Posted By:
quackheadnVA
Web Member
01-19-2007 12:50
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 35-40 Degrees
Hunted the Potomac this past Monday just outside of Quantico. Very, very slow. Shot a couple of banded Geese…which was pretty cool. Some Gadwall in the area. Diver activity was minimal.
Hunted Quantico creek today and was just as slow as Monday but managed to scrape out a drake sprig that was in nice color and had about a 3.5″ sprig.
Going out west towards the Shen. valley tomorrow. We’ll see what happens.
Posted By:
Richard-Nunnally
Web Member
01-07-2007 20:16
– – –
Sorry it has been so long since the last post. Not much to say though. This has to be one of the worst season’s in a while for most of the people I have spoken to. Plenty of sea ducks if you want to shoot them on the bay, but not much else.
Posted By:
Bluebill Buster
Web Member
Potomac River – NVA 01-02-2007 12:23
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 45-50 Degrees
Hunted yesterday for the first time in almost two weeks and I was hoping to be greeted with a little more activity because of the weather, but not the case.
I bagged two birds but was incredibly disappointed in the amounts of birds flying and their activity right now, or lack there of actual.
With the warmer weather in the NE I fear we are going to experience the same patterns the rest of the year. If your struggling like most, this is the time to change things up and try new spots. You need to find areas that haven’t been hunted which could lead to better gunning if not expect the same.
Happy New Year!
Posted By:
mwingfield
Supporting Member
Nelson near the James 12-31-2006 11:39
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Went to the beaver pond I have been hunting. Set up in a different spot and nothing came in through the morning. I got cold standing in water for over two hours and moved to just below the dam. Just as I got there six large ducks came from the river, saw me and would not call. Yes, I know stay put and don’t move around.
From this new spot I saw six geese fly from left to right disappearing into the mounting backdrop. Trains go by during the day and the next on jumped six birds that came close enough to see they were ducks, would not call and returned to the creek below the beaver pond. The geese I saw from far away. This happened twice, I walk down the creek with three decoys to jump shoot these ducks and walked into the largest beaver pond I have ever seen. I had never walked down stream that far before, and had no idea this huge beaver pond and marsh was there. The ducks got up with out me seeing them and they came back as I was putting out the decoys. Bad timing again on my part.
Two ways to look at the day, my timing was off that day, or I found the best place I have to duck hunt. I scouted and found high ground for a blind and determined where to place decoys. I marked the spot on the tracks to allow me to find it in the dark. I will be there new years day and will report back on my timing and new spot.
Posted By:
Drew-Hawkins
Field Editor
Creek off Potomac – NVA 12-29-2006 13:45
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Worst day so far…. but none have been really good this season anyhow. Saw 2 flights of Wood ducks that held tight to the center of the creek- darting through the treeline- no shots presented. Even the Resident Geese didn’t really show up, saw about 100 or so but the ones that flew over were just a bit outta range. Not too good. I hate to admit this but w/o any cold weather up north we may be done for this season – one that really never got off the ground.
I spoke with another hunter that has been huntubg the same general area and he said that this is the 2nd worse year that he has ever hutned both in birds brought to the bag and number and variety of birds seen. I’m in agreement, this has been a “bad” season. PRAY FOR COLD WEATHER!!!!!
Posted By:
skybust3
Guest
Greensville County 12-27-2006 08:31
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 50-60 Degrees
Hunted a big beaver pond on Tuesday morning saw alot of Mallards, couple of Blacks, and alot of Teal. The teal came in way too early to shoot. We were able to bag 6 Mallards and 1 Woodie.
Hunted this morning on a small beaver pond saw alot of woodies early. We were able to bag 2 drakes then three mallards came in and we took the two drakes.
Hopefully we will get some colder weather for the ducks.
Posted By:
ncsugoosehunter
Guest
james river near goochland 12-25-2006 07:26
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 50-60 Degrees
hunted saturday and the fog really helped me out. hunted with my dad a as a early christmas thing. well we we had three mallards come in and go straight to the mojos. all three stayed! then to woodies buzzed us but we not ready. finally we had 6 geese come right in on us and my dad took one maybe 12 lbs. nice christmas dinner.!!
can’t hunt this am cause of kids but will be out the rest of this week. gotta fill the freezer. merry christmas
Posted By:
Kenneth-Burnett
Guest
Essex County 12-23-2006 21:08
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 60-65 Degrees
Tried a Creek this morning that I heard had ducks. Saw one Mallard way off. Wasn’t a total loss as I saw my first wild mink hunting the creek at day break. Left at 8:00 and set out swan decoys in a field near by. Hunted until 10:00 saw loads of geese but no swans. I only had swan decoys. Geese were landing 400 yards away. We had a good ten groups of geese fly over our blind 70 yards up. Oh well, next time.
Posted By:
mwingfield
Supporting Member
Nelson near the James 12-23-2006 18:01
Cloudy, Heavy Fog – 45-50 Degrees
I went back to my hot spot beaver pond today. I have known someone had been hunting there with out permission. They pick up their shells, but not the wads and feathers. When I turned on the last road 1 mile from the farm road to the pond, I pasted three trucks, one with a duck boat. I backed down the farm road and turned off my lights when one of the trucks turned in, saw me and back out fast. Maybe this will keep them from trespassing.
OK, to the hunt, FOG to thick to see any thing flying. I saw and heard nothing, until I woke up and a hen was flying over my head, but would not call. Two large groups of geese flew up the James ,got to hot and went home. Slow day.
Posted By:
ncsugoosehunter
Guest
lower james river. near monitor merrimack bridge 12-20-2006 18:19
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
hunted this am. tide was really running high
about 3ft higher than normal. saw a few mallards 10 but none wanted to come out to the river. just got up and flew off the golf course at 7:15 not to return. did get a goldeneye drake. my first. To messed up for the wall but will fry up well in the skillet. going to hunt tommorrow am before work.
