Duck, Duck, GOOSE

The temps felt more like winter this weekend which keeps my fishing partners indoors and make me want to hunt something. Fishing last week BB and I noticed some public land with a mess of ducks and geese just kicking about. We got to thinking it would be a hell of a place to set up and hunt. I was itching to get my waterfowl hunt on having missed every opportunity this year for one reason or another. We recruited my nephew and my buddy Scooter for the adventure then went to work getting gear together. This one was gonna cost us a bit, none of us have our own decoys and everyone else we hunt with using theirs we were gonna have to bite the bullet and get our own. After giving bass pro half a weeks pay we had decoys and a bag. I also threw in a goose call just for fun and also it turns out to drive my dog ape shit. We left out late a little after 4 and arrived at the ponds by 5:45 which would have given us plenty of time to make the long walk lugging our gear and my kayak. Some young bucks got the jump on us and were on the pond we were gonna hunt which added another half mile to our walk and put us hauling ass to get decoys set up and a blind constructed. As it turns out the ducks fly early and I was still paddling out the decoys when the first mallards showed up. They weren't to impressed with the camo fat decoy in the middle of the spread and promptly tore ass out of sight before a shot was made. The geese flew in not to long after as I was removing the yak from the water. I think they caught my blind mates dozing because again no shots were fired. An hour into our hunt I noticed birds landing further down the pond and decided that maybe I could change our luck by taking a little paddle down (and get some blood pumping in my cold hands). I jumped 2 geese with no chance and a little further on I bumped the rest of the flock out at the end. I decided to sit and see if they would come back. By this time we heard a steady flurry of shots coming from the other pond where we had planned to sit, but hey that's how public land works you gotta get there early.On my paddle back our luck finally changed I stopped to relieve myself on shore and heard my guys light em up. They had a group of 5 head in and only one would make it out. Also as it turned out the spot I chose to rest backed up to a smaller pond where our mallard friends were hold up. I busted them but I had the wrong gun in my hands so to speak. It sounded like the guys and girl at the other pond were having an epic day with shots coming right up until lunch. We had a few more birds fly by but nothing would commit. We wrapped up the day around one and began our long trek back to the car. it was an awesome day and we learned plenty about our new spot and what to do better next time. Grins were worn by all and we cant wait to get back on em. We ended our day with 4 geese, one for each of us. The other group only had 6 geese and 2 duck with one duck banded. The y shot a whole lot for only 4 more birds than us but i guess that's how ya learn I'm certainly in no spot to pick on someones wing shooting. I'm still surprised when I pull the trigger and one drops out of the sky.

my paddle down the creek

nephew fixing our spread

birds in the boat

checking out the wing span

Cant wait for goose stew in the crock pot this week.

Zane Williams sings Hands of a Working Man

Hank III - Smoke and Wine (Acoustic)

Winter fishing trip

My goose hunting plans for the week end took a turn south early in the week and I missed the call to hunt them with my nephew. The good news is some fishing non hunting buddies saw the favorable forecast (highs near 50 overcast no wind) and planned a little winter fishing excursion. Fishing reports noted yellow perch being caught and crappie and pickerel are always a winter delight. No planning from me I got to be a tag along on this one. We skipped a local spot that was jammed with anglers plucking what yellows were available and opted for spots off the beaten track. Unfortunately the reason for the crowd was yellows accessible from shore. Our first two locations held fish, just not in casting range, and having left the kayaks at home Not all involved own one yet we were left to watch. The second spot we hit was for and different fish and the only catch there was my nephews lost boot  from the hammer buck hunt.

Sent to nephew to ask if he was missing something. I am currently holding it for ransome. I havent named my price yet.

But hey a catch is a catch as long as he hasn't jettisoned the other one I'm sure he will be happy to get

These guys are lucky I am fishing.

this one back. We moved again opting for some ponds with hope of a crappie bite and though they didn't co operate the bass and pickerels did finally livened up and the skunk was off. All the hunting buds caught fish but only one of the fishing buds could manage to hook up. might be a little rivalry for future trips.

Broke the skunk with this guy wasn't expecting bass

My pickerel friend

Billybobs first bass of the day

Pete with the biggest bass

There may or may not have been some adult beverages involved by some. Here we have a true professional in his element.

Gray cloudy and foggy at times but a nice day for a walk in the woods

My nephew sent this pic late last night they got one glad I missed the trip. Fishing was much more productive.Ill get em next time.

Public Land Hammer Buck

 I should of charged guide fees this year. I would do research find a new spot take a friend and watch them shoot a nice deer or catch the big fish. I not bitching though its been a great year and The nephew's and I started it out right this pass weekend. It was late shot gun season in Maryland and we were tired of the public land we usually hunt being over run with people so earlier in the week we started hatching a plan to try some where new. We decided to hunt some heavily hunted land on the eastern shore. Having never set foot there except a few fishing trips I began dig into google maps to try and get a lay of the land to set our point of attack.I was off Friday and had intended on doing a little hunt scouting before Saturday but life got in the way as usual. With no boots on the ground we would be going in blind. There was a impending snow storm which was good news The 4 to 6 inches forecast would keep mostothe fudds at home and the area we were planning to hunt was deep in past where average hunters will walk. So my Nephew Ryan his friend Matt and my great Nephew Dillon saddled up at 4 am for the drive to the shore. We hiked in and set up on a ridge overlooking the river bottom that I scouted on the map and watch the snow fall as the sun rose.The nephews would hunt together and Matt and I spread out across the ridge. at 9am little man Dillon was freezing as temps barely rose above the low teens. So Ryan decided that they should walk to the river warm up and maybe jump something down to us. Well they did jump something and I guess in time he might had made it to us but his trip was shortened by a 3" copper solid. Nice Shooting Ryan even though little man was the one who spotted him.

Needless to say I was a proud Uncle when I saw the size of this hammer from over hunted public land whereIwas told deer like this don't exist. We tagged and drug this big boy about a mile and a half back to the truck checked him in dropped him off ate a great lunch and went back for an evening hunt. The snow piled up and the temp dropped to single digits, we held out until dark with just a couple tiny does seen. Another buck (known only from his tracks in the snow) crossed my path that evening a few yards from where I sat down after tweaking my bum ankle. Unfortunately I was facing the wrong way and never heard his sneaky ass in the snow. Like I said a great way to start 2017. Livin The Dream.

Still Kicken

Ok started this a week or so ago and never posted. A late Merry Christmas and Happy New Year to Y"all. I dropped off the internet after being married to the brick and mortar above for the better part of November. I needed a break and I had vacation days to kill. December started off with a bang. Tore up a early Holiday party with the work family.

 Then spent as much time in the woods as possible. I chased mr and mrs white tail to and fro but chasing was all that was happening. I watch as all my hunting partners punch their tags. I just couldn't catch a break.

weather was warm except for days I had off so the yak stayed on the shelf.

Me and my big sis

cousin Rob and uncle Neil

Xmas present from the wife new bow hunting pack

of course i had to modify it to fit my big ass

My Favorite Irish Bar Mick O'Sheas

The Shady Bunch