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| They look good, alright? |
Another blustery cold day here in Oregon. Being a Monday no need to get out to the hunting spot too early so I leave the house at a reasonable 5:30, with a cilling time of 6:59. I pull in to the lot and there are already four trucks parked and dark, I don't know if the readers remember but it used to be just us and Mitch out here. I scratch my head load up and head out, on the way out wondering what awesome spot is left with me. I get to the point and encounter a mallaka with a push cart, he's not even wearing his waders yet, and a dog. I chat him up and get some info as to where he has seen the other 3 trucks of hunters. Everything he tells me tells me that there is nobody at the cove.
As I am walking to the cove I notice that the dog is following me, I assume that maybe the mallaka was too following me in search of a spot for himself. I'm crossing the water, which is iced up, and the dog follows me too, right to the blind. I turn and no owner in sight. I cross the cove again to set up my blocks and the dog follows me again. When I get to the other side she bolts. A minute later I hear someone screaming bloody murder looking for a dog. Not a minute later the mallaka sticks his head out of the brush and asks if I had seen his dog. I say no and point him into the direction I told him that I thought I had heard him go. I get his phone number and tell him if I see his genius of a dog that I'd call him. For the next 20 minutes all you could hear is "Missy Missy get the F*%K over here!"
I settle in with about 15 minutes before the bell goes off. I hear some calling behind me and it sounds off into the distance. Some mallards fly through the spread and go behind me, not being cilling time yet nothing to see here, but nice never the less. Check the clock and there is 7 minutes to go. BAM! BAM! BAM! Right behind me! I mean right behind me! I'm like holy crap! Did these guys not see me setting up this morning with my headlamp dancing in the dark and screaming with another hunter about a missing dog? I walk literally 20 yards behind me and two more mallakas are set up on the opposite side of me shooting into the other direction. First I apologize about setting up so close to them saying that if I knew that they were there I would have never set up there. Then I told them that I would be happy to move if they wanted me to. [ I didn't really want to do that, morning fly is the best time and to be pulling blocks during prime time was not really an option] They were cool about where I was, even asked me to join them if I wanted to. I explained that I too had blocks already set up and since we both were shooting in separate directions every thing is cool. Plus if you saw their tired looking blocks set up in the most ridiculous way you too would have moved on too.
The morning was filled with high fliers and crap ducks. A set of mallards flew in and I did my best to take one home but no luck. Frick and Frack behind me walk over and chat for a while. Tells me the story of how it's his first time out there hunting ducks. Tells me the story of how their buddies shot 8 ducks on Saturday and told them about it so they thought that they should check it out. Tells me the story of how he likes to "work" the birds and not sky bust. Tells me the story of how two mallards came in this morning before cilling time and landed in their spread [the same two that flew through my spread] and how the drake flew away and the hen stayed behind. Tells me the story of how he told his buddy to put a bead on the hen and as soon as it's cilling time to blast it. So yeah the story I'm telling you is that his buddy shot a duck on the water before cilling time.
Frick and Frack pack up in search of duckier pastures. I enjoy the morning beauty. Off in the distance I can see three mallakas crossing from the island to the point. One is pushing a cart and there is a chocolate lab with them. How nice he found his dog. I watched how two of them struggled with the boot sucking mud while pushing a cart, which also got stuck, through the water. It took them literally 15 minutes to cross 20 yards of water, it was fun to watch. I pack up to and head back to the lot. I catch the tree mallakas and their dog, I say "Hi Missy" and they looked confused as to how I know the dogs name. The dog wags it's tail and follows me to my truck.
I settle in with about 15 minutes before the bell goes off. I hear some calling behind me and it sounds off into the distance. Some mallards fly through the spread and go behind me, not being cilling time yet nothing to see here, but nice never the less. Check the clock and there is 7 minutes to go. BAM! BAM! BAM! Right behind me! I mean right behind me! I'm like holy crap! Did these guys not see me setting up this morning with my headlamp dancing in the dark and screaming with another hunter about a missing dog? I walk literally 20 yards behind me and two more mallakas are set up on the opposite side of me shooting into the other direction. First I apologize about setting up so close to them saying that if I knew that they were there I would have never set up there. Then I told them that I would be happy to move if they wanted me to. [ I didn't really want to do that, morning fly is the best time and to be pulling blocks during prime time was not really an option] They were cool about where I was, even asked me to join them if I wanted to. I explained that I too had blocks already set up and since we both were shooting in separate directions every thing is cool. Plus if you saw their tired looking blocks set up in the most ridiculous way you too would have moved on too.
The morning was filled with high fliers and crap ducks. A set of mallards flew in and I did my best to take one home but no luck. Frick and Frack behind me walk over and chat for a while. Tells me the story of how it's his first time out there hunting ducks. Tells me the story of how their buddies shot 8 ducks on Saturday and told them about it so they thought that they should check it out. Tells me the story of how he likes to "work" the birds and not sky bust. Tells me the story of how two mallards came in this morning before cilling time and landed in their spread [the same two that flew through my spread] and how the drake flew away and the hen stayed behind. Tells me the story of how he told his buddy to put a bead on the hen and as soon as it's cilling time to blast it. So yeah the story I'm telling you is that his buddy shot a duck on the water before cilling time.Frick and Frack pack up in search of duckier pastures. I enjoy the morning beauty. Off in the distance I can see three mallakas crossing from the island to the point. One is pushing a cart and there is a chocolate lab with them. How nice he found his dog. I watched how two of them struggled with the boot sucking mud while pushing a cart, which also got stuck, through the water. It took them literally 15 minutes to cross 20 yards of water, it was fun to watch. I pack up to and head back to the lot. I catch the tree mallakas and their dog, I say "Hi Missy" and they looked confused as to how I know the dogs name. The dog wags it's tail and follows me to my truck.
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