This is why we hunt….I’m a little old lady who loves to tippy toe through the bush for grouse. My husband does big game successfully.I like to listen for the cluck clucks and then dispatch….
You're making me feel like I need to figure out a way to waterfowl hunt.....its so hard to teach yourself, but maybe its time I tried. And the "lose your shit" comment is exactly the way I talk to myself when trying to keep calm....are you from Michigan? Seems like us Michiganders use that phrase to the tits....
OMG all the details are so close to my experience lol! I too was at GL on closing Saturday with a real good Rez, and it sucked royally, mightily, when it just shouldn't have. I too have a ghillie hat, but I really like yours bc you can stick tules in it. I've done plenty of jump shooting like that before, and love it, but it usually goes like you said yours usually goes. Your story is a testament to doing taichi, which I've actually been considering. And I too hunted like a damn maniac all January, almost every day. Result was few ducks bc the duck hunting was crappy for me on refuges this season for some reason- maybe just bad luck, and I passed on spoonies all season. But I accumulated large piles of snows & Aleutians and a lot of specks. So the cooking this spring will be lots of stews and sausages and exploring a bunch of tried and untried Hank's recipes - all seriously awesome BTW, as is your photography! And I have your same gun! Yay! Loved your story!
my wife, when she took my ghillie hat/mask out of the wash said, rolling her eyes, "I'm married to someone who wears...this" She's pretty much a city girl. LOL. I'm all about covering up completely, so this is my crafts project for next season, just sew netting it onto a hat, easy enough! thanks for the inspiration. Often better to make it yourself huh!
For the bill, you'll need to drill a couple pairs of small holes. I machine-sewed the top but used a robust thread to tie the net to the bill in a couple places. Didn't feel like breaking needles on the machine.
I remember laughing at Hank like that, until I finally joined him!
I got two geese this season, so kinda the opposite of your bag. We actually shot more spoonies than usual this year and I think I had only one or two that were bad - we even rendered their fat. Super weird! But teal was my #1, and the next issue of the CWA magazine has a recipe for what I've been doing with them (it'll be out in a few weeks).
I might do a post in the future about my improvised gear. The hat was pretty easy to make and it is an INCREDIBLY useful tool, inspired by a Remi Warren/Apex Predator show. At first I was going to just sew stubble straps on it, but couldn't find the right strapping material, and I stumbled on this decorative net at Michaels, which is even better than stubble straps. I thought I was brilliant and original until I realized I'd reinvented the Army helmet, lol.
Another me-too moment- many many moments actually - was Sprigaroonie, my name for shooting your pintail then being bombarded with them all frickin day! This happened to me at GL, Sac, Delevan- simply unbelievable, way more than other seasons. I could have shot many dozens of sprig over and over. They really need to change that limit ASAP. Also, I hunt the Delta out of a boat, that's where the geese came in. But also got a lot of geese on the refuges. This year it was not uncommon to see snows as the top bird, right?
Sounds like a great way to end the season 👍. I enjoy hunting the last day of any season - often it’s a bust from a game harvest perspective. But there is always the pleasure of the day, and most often a hidden surprise.
There's something especially delicious about the last Sunday, because the refuge often ISN'T crowded. Seeing it like that really shows you the effects of high hunting pressure. I'm increasingly embracing the notion of pressure management.
This is why we hunt….I’m a little old lady who loves to tippy toe through the bush for grouse. My husband does big game successfully.I like to listen for the cluck clucks and then dispatch….
Love it!
You're making me feel like I need to figure out a way to waterfowl hunt.....its so hard to teach yourself, but maybe its time I tried. And the "lose your shit" comment is exactly the way I talk to myself when trying to keep calm....are you from Michigan? Seems like us Michiganders use that phrase to the tits....
So, you find insanity appealing! I like you already.
Are you asking for advice? If you are, I'll come up with some suggestions!
OMG all the details are so close to my experience lol! I too was at GL on closing Saturday with a real good Rez, and it sucked royally, mightily, when it just shouldn't have. I too have a ghillie hat, but I really like yours bc you can stick tules in it. I've done plenty of jump shooting like that before, and love it, but it usually goes like you said yours usually goes. Your story is a testament to doing taichi, which I've actually been considering. And I too hunted like a damn maniac all January, almost every day. Result was few ducks bc the duck hunting was crappy for me on refuges this season for some reason- maybe just bad luck, and I passed on spoonies all season. But I accumulated large piles of snows & Aleutians and a lot of specks. So the cooking this spring will be lots of stews and sausages and exploring a bunch of tried and untried Hank's recipes - all seriously awesome BTW, as is your photography! And I have your same gun! Yay! Loved your story!
P.S. I study tai chi at Eastern Ways in Folsom, but my grandmaster's school is in SF: https://www.docfaiwongcenter.com/
My wife studies it too, so I may just start doing it! Love the hat, will copycat that - easy enough to do. Surprised someone hasn't offered that yet.
If I had an entrepreneurial bone in my body I'd give it a go. But, nah.
my wife, when she took my ghillie hat/mask out of the wash said, rolling her eyes, "I'm married to someone who wears...this" She's pretty much a city girl. LOL. I'm all about covering up completely, so this is my crafts project for next season, just sew netting it onto a hat, easy enough! thanks for the inspiration. Often better to make it yourself huh!
For the bill, you'll need to drill a couple pairs of small holes. I machine-sewed the top but used a robust thread to tie the net to the bill in a couple places. Didn't feel like breaking needles on the machine.
I remember laughing at Hank like that, until I finally joined him!
Crazy!
I got two geese this season, so kinda the opposite of your bag. We actually shot more spoonies than usual this year and I think I had only one or two that were bad - we even rendered their fat. Super weird! But teal was my #1, and the next issue of the CWA magazine has a recipe for what I've been doing with them (it'll be out in a few weeks).
I might do a post in the future about my improvised gear. The hat was pretty easy to make and it is an INCREDIBLY useful tool, inspired by a Remi Warren/Apex Predator show. At first I was going to just sew stubble straps on it, but couldn't find the right strapping material, and I stumbled on this decorative net at Michaels, which is even better than stubble straps. I thought I was brilliant and original until I realized I'd reinvented the Army helmet, lol.
Another me-too moment- many many moments actually - was Sprigaroonie, my name for shooting your pintail then being bombarded with them all frickin day! This happened to me at GL, Sac, Delevan- simply unbelievable, way more than other seasons. I could have shot many dozens of sprig over and over. They really need to change that limit ASAP. Also, I hunt the Delta out of a boat, that's where the geese came in. But also got a lot of geese on the refuges. This year it was not uncommon to see snows as the top bird, right?
Not sure about top bird ... but we're a couple seasons away from getting the limit changed!
Sounds like a great way to end the season 👍. I enjoy hunting the last day of any season - often it’s a bust from a game harvest perspective. But there is always the pleasure of the day, and most often a hidden surprise.
There's something especially delicious about the last Sunday, because the refuge often ISN'T crowded. Seeing it like that really shows you the effects of high hunting pressure. I'm increasingly embracing the notion of pressure management.