Final Day Idaho:

Hey there, it's me, Bob D.

I know what you are saying, "Bob D, aren't you The Expert of the entire 2020/2021 hunting season?" Yes kids, yes I am. It has been a long time coming and after all the years of watching other people hold the title that so clearly belongs to me I must tell you that it feels great.  What feels less than stellar however, is the fact that this has to be one of the lowest Expert totals in years.  As many of you know the Founders Tour this year was more of a learning experience than a slaying fest.  Additionally it seems that after a great early season here in the PNW our weather patterns stayed quite static.  Normally we have many more fluctuations that bring down ducks from the North.  It seemed to me that the normal late season ducks didn't show.  That's okay, we shot ducks anyway.

Today's photos show what occurred on my last hunting day when I went to, where else, The Point.  Normally I would have headed out to The Tip but with all the warmer than average weather I figured that the water would be open in the channel and maybe it would be a good day for ducks.  I had even considered going to the Theatre for a shorter walk but not knowing how the freeze was there got me headed out to what I knew was clear water.  When I left home a light snow was falling but as I neared Anderson the skies opened to a nearly full moon and a million stars.  Not optimal.

The sunrise was great and geese were flying but I did not have even one good shot on ducks.  If I had a Nova Scotia Duck Tolling Retriever though,*  I could have used the old tyme art of tolling to bring the ducks, who were loafing way out in the lake, right to me.  I sat around and watched shorebirds fight over scraps, enjoyed the sunshine and called it a season right around 11am.  No ducks to clean when I got home but at least there was a hottub waiting. Thanks Covid.

GBCH

*shout out to all the NSDTR breeders out there, I'm your man.