Opening Day

[Slo-Ride]

No Ducks. As hard as we tried Friday we just couldnt get any visable water to show up..Who where we fooling when we thought we could rework mother nature..Pond was nothing but a mud cake. It did hold a few ducks but nothing that gave us a shot.
My dog Shadow really worked hard and saved the day for us. Without her we would have not been able to recover 2 of these geese as they went into cover that only her nose would find. First photo shows a bird that took over a hour to find but that was due to my parnter trying to work the dog in a manner that he had no idea or business doing.
Finnaly had to but my foot down and tell him to leave the dog alone. I then took Shadow back to the POB and recoved the bird inside of 15 min.
2nd downed bird was laying in a oat feild that was only 3 or 4 inches high and that Goose was very well hidden it. I know for a fact I walked past it twice before the dog picked up on it.
As hot as it was she worked hard and I am very proud of her. It was hard on her and I almost didnt take her due to her age but am glad I did..Im afraid this is her last season. I hope not but everything is pointing that way.

 

[layoutshooter]

Sorry to hear that things did not go well and about your dog as well.

I have not talked to anyone at home to see how they did, if they went at all. Water is not a problem where we live. We are running out of places to put it all. All the ponds are full and water tables are very high.

I likely won't get out until Nov. With any luck you can get over and join us out on Lake Erie for some diver hunting. Don't forget, there are TWO cans in the limit this season! We many NEVER see that again in our lifetimes!

 

[Slo-Ride]

Sorry to hear that things did not go well and about your dog as well.

I have not talked to anyone at home to see how they did, if they went at all. Water is not a problem where we live. We are running out of places to put it all. All the ponds are full and water tables are very high.

I likely won't get out until Nov. With any luck you can get over and join us out on Lake Erie for some diver hunting. Don't forget, there are TWO cans in the limit this season! We many NEVER see that again in our lifetimes!

Thanks about the dog..All and all it was a good opener..Just fell 1 short of our limit on the Geese. Cant complain about that. Just getting the dog on some birds was worth it. She is getting old with some medical issues but I could see it in her eyes that she didnt want to give up. Once I got my cousin away from the dog she had a good day out also. She is a family member with no formal training at all. Been a dog her whole life and not a hunting robot.LOL
Really bugs me to see other ppl trying to control or feed someones else dog. Like I said and once we worked thru his issues with my dog it was a good day out. Had a great time. Complete with a campfire/cookout at night.

I only heard of one other group nailing a few woodies over here..No mallards even sighted for them. They seen Geese but none working into the water.
Maple River flooding is next in the plans once we hear the mallards are coming down.

If this warm weather stays its a safe bet we will hook up. Big open water, small boats, cold water are all still concerns of mine. I think you know that. I admit it, it concerns me alot.

 

[layoutshooter]

I understand your concerns about the big water. You need to trust me on this one. Just once. You owe it to yourself to see how we hunt and to enjoy the "crew" while it is still intact. We WILL take care of you! LOL!! Dick has been hunting out on the "River" for over 50 years, he has yet to lose anyone! We are VERY careful, if it is not safe to go out, we don't. We NEVER take chances. We have AT LEAST 3 big boats, 16-23' boats, normally 4, out at all times. We teach rookies how to transfer from the tenders to the layouts and back. We ALWAYS put rookies in the two man layout with an experienced hunter the first time. We even carry tissues if you nose starts to run!

Buck it up and give it a try. IF the birds are working you will have an unreal day.

 

[Slo-Ride]

I understand your concerns about the big water. You need to trust me on this one. Just once. You owe it to yourself to see how we hunt and to enjoy the "crew" while it is still intact. We WILL take care of you! LOL!! Dick has been hunting out on the "River" for over 50 years, he has yet to lose anyone! We are VERY careful, if it is not safe to go out, we don't. We NEVER take chances. We have AT LEAST 3 big boats, 16-23' boats, normally 4, out at all times. We teach rookies how to transfer from the tenders to the layouts and back. We ALWAYS put rookies in the two man layout with an experienced hunter the first time. We even carry tissues if you nose starts to run!

Buck it up and give it a try. IF the birds are working you will have an unreal day.

Ummm: Just a few sentences there to cause alarm,,

 

[layoutshooter]

Ummm: Just a few sentences there to cause alarm,,

OH but you just HAVE to try it! Once you see just how safe and how fun it is you will be moving over my way to hunt with us more! We are just THAT cool and THAT fun to be around! LOL!!

One thing not to worry about, we WON'T hold your hand!

 

[Slo-Ride]

One thing not to worry about, we WON'T hold your hand!

You need not worry bout holding my hand,, just the rope I tie from my waist to yours once I can no longer walk back to the shore. LOL

 

[layoutshooter]

You need not worry bout holding my hand,, just the rope I tie from my waist to yours once I can no longer walk back to the shore. LOL

LOL!! Not to worry, MANY place we set up you could wade back to shore without a problem. We are seldom any deeper than 8' and normally in more like 4'-6'.

Going by ponds on 94 near Ann Arbor. They are all FULL of water and DUCKS! Lots of mallards and looked like some gray ducks.

 

[ntimevan]

I never got into the Duck hunting. ....guess to busy taking out crops when younger....but friends and relatives all limited out earlier over weekend in Iowa.... 17 days till the Fur starts to die..

Sent from my SGH-T959 using EO Forums mobile app

 

[layoutshooter]

I never got into the Duck hunting. ....guess to busy taking out crops when younger....but friends and relatives all limited out earlier over weekend in Iowa.... 17 days till the Fur starts to die..

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Don't ever come out with me then. Have ONE good day with us and you would find yourself with a habit that costs more than an illegal drug habit costs! Too warm for furs around here. Won't see good pelts around here until Jan or Feb.

 

[ntimevan]

Don't ever come out with me then. Have ONE good day with us and you would find yourself with a habit that costs more than an illegal drug habit costs! Too warm for furs around here. Won't see good pelts around here until Jan or Feb.

Thats one of the bigest misconceprions of Prime fur. ..the temp. has little to affect it.. while driving in different states over the next 3 weeks. ..when you see a roadkill raccoon ...take a quick glance at guard hair ( dark ) on back of it.....its like the rut in deer. ..its the time of year not how cold...by mid Dec. our raccoons are starting to rub and fight over females and the quality of fur drops. .....Beaver aren t prime until April ....thats why they also have spring seasons on beaver......coyotes are either good hair or mangy. .....mink prime about mid Nov....

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[layoutshooter]

Thats one of the bigest misconceprions of Prime fur. ..the temp. has little to affect it.. while driving in different states over the next 3 weeks. ..when you see a roadkill raccoon ...take a quick glance at guard hair ( dark ) on back of it.....its like the rut in deer. ..its the time of year not how cold...by mid Dec. our raccoons are starting to rub and fight over females and the quality of fur drops. .....Beaver aren t prime until April ....thats why they also have spring seasons on beaver......coyotes are either good hair or mangy. .....mink prime about mid Nov....

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I was thinking rats and mink, but I don't trap so you can learn me a thing or 3

 

[Slo-Ride]

Never did any trapping myself and never learned much about it. Been Raccoon hunting and after a few rather successfully nights of that I decided it didn't matter if I ever went again. A lot of work to carry those critters out of the woods after a night of following the dogs.
A trap line would take a lot of dedication to tend one. Think I only know 2 ppl that did get into it in a big way and they worked it every day if not twice a day.

 

[Slo-Ride]

Layout, Do you know what your dates are to shut down yet?
We still gotta hit the Pt. Mouillee state game area and may do so this week as long as work is still so slow. Hit me up,weather looks to be decent this week with warmer temps.