I'm back

[don novicki]

Well I'm back for another season, and looking forward to reconnecting with guys here. I did not hunt the opener for Doves or geese because it was too darn hot. Yesterday and today it's been raining like there's no tomorrow. We are up almost 3 inches of rain over the average. I'm sure plenty of spots would love to have the water we do. I haven't been out to my swamp or seen any of my landowners yet but that will be pretty soon. Looks like decent numbers of geese around, but frankly early season does nothing for me.
On a personal note I have to see my Cardiologist because my replacement heart valve is leaking, but I can tell you this for sure, unless it's life threatening, which I doubt, I won't be doing anything about it until after the season is over. I mean after all which is more important: duck season or a new heart valve? Obviously the answer is duck season. Cheers everyone.

[Rick]

Duck season's trumps a whole lot of things, but not everything...

[Duck Engr]

Glad to see you back, Don. Looking forward to reading of your adventures!

[don novicki]

Thank you fella's it's good to be back.

It's been raining heavy all week. The weatherman doesn't tell us totals often but they did say we got 4.4" on Thur. night. Our seasonal rain total is way up from average got to be closing in on 30" for the year. I feel for you guys where there's no rain esp. coming into the season. Wish I could send some your way. Anyway I did some scouting this morning, 11:00 am or so and I didn't see anyone hunting doves at all. In fact, Fairview Evergreen which owns thousands of acres has put up some rudimentary "No Dove and Goose Hunting" signs. I think they do this because the workers are hard at it in the fields and they don't want them sprayed. Dove hunters are something else. Nuff said. Regardless the geese are still at Automation Devices front lawn, and pond. I did see geese the 2 nights ago using the same cut corn field that doesn't allow hunting. So typical Sept. hunting.

[don novicki]

Presque Isle State Park duck blind drawing was this past Sunday, and as usual I didn't get selected, keeping my streak alive at 38 years. Oh well at least I have the handi-cap blind I can use, even though it's a very difficult spot to get to the water. You have to scramble down across 2 foot diameter boulders to get to the water, and last year I took a tumble and fell in getting soaked. Anyways that opener isn't until Nov so we have some time to wait for that. Probably going to miss the inland opener as I'm having some heart issues again and need a cardioversion which is scheduled for Oct 13. Until that's done I get seriously out of breath even do a minimal amount of rigorous activity, I can't see dragging my sled full of decoys out to the marsh on Oct. 10th opener. I'll never make it. I guess I can sacrifice 3 days of the season.

[Rick]

By way of commiseration, I applied for all ten of Ohio's lottery hunts for ten years running without ever drawing one. (Did, however, hit a day or two at WVa's one and only such several of those years.)

Couldn't help but think "gooberment program" when reading of "handicapped blind" with boulders to cross.

[don novicki]

In reality most of the blinds have an East facing which is all wrong, and there's less than half of them are productive.You get to sit in the blind and think about duck hunting.
Funny thing is that the Handicap blind isn't put up on the spot they show it on the map of blinds. If it was where it was supposed to be there are dam few rocks in front of it. Nothing I can do about it though.
I was out driving around and saw a half dozen,or so, BW Teal on a small pond across from the McDonalds. Usually don't see them at all during the season.
Still getting good rain, and I know this sounds bad, but it can stop at any time. Last I knew we were almost 6 inches over the average. Colder temps coming and leaves starting to change. Getting ready.