Idaho: Day 15

There we were, sitting on the ice wearing white sheets over our heads and looking like big white turds on the surface of the lake.  I felt stupid sitting out there in front of a mini river full of decoys and watching the light come up around us but Clider said he knew they would come in, and he's the 'Expert' after all. After he took a walk to the puddle behind us, the one where all the morning fly ducks seemed to be going, some came my way.  I shot wildly at them struggling to shoulder my gun while dealing with wearing a big sheet.  I missed.  When it was my turn to take a walk the Gadwalls that came in were no match for Clider's one shot double fold.  Of course that was after I heard his first attempt go "click" from 100 yards away, but I digress.  Did I mention we were wearing sheets?

Other than a few other random ducks that flew while seated, and the inevitable ones that flew while we were packing up, not too much happened.  The weather was warm and the rain front that was to move in at 9:00 did not happen.  So we packed it up and went on a scouting trip towards Thompson Lake and the CdA river beyond.  On the walk out a lone Canadian was floating badly on the river.  He appeared almost dead and was only able to lift his head weakly when we went towards him.  Thinking he was another hunters N.R. Clider sent Peat after the big bird and Peat brought him in.  Good Dog!  After some debate as to what killed the Canadian I decided that if he was full of holes, and since Peat brought him in from a place that none of us could have gotten him, Clider can deduct a N.R. from his own totals.  If he died from natural causes or some new strain of bird flu that we are all infected with now, the N.R. totals remain unchanged.  We will see.

In any event the new spot we looked at seems nice.  It's frozen over now but next season could prove to be yet another new look for the H7HT.  I can only hope that when my brother, C. DaFolder, comes to visit we are able to limit out and get me a little close to the 'Experts'  insurmountable lead.  He, of course, will be hunting every day until the end of the season. 


GBCH