upcoming season

[Duck Engr]

Sounds promising Don. I hope the weather and fowl stars align for you this year.

[don novicki]

From what I have seen of the long range weather reports we are in for snow and cold. A NW wind will bury us in snow, and my Ariens Deluxe 28 really could use a good work out. looking forward to the upcoming season.

[Rick]

Dad didn't believe in those things - until the last son moved out.

[don novicki]

................... ..............

[don novicki]

Scouting yesterday, and several large flocks of honkers all seen flying Westerly. No ducks seen. I did see one unusual thing, as there was a cock pheasant standing alongside the road in the middle of no where. Good tail on the thing, the head was kind of mottled with a lot of white on it. I drove right up to it, and it never moved, just stood there looking at me and I was less than 2 feet from it. Very unusual to see a pheasant up here, as the game commission puts out pheasants for hunting but that is only on game lands and hasn't started yet. Wierd.

[PorkChop]

funny as growing up in Connecticut, That’s all anybody called male pheasants was cock pheasants. Here in North Dakota everybody calls them roosters. I’ve referred to them a few times as cock pheasants and people look at me like I’m some kind of freak.

In Alaska pike season would start on June 1. A girlfriend of mine and I were heading to George Lake for our annual pike fishing trip. As we were driving down the road, there was a cock pheasant on the side of the road. All I had with me was my 10 gauge with 00 buckshot. still regret to this day not shooting that rooster in the head (or at least trying). She was from South Dakota and loved eating pheasant. There was a place around there that would release pheasants for hunters, and they also did sporting clays Guessing he got loose. He was the only one I ever spotted in Alaska.

[don novicki]

I got censored on another site for using the word "cock". I will call the "caulk" birds from now on.....

[PorkChop]

[don novicki]

Sitting here at our beach house.rental in Carova Nc.. It's relatively cold, 71 degrees with 30 mph NE winds that have just gotten worse since we've been here. All beaches are closed.to swimming and have been since we got here on Sat.. Pool is cold since it's been storming every day. Back home in Erie it's been 80 and sunny every day. This sucks and frankly.if I had my way I'd cut my losses and head home tomorrow. The only day they predict it.to be nice.is Friday. We leave on Sat. Next year I'm going on a hunting trip and.skipping the vacation.

[SpinnerMan]

Sorry to hear that. I love going to the Outer Banks. Been there many times, but I have never been that far up the coast in NC.

[don novicki]

What a trip. 10.75 inches of rain on Wed.. Route 12 was closed so you couldn't leave even if you wanted to. Supposedly today, Friday, is going to be nice. It would be nice to actually swim in the ocean once before we leave tomorrow. Been to the Banks many times, but this trip has cured me of any more visits to the OBX. Got to get home and get ready for opening day.

[don novicki]

Going to start rounding up my gear and get ready for the opener. I have to hit the candy store and get some boxes of candy for my land owners as a thank you. I'm psyched up for the start. I've been !looking for a Sports pal canoe but every time I see one on FB it's gone before I can make a.move on it. I want to do more water.hunting this year.

[don novicki]

Found my Sportspal canoe this a.m. for 200 and it's in great shape. Waiting for a reply from the guy.

[don novicki]

Missed it.

[Duck Engr]

I always seem to miss on deals too

[don novicki]

The darn thing was only posted 14 minutes before I replied. I'll have to be quicker next time.

[don novicki]

It's always something. 2 weeks ago I had an echo cardiogram, I have heart failure and a very low ejection fraction, and they found, much to my chagrin, that I have severe aortic stenosis with a highly calcified aortic heart valve. Now they want me to have a TAVR valve replacement and possibly an AICD implanted. Of course they want to jump right on it, which would mean a complete washout of the upcoming season. Then I would be on Plavix the rest of my miserable life. As an old Cardiac nurse, I know that it needs to be done but I'm inclined to wait until after the season. My wife is all over me to "get er done" but this would be my 6th surgery in 5 years. I can't do it now. I just can't. I feel fine but do get winded going up and down the stairs, but I ride 25 miles/day on the stationary bike at the gym and I was swimming 1 mile per day also until I destroyed my shoulder mountain biking. Not sure where I'm going from here but darn it I am not missing this season no matter what. Retirement and getting old has sucked so far..................

