No. We Ain't Gettin' em.

Alright, here we go. 24-hours prior to the season's opening hours, we held a convervative  estimate of 15,000 birds in the Jones field, composed mainly of mallards. Sadly, sometime during that 24-hour period, those birds simply left. The opener forecasted to include 10-15 mph winds from the southeast. When it got here, there wasn't the first stitch of wind before 9:00. It just didn't come together. Sure, we got our birds, but let's face it:   It was one of the most disappointing days I've ever spent in the blind.

The crew included Tasha, Dawson, Dave, Andy, John, Blake, and yours truly. We left with 48.

Jones - 48
23 Shovelers
10 GWT
8 Specks
7 Mallards




Day 2, as expected, things went south. We slipped over to Chucks and managed to knock out 10, but the reality that the ducks just weren't here set in quickly. Dawson, Gates, John, Garrett, Olivia, Andy, and myself were along for a long, slow morning.

Charles' - 10
4 Specks
3 Mallards
2 Shovelers
1 GWT




On Monday, things continued on their downward spiral. John, Garrett, Franks, & I returned to the scene of the crime on the Jones field, and carried out only 11 birds.

Jones' - 11
4 Mallards
1 shoveler
6 GWT

Tuesday, we went back to Chuck's for a quasi-youth hunt. Hunter, Barrett, Johnny, and me.  Slooooooow.I had Tasha, Olivia, Hunter, John, and Barrett with me. Left at 8:30 with 9.

Charles' - 9
1 Wigeon
2 Mallards
2 Gadwalls
4 Shovelers

 
 

Wednesday, I was joined by Tasha, Olivia, Hunter, Garrett, John, Barrett, and John, for the maiden voyage in Baser this season. Again, slow, but better than expected. Left at 8:30 with 7 birds.

Baser - 7
3 GWT
2 Gadwalls
1 Speck
1 Mallard





Thursday, Reece, Jake, John, Blake, and I returned to Jones. Super slow. 4 Mallards.

Jones - 4
Mallards

Friday.  Reece, Westie, Jake, John, & I. Baser.  Terrible. Left with 2 birds.

Baser - 2
1 Snow
1 Mallard

Saturday, John, Blake, Reece, and I hit chuck's. Left with one scaup and narrowly avoided the maligned skunk.

Chuck's - 1 Scaup

Only 92 birds during the first split.

Second split picked up right where the first one left off. The numbers looked so bleak that I didn't even hunt on Thursday. On Friday, Blake & I returned to the Jones field, but we got rained out with only 2 specks to our credit.

Jones - 2
Specks

Saturday, John, Blake, and I returned to Baser and found a way to bag 2 GWT. Frankly, we were lucky to get em. North winds and no love from the birds.

Baser - 2
GWT

Sunday, John, Ryan Gibson, Landon, and I tried Baser one more time. Pretty much the same story again. 3 birds.

Baser - 3
2 Hooded Merganses
1 Shoveler