sick, the multiple days spent out in single digit temps were taking thier toll. I got no sleep the night before, hacking and coughing keep me awake. We got out to the sound, set out the decoys and got ready.
My son began to feel ill and we had to break off the morning early. He became sick and we decided to go home(dissapointing, but that is the way the cookie crumbles). Just then, a flock of bills came in and my partner splashed one, I could not fire because it would have been over my buddy’s head. We picked up the dekes and went home. We had ducks that were moving, I am convinced we would have gotten a bluebill limit had we been able to stay. But when your son is sick, you have to go.
But it has been a good season, we shot some ducks, I got my tundra swan and the dog got wet a lot of times.
Posted By:
Huntmdux
Guest
Person County 01-24-2009 19:23
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Embarrassed to say this is my first post for the season, nothing to report about until last weekend. Todays hunt was rather disapointing to end the season. Saw a pair of woodies fly down the middle with afterburners on and they were pouring the coals to it. I never called but instead worked the jerk line, they weren’t buying it to say the least. Still had fun, picked up decs @ noon and enjoyed the boat ride back into the boat launch.
Last weekend was the best I had seen all year, good numbers, variety, and willing to decoy. I only bagged three but one included a first for me, a Drake Pintail. One pellet in the neck dropped him, lucky shot but I will take it, especially for a mount. The other two birds, a Drake Mallard and Drake Ringneck.
Saw nice numbers of Mallards that would give my decoys multiple looks but only a few would peel off for a bettter look. The hens would call to my decoys and I would call back and work the jerk line. Finally a greenhead put his feet in my face so BOOM… he crashed. The Ringneck came in fast and furious then flared to BOOM… BOOM… I guess I was behind him on the first shot but the heavy shot crumpled him on the second.
Well that pretty much sums it up, three for the season, considering I only hunted 4 times this year (all in the final segment) I will take it. Next year I have big plans for many hunts. My son will turn 8 and he is chomping at the bit to go with his dad. One thing is for sure, he wants to be a waterfowler, he spots ducks and geese all the time as they fly over our house I just wonder if he knows what he is getting into? Waterfowling… better known as “the relentless pursuit of self-abuse”, it gets in your system and is impossible to shake. Every year the season comes in I think about changing careers just so I can hunt more, I have yet to follow through but maybe one day.
I would like to thank those that have posted regularly and their commitmet to the site, I do enjoy the read.
One question, I saw tons of Seagulls and have come to this conclusion, what ever makes the Seagulls come in large numbers seams to make the ducks LEAVE in large nubers. Anyone what to enlighten me on why?
Posted By:
Paul – Kiker
Guest
Beaver Pond – Anson County 01-24-2009 18:39
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Hunted with my oldest son in a beaver pond on his land yesterday morning. About 15 mallards and 40 woodies came in at first light and we bagged 4 woodies. The mallards outsmarted us. It was all over in 15 min.
Did not hunt ducks today, the last day of the season. Two of my friends hunted along the Pee Dee, saw a fair number of ducks, but only managed 1 drake mallard.
Now its time to spend time with my setters and concentrate on finding some quail while waiting for opening turkey day.
Paul
Posted By:
Scott-Tolar
Field Editor
Nuese River 01-22-2009 15:00
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 10-20 Degrees – Ice
Went out to hunt a small creek on the Nuese near New Bern that has a fair amount of current and I thought would not freeze over. I was surprised to find the creek iced over at the unimproved ramp when I arrived. After the nerve-wracking ride on snow/ice covered roads I opted to not turn back and I set out up the creek to find open water. I was surprised to find my favorite location on the creek was open and free of ice.
I set up and began to wait for legal time. I had a pair of woodies come over at legal time but I did not see them in time. Then I had a woodie call from up the creek. I hit the call and it answered. After a few calls,back and forth, the wood duck appeared and parachuted into my decoys. I stood up and smacked it a foot off the water over the decoys.
I then sat there for the next about 3 hours without firing a shot. I had to crank up the boat and save my decoys from passing sheets of ice that would come down the creek and drag them off. Then I had some mergansers come in to my decoys and I smacked a nice hoodie drake. Then about 11 am I decided it was over for the day and set out for home.
Not a great day, but I took some ducks, the dog got wet and I spent the morning out in the snow admiring the beauty.
