WidgeonmanGH
Elite Refuge Member
Drake and I got out for the last hunt of our season. We have been battling the king tides this year so we decided to get out late. We got to the ramp at 11am and hunted the outgoing tide. Someone got to the spot we intended to hunt right before we did. So we went to an area we have been wanting to try. I am glad we did! It will become part of our regular rotation for the right tides.
Our shooting was terrible! Missed some easy chip shots. The pintail will haunt me. I do think however, that my second shot on that pintail should have connected but in the video it looked like my pattern did not spread out?! Maybe it was clumped together? One other excuse I have is that I was trying not to scotch double on pintail. They were flying so close together!
I have to say I have been disappointed with Winchester shells and will not purchase them again. In fact, in looking at the number of times I have to waters swat cripples I might consider buying some of the expensive stuff. If it actually helped me not get cripples it could potentially save me money. I might have to do some calculations.
In any event, I got 4 (drake gadwall and 3 teal) I sailed a wigeon and it got away. I paddled way out in pursuit but it gave me the slip. I also knocked a teal down and as I was going over to get it, it revived and flew off. I was so surprised I missed!!??! I should have had a limit on this day but just missed some easy birds. Drake picked up 3 and missed a few chip shots too. One funny one was a teal that came in flying in the middle of a big flock of shore birds. We didn't see it until the last minute and completely missed it. We probably both could have limited with better shooting.
Still it has been a terrific season for us. I finished with 85 birds for 14 trips and Drake got 80 birds for 13 trips. We have no complaints and were 2 birds above our long term average birds per trip.
Hope you enjoy the hunt.
Our shooting was terrible! Missed some easy chip shots. The pintail will haunt me. I do think however, that my second shot on that pintail should have connected but in the video it looked like my pattern did not spread out?! Maybe it was clumped together? One other excuse I have is that I was trying not to scotch double on pintail. They were flying so close together!
I have to say I have been disappointed with Winchester shells and will not purchase them again. In fact, in looking at the number of times I have to waters swat cripples I might consider buying some of the expensive stuff. If it actually helped me not get cripples it could potentially save me money. I might have to do some calculations.
In any event, I got 4 (drake gadwall and 3 teal) I sailed a wigeon and it got away. I paddled way out in pursuit but it gave me the slip. I also knocked a teal down and as I was going over to get it, it revived and flew off. I was so surprised I missed!!??! I should have had a limit on this day but just missed some easy birds. Drake picked up 3 and missed a few chip shots too. One funny one was a teal that came in flying in the middle of a big flock of shore birds. We didn't see it until the last minute and completely missed it. We probably both could have limited with better shooting.
Still it has been a terrific season for us. I finished with 85 birds for 14 trips and Drake got 80 birds for 13 trips. We have no complaints and were 2 birds above our long term average birds per trip.
Hope you enjoy the hunt.
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