[Rick]

Best of luck with it, whatever you do.

[Duck Engr]

Really hate to hear that Don. You and spinner have had a heck of a go of it lately.

[don novicki]

My to do list:

1. Spray paint some mallards into Blue Bills

2. Pick up and distribute my landowner gift, next week before the opener on Oct 12

3. Wash my sillys, and get em bagged up before goose opener Oct 29

4. Make sure my wife doesn't get a hold of my sweater and send it to the dry cleaners.

5. Make the death march out to the swamp and drop my decoys, swamp seat, and sled, so that on the opener all I have to do is take my gun. The hike out there is maybe 3-400 yards with the last 80 yards through 6 foot tall, dense marsh grass. It's a bear.

6. Continue to scout daily.

7. Continue to watch the weather and pray for N NW winds

8. Still looking for that Sports pal canoe. I know one is just on the horizon.

[Deltaman]

Good Luck Don, and you might consider trying to find a young man to mentor, so that the physical part of it will be easier on you.

[don novicki]

I have 2 grandsons (very young yet) but they live 650 miles away. I could use the help, that's for sure.

[Rick]

Good Luck Don, and you might consider trying to find a young man to mentor, so that the physical part of it will be easier on you.

Trick being to find a young partner who won't soon be back in your spots with four buddies who each have four more buddies who...

[Duck Engr]

Good Luck Don, and you might consider trying to find a young man to mentor, so that the physical part of it will be easier on you.

Trick being to find a young partner who won't soon be back in your spots with four buddies who each have four more buddies who...

Bingo

[don novicki]

Took some stuff out to the swamp yesterday ahead of Saturday's opener. Kicked off 30+ woodies and 4 geese. Probably won't go.Saturday as it's going to be too nice. Monday looks great though high 40's, NW wind at 15-20, and rain. That's how it should be. Full report to follow. I'll be going solo.

[don novicki]

Raining hard now and has really been coming down all night. Headed out at 0600 to see what I can do. Hope the rain lets up a little because I'm going to be soaked in no time if it doesn't. Still, gotta try.......

[Rick]

Sic 'em.

[Duck Engr]

Let us know how it goes, Don.

[don novicki]

Date(s) hunted : Oct 14 & 15

Location: Crane Rd, Albion, Pa.

Weather: Oct 14, steady hard driving rain, heavy cloud cover, 15-20 mph N,NW wind, Oct 15 dead calm, overcast, occasional light showers.

Temperature: 46F, 8C ( technically 7.78) Monday, Tuesday 36F 3 C

Decoy spread: 12 Flambeau mallards

Gun: Remington 870 , shooting 3" #3 steel

Other equipment: Jet Sled, Surf and Swamp seat (old but still works), Tim Grounds "Hen talk", Big River Long honked flute

So Monday was a.pretty tough day. It rained buckets all morning and I was soaked through by 0900, regardless I hung in there and did get a shot at a Woodie but missed. However I was covered in geese all morning. I could have shot 20 of em as they came right in, right in front of me less than10 yards 3 feet off the water. They filtered in , by small flocks 4, 8,15 etc. and would stick around for a while and then fly off. Goose doesn't open until Oct 26 so they all got a pass. More geese than Ive.seen in the last 2 years.

Regardless today was different. Saw 1 woodie and 6 geese and that was it. No sign of any migration and I didn't see any mallards at all.

Going to warm up so I'll take.a few days off. Good luck to all.

[Duck Engr]

Glad the goose numbers seem to be looking up at least! Sounds like you have your spot for Oct 26.