Oregon Update

Mucho apologies about the lack of posting on my end this past month,  but thought I'd give y'all an update for those interested:

Well moving, working and house shopping has dominated most of my time though I have made it out a few times.  Let's revisit December shall we.  We had  a very cold December.  Water would splash up on the  blocks bills and freeze, wet gloves would freeze.  I even got mud in the buckles on my pack and guess what....it froze too!  It may have not have been as cold as Idaho, but it was damn cold for the Oregon Chapter.  The first day, Fred and I attempted to wade out to the island but we both ran into quicksand.  Ya, quicksand!  Fred got stuck while in the water but was able to sit down and wiggle his way out.  I was stuck on dry land with one leg buried almost up to my thigh. It was probably a funny sight trying to watch Fred pull me out with a stick from the distance, but I assure you it was no fun.  Finally, after Fred's suggestion, I layed on my stomach and was able to push my way out with my free leg.  We hunted from the mainland that day and took no shots.  The next time we went out, we also hunted from the mainland.  Fred built a stellar blind and the closest we even came to seeing a duck was on our hike out looking at a man wearing U of O swag.  Though he looked tasty and easy to clean, we kept walking.

Then there was Friday, first hunt of the New Year.  I took the day off from work and headed out to Sauvies with my 9 fingertips.  I got in line 3 hours before shooting time.  Though I was back....way back in line, I felt optimistic with it being the New Year and all.  I felt like I was going to get on the board.  When Finally getting into the check in station, I took the last blind...Mudhen 7.  As I remember, this blind sucked.  Lots of weeds in the water and no place for ducks to lock in, but I took it anyways as I knew where it was in the dark and there was only 30 min to shooting time.  To my suprise, water was way up.  The blind was surrounded by it and the weeds were under it.  Things were starting to look up.  I busted out Leroy and looked everywhere for his pull string with no luck so I went just straight decoy.  Gun shots started ringing just as I was finishing up my spread and loading my gun in the foggy haze.  10 minutes into the hunt a big fat greenie came in.  I'm talking a big fat greenie too, not a little skinny one, more like Fred's goose.  When his feet came down and he showed me his man boobs, I raised my weapon, put my bead on him and took a moment to enjoy my first pre-kill of the season.  I clicked my safety into the 'CIL' position, I uh I uh I uh clicked my safety.......c'mon safety, click into the 'CIL' position!  Nope, greenie was gone and I was stuck with a gun that had a jammed safety.  I spent the next 20 min of prime time getting my safety unjammed.  Then the skybusting started to come alive.  There were lots of ducks moving all morning up until 10:30 when I left, but I just couldn't take it anymore.  The guy next to me was taking 60 yard shots, the guy across from him was taking 60 yard shots and the guy across from me was shooting at birds on the water 50 yards out.  No duck wanted to stick around and choose a spread to land in.

Let's revisit my season so far real quick- had my gun knocked into a river by dogs, got stuck in quicksand, mud in pack buckles that froze, man wearing U of O swag starting to look tasty, 9 fingertips, can't find Leroys pull string, jammed safety that cost me the biggest/fattest greenie since ancient Rome and 0.0 ducks per Cliffy.  I hope for some new mojo in time for CIL'in for the King.