Idaho: Day 7

When it's Day 7 you know it's going to be good!

One

Of course I didn't know that coming in.  I thought I wasn't going to be hunting for a week but after some creative schedule manipulation with the boss I was headed out today.  The forecast was not at all promising being that it's been exceptionally warm here,I even had to cut my lawn today after hunting, but I headed out anyway. Good thing I did too. 

When I arrived at Anderson I thought I was making a mistake.  The wind was coming from the south, bringing with it those warm temps and making the decision to hunt our new blind seem foolish.  Wind from the south means it's at your back on the point, from the left at the new blind. I went anyway.  My logic was that I could at least try out the new $485,000 blind and fine-tune if necessary.  As the shooting bell rang and no ducks were overhead for the morning fly my logic seemed foolish and wasteful.  I had packed my decoy bag full up with the roto and all the blocks I could carry thinking that the 'Expert' had been slaying with big open water spreads and I should do my best to mimic him, he's the 'Expert' after all. The spread looked good but nothing wanted me.  Yet.

Two

Movement caught my eye and I realized a Greenie had landed in the blocks and was swimming with them out front.  I had to take my chance and jump him, which I did, and missed cleanly with two shots as he broke left with the wind. Knowing that I had not shouldered my gun properly and aimed right made me mad and I told myself not to be a dumbass again.  It didn't take long for another Greenie to come from the left into the wind and land in the blocks.  I hadn't seen this one come in either because the left side of the blind is tall and that's exactly where I was sitting to avoid being seen from the side. I jumped again and he took off peeling up and back but facing me with his big white belly.  Taking my time to aim I folded him cleanly with one shot and dropped him right in the middle of the deeks.  Bingo, $10 $10 $20.  He's a beautiful sight eh?.

Right as I'm done texting off a picture to my teammates showing my first bird of the year another set comes in from the left, I aim correctly and shoot the next Greenie.  Folded.  Now I'm feeling invincible and I take the second shot at the hen he came in with.  I winged her and she fell 40 yards out, alive but not able to fly. Shit!  Now I'm running out through the shallows trying to get to her but she's still faster than me and my last shell is all I have to try to take her as she swims away.  I hit her but she's still going farther and farther out until I can wade no farther.  Shit!  So now back at the blind with the 2nd Greenie in the bag I load up and go looking thinking the wind and current will bring her back in.  1/2 hour later with no hen I'm back in the blind feeling stupid.  Greedy and stupid.  I only shoot Greenies for Heston's sake!

Three

After a while I realize Lord Heston will not send me any more shots today.  I have been wasteful and my Grandfather, likely grouse hunting with Heston, is mad.  So I go looking again, this time both sides of the shoreline hoping the wind has pushed her back in, but no luck.  I return to the blind with thoughts of pulling up when the 3rd Greenie comes in.  I shoot.  He drops, but not dead.  I dump my bag on the ground and grab a handful of shells and race out into the water.  It takes some time but I finally make the kill and bring my third of the day in.  Praise Heston.  At that point I give another 1/2 hour and watch the sun break through the clouds, pack my decoys and give one final look for the hen, still nothing.  My bag is heavy on the way out and my happiness at this awesome day, though tempered by remorse for the hen, is large.  Back to the cabin to clean my first ducks of the year.  Who wants dinner tomorrow?


GBCH.