Idaho: Day 9

Can't see me, can ya?

I know, I skipped over Day 8, here it is. Clider and I went to Killarney and took the boat out to a spot I saw this summer while motoring about.  We saw some good flying but noting came into our murderous path so we pulled up and boated to the other side of the lake where we scared up bunches and bunches of mallards.  Not knowing if it was on or off limits we sat and watched all the ducks try to land right back where we were sitting but they couldn't because we were there looking conspicuous.  So we left.  Day 8.


On to Day 9.
I was not real sure I wanted to go out this morning.  After a long Founders Tour and some days of working at the shop I really wanted to just sleep in. The skies were clear when I went to sleep after watching the Giants CRUSH their competition, if you can call the GB Packers that, and the moon was shining bright.  Not a good promise of great hunting for the next morning but my brain had different ideas.  I woke at 3:00, 3:30, 3:40 and 3:45 looking at the clock and thinking to myself that if I tried to sleep the stupid brain would just keep prodding me to do something.  I left at 4:10.

Elbow shooter

It was cold and clear when I got to the Point on Anderson but the water was way up.  Back to within 5 feet of the shoreline thanks to the recent rainy weather that is killing my ski job. I set my blocks and refurbished the blind as it was looking like a big brown hole in the shoreline.  Some fresh grasses and new tree sprigs made me look like, well, nothing, which was just the way I wanted it to be. Ducks were rocketing over the spread and geese were everywhere in the dark morning light, not a bad way to start.  Right after the bell a fat mallard came undetected from the right and landed in the blocks right in front of me.  I jumped and gave him the ole' boogalie boogalie boo, but he sat tight and swam around like there was not a care in the world.  Finally I moved enough and he jumped to the left and I took a shot, just one, but missed.  He was so savvy to my boogalie that I gave him some respect and did not shoot again.  It was about 15 min later when the next mallard pair came screaming in from the right and I brought my gun all the way up to my elbow, taking two shots at the greenie, and wishing I had taken my time to properly shoulder the Benelli.  They bolted right and landed 100 yards out on the lake.  Another greenie came straight in and circled twice before bolting left towards the refuge on the other side of the river and I then remembered the wise words of the 'Expert'.  "It is better to have shotten and missed....etc".  Mistake noted.

Now 2 hours in, sun breaking through the clouds, the action was drying up.  I had a couple more high flyers and many geese, including some beautiful snows, that passed close to me but nobody wanted in.  It was about that time I noticed something floating in on the wind swept water from the right side of the lake.  Could it be?  Yes, it was the greenie that had flown off seemingly unscathed from my shottening 20 min before.  I waded out hoping it was not just a log or debris that was driven in but it was the Greenie from my elbow shot, still warm and fresh.  Back at the cabin my C.S.I. told me I had put two in the body but he still was flyable, likely why he looked alright flying off.  The great Lord Heston had given me a gift, a Greenie I did not even know I had.  Not long after I pulled up in the brilliant sunshine and made for home.  A good day I almost did not take advantage of.  Lesson learned.


GBCH.