Alright, so let me start by setting the record straight for the purposes of understanding the underlying weather patterns that have dictated our success and failure this season:
First, as the season opened, we watched perfect weather and large concentrations of birds go to pot when the whole place surrendered to temps in the upper teens on the second day of season. We fought through it, and prevailed, to some degree. On the heels of that cold snap, we had the ice storm of 2013, which crippled traffic, ruined gutters, and halted duck season as we knew it for a full 7 days of season. Temps dipped into the single digits. Everything stalled out.
As said weather cleared out, we were graced by the biggest, brightest full-moon I've ever witnessed, which threw the ducks into a mad-dash night feed, which continued between Sunday evening and Thursday morning. Fortunately, the moon gave way to clouds, and on Friday, we got after em. Unfortunately, it didn't last long, because on Saturday the torrents of rain moved into town. My rain gauge tops out at 5 inches. It ran over, and then some. Looks like we'll be losing another week of season. For what it's worth, this has been a tough one.
Okay, so Saturday, December 21, Blake & his Uncle, David White, joined me at the home field. Didn't last long, as the lightning ran us out of the field before 8:00 a.m. We left with only a handful.
Saturday, Dec. 21, 2013:
Home Field
4 Ducks
2 Shovelers
1 Gadwall
1 GWT
Friday, Dec. 20, 2013:
Lost 20
11 Birds
3 Snows
4 Shovelers
4 Mallards
Charles' West:
20 Birds
6 Gadwalls
14 Mallards
Thursday, Dec. 19, 2013:
Louis Williams & Yours Truly, Chuck's West
12 Birds
5 Mallards
5 Gadwall
1 Shoveler
1 GWT
Wednesday, December 18, 2013:
Jim, Mike, and Tyler Davis; Chuck's West
14 Birds
2 GAdwall
3 Redheads
1 Mallard
8 Shovelers
Tuesday, Dec. 17, 2013:
Jim, Mike, and Tyler Davis; Chuck's West
21 Birds
11 Gadwall
5 Mallard
1 GWT
4 Shovelers
Monday, Dec. 16, 2013
Jim, Mike, and Tyler Davis; Jimmy Scott; Home Field
14 Birds
3 Shovelers
8 Mallards
2 Gadwall
1 Redhead
