Recharged Via 12 Gauge

        Its  amazing how a little time in nature can make you feel better about life. I recharged the batteries today, Its been a rough month and I haven't felt festive so I gave my guys Christmas off (they all have kids) and I worked both Christmas eve and a double Christmas for them. Today my wife gave me my gift. Instead of complaining about my absence she was happy to send my miserable ass hunting.
        I was invited earlier in the month by a friend to one of his blinds not far from home. He was supplying decoys the boat and all I needed were my waders gun and some shells. The plan was to meet at the ramp at 5:30 take a short boat trip to the blind, shoot our limit and be home by lunch. Seemed simple enough and for once it was dam near spot on. I arrived early we loaded up met the rest of the party of 4 got into position and waited for sunrise.

Anticipation

     The birds would soon cooperate, not in the droves I was promised but frequent enough to keep us occupied. It has been unusually warm here in the Mid Atlantic which usually screws up duck hunting, but we were hunting mostly resident ducks and had permission from a country club to thin the population from next to there golf course so ample targets were about.

Hard to believe were only about 5 miles from downtown Baltimore

         By 9 am I had 3 mallards in the bag with twice as many misses. Being kind of a newbie to duck hunting I felt pretty good about my shooting today it's was much improved over my last trip. My hunting partners with many more years experience weren't so happy with their performances though. We rapped up by 10 I was told they stopped flying by then and since we spent the last hour watching only hawks and a few blue herons fly by I will assume this to be true. I made it back home with lunch for the wife and 3 fat ducks for a dinner.

Some ducks were harmed in the writing of this blog others just scared.

       My pooch loves him some duck he just doesn't like water so this is about as close to retrieving as he gets. Wife thought it to be a great photo op. She acts like I never bring anything home from hunting but a smile.

Yum !

      I have some scrumptious duck breast and legs in a brine and there will be some awesome grilled viddles for dinner tomorrow.  I'm sure The pooch will get him some too. As for me a better mood cannot be had. Batteries recharged dam that was easy.