Winter Wonderland

[andrew]

Hit a local 'lake' (more like a pond since I grew up on the shores of Michigan) last Saturday for my personal opener for ducks...damn it was cold!

Needless to say opened up my season with a 'bang'...kept my 11-87 at home and took the new Stoeger Condor had to at least kill something with this gun this season! Needless to say two minutes after shooting time a pair of mallards glided in full 'cup' mode between our two sets of deeks. MY buddy gave the order to take them, since I was the only one ready to shoot I jumped and barely could place a bead on the lead bird in pail morning light...pulled the trigger, muzzle flash (best part of early morning hunting hands down!), and watched not just the lead bird, but the trailing bird fall stone dead into the water!

Needless to say I should have quit after that shot...since karma caught up to me! Ended the day with 3 total personally, group wise 5 (3 drakes, hen shoveler, and hen wigeon (which was the trailing double following the mallard drake...is this common?) .

Tried to attach a picture, but continues to fail during upload...

[Itchy Dog]

That would be either a "single double" or a "double single"

What load were you using?

[andrew]

Winnchester steel, 16 ga., 2-3/4", #2. The deciding factor to bring my new o/u was this box of shells...the first time I went goose hunting in Michigan I was 13, and used my grandfathers 16 ga. sportsman 48 auto; which was 20 years ago! I had only 22 shells left in the box...first three rounds took my limit of 2 geese. Needless to say the following year I was given an 870, and when I turned 18 the 11-87.

Funny how a partial box of 20 year old shells can bring up the past!

[Kaari Dahl]

What, no pictures?? Did you bring your pup?

Sounds like a great hunt!! Everytime I flush a large covey of quail I think I'm going to hit 2 or more on each shot, but I'm lucky if I bring down one. I've yet to score a 2 for 1 shot!

[andrew]

CWUgirl,

Sorry no picture...I tried however I keep getting a "database error" message everytime I try to upload. I've informed Chris...maybe I can get it posted in a few days.

As for the pup...nope I decided to let her sit this one out since my buddies female lab does not get along (bit my dogs nose pretty bad) with mine, even though Libby is twice her size! Also, Libby has not fetched yet over water...I'm sure she'd do fine, however, I want to get a neoprene dog vest for her prior to. My wife said she went nuts for 15-20 minutes after I left...not a good thing for my front door, nor for my wife and two year old who were trying to sleep at 4:00 am!

[andrew]

Whatever Chris did it worked...I hope he got his beer that he so desperately needed!