Decided I'd put the boat in the water and give her another try. Chose another tidal slough that I've had good luck on in the past and usually holds a good amount of teal and an occasional mallard or two.
Got to the boat launch at 0945 and grassed up the boat. Charlie again rode shotgun. We were in the water and on our way by 1000.
The slough connects at the boat launch to one of our main rivers. It meanders south for about a 3/4 mile before coming to a dead end. The southern half is where the birds typically congregate.
Today they were all sitting at the end of the slough in a small cove. Its a perfect situation to sneak on em because the cove is around the last bend to the right.
Approaching the bend, I glassed a few sittin on the east bank at the bend. I could also hear em all peeping around the corner. I hugged the west bank and started my scull from about 300 yards out. As soon as I rounded a buncha tules at the bend, I spotted about 15 sittin in the shallows on the shore 40 yards out. At 25 yards I sat up and sluiced the first. I followed and dropped two more. With Charlie retrieving one, I reloaded as five bufflehead spooked from the very back and came right over my head. I picked out the drake and dropped him. With a teal in his mouth he swam out and retrieved the buffie too. Apparently he didn't want me to be the only one who doubled. Unfortunately we only retrieved 3 of the 4. One crip swam hard for the tules and pulled a magic trick on us. We looked for 10 minutes and gave up.
The teal were now scattered up and down the slough. We turn her around searched em out.
About 500 yards up, we came across a group of five on the west bank. I started the scull about 200 yards out. I musta misjudged my distance to them. I sat up thinking I was 25 or so out. Turns out I was 40 out. Too late now. I fired twice and whiffed! Awwww!
Another 300 yards or so up the slough I spotted a single hen in the middle of the water. We sculled within 20 yards and sluiced her.
With four in the bag Charlie and I decided to start heading in. But in the past, I've always spooked birds outta the overgrown tree lined east bank on our paddle out.
We decided to scull the entire trip back along the east bank. After a few minutes, we kicked out 5 teal that I swear were roosting IN the tree. They had a jump on me but I was able to dump the last hen in the bunch.
A limit today was possible, but we lost one crip. Poor shooting contributed also. But it was a great hunt regardless.
I got a scouting report from my huntin buddy/ coworker, who just happened to be working today. He spotted a buncha Cans, blues, ringers and buffies in our lagoons up north. Not sure I'm ready for an open water scull, but I'm sure as hell gonna try this Friday.
Got to the boat launch at 0945 and grassed up the boat. Charlie again rode shotgun. We were in the water and on our way by 1000.
The slough connects at the boat launch to one of our main rivers. It meanders south for about a 3/4 mile before coming to a dead end. The southern half is where the birds typically congregate.
Today they were all sitting at the end of the slough in a small cove. Its a perfect situation to sneak on em because the cove is around the last bend to the right.
Approaching the bend, I glassed a few sittin on the east bank at the bend. I could also hear em all peeping around the corner. I hugged the west bank and started my scull from about 300 yards out. As soon as I rounded a buncha tules at the bend, I spotted about 15 sittin in the shallows on the shore 40 yards out. At 25 yards I sat up and sluiced the first. I followed and dropped two more. With Charlie retrieving one, I reloaded as five bufflehead spooked from the very back and came right over my head. I picked out the drake and dropped him. With a teal in his mouth he swam out and retrieved the buffie too. Apparently he didn't want me to be the only one who doubled. Unfortunately we only retrieved 3 of the 4. One crip swam hard for the tules and pulled a magic trick on us. We looked for 10 minutes and gave up.
The teal were now scattered up and down the slough. We turn her around searched em out.
About 500 yards up, we came across a group of five on the west bank. I started the scull about 200 yards out. I musta misjudged my distance to them. I sat up thinking I was 25 or so out. Turns out I was 40 out. Too late now. I fired twice and whiffed! Awwww!
Another 300 yards or so up the slough I spotted a single hen in the middle of the water. We sculled within 20 yards and sluiced her.
With four in the bag Charlie and I decided to start heading in. But in the past, I've always spooked birds outta the overgrown tree lined east bank on our paddle out.
We decided to scull the entire trip back along the east bank. After a few minutes, we kicked out 5 teal that I swear were roosting IN the tree. They had a jump on me but I was able to dump the last hen in the bunch.
A limit today was possible, but we lost one crip. Poor shooting contributed also. But it was a great hunt regardless.
I got a scouting report from my huntin buddy/ coworker, who just happened to be working today. He spotted a buncha Cans, blues, ringers and buffies in our lagoons up north. Not sure I'm ready for an open water scull, but I'm sure as hell gonna try this Friday.