This past weekend I went duck hunting Friday through Sunday, and for the first time this season, I had to hunt alone. My normal hunting partners are younger than me, and it just so happens that both of them chose to chase "wimmen" instead of go out and whack some ducks. Although I don't like to hunt alone ever since I broke my ankle on a hunting trip some years back, I could not resist getting out there for one more good weekend of hunting.

The weather forecast for Saturday and Sunday when I left for the ranch on Friday, was for cloudy skies, rain, and a SW wind on Saturday, and a cold front moving through on Saturday night which would bring cold temps, clouds, and a NW wind. It sounded perfect to me, as I have always believed that the wind direction brings ducks from different areas into my duck lake. As usual the weather folks were wrong. No rain, no clouds. The wind was from the correct direction, I'll give them that.

I got out to the ranch on Friday, and had enough day left to go jump shoot some ponds. I have to admit, I really love to jump shoot ponds because you never know what you will get off the water. I stopped first at a very small pond right behind our deer camp, and it has just gotten water back in it over the past couple of weeks, so I just thought I would give it a try. As I topped the dam, there were six Gadwall on the water. As soon as they saw me, they all started moving away from me, I took aim on the fartherest away and pulled the trigger. I got lucky as another duck moved into my shot path and two fell with one shot! I followed up with my second shot and dropped a nice drake, and my third shot dropped another hen. Four ducks down. That was exciting and quick! I went back to the truck, let Laverne out of her kennel, and she charged out and made four retrieves in the small pond. That was fun. On to the next pond.

I pulled up to the second pond, and this is what I would describe as a "honey hole". I never jump this pond without it having ducks on the water. I topped the dam and.....there was only one duck. A ringneck. I decided to pass. By this time it was getting late, and Laverne and I both were getting hungry. Back to camp for dinner, a DVD, and some sleep.

We got up at six the next morning and set out for the duck lake. This particular blind faces due east, so any north or south wind will work well at this blind. The only thing that is tricky is that you are shooting left to right or right to left instead of ducks cupping straight in. I set up a very small spread with two wigeon drake decoys to my down wind side (the North) and a group of about a dozen teal decoys as stoppers upwind (the South). I also placed a mechanical decoy close to the blind facing south. Right off the bat as shooting time had passed, a large (the largest this season) group of teal started to work the spread. I love to watch teal come into a spread, as they fly so fast and "drop air" so quickly as the pass and drop in a series of passes until they will land. I decided to enjoy the show, and just watch these little speed demons work. Before I knew it, I had 37 teal on the water in front of me. There were probably more, but that is the count I got up to before I decided to stand up. When I stood up, all hell broke loose. Teal just explode off the water, and no other duck gets altitude so quickly. I shot a double. One fell close and the other fell all the way over to the opposite bank. The wind was quickly pushing the duck out to bigger water, so I released Laverne and she did a nice job retrieving the birds. I got some pictures. The bird on the opposite bank was a great opportunity to work on a long blind retrieve.

Back into the blind, and ready for more action. A single teal teal came in and...bang. Duck #3 down. Laverne out. Pictures. Back in the blind. Another single teal, shot, splashdown. I sent Laverne, and was taking pictures when I looked to the left and a single Gadwall drake was coming straight into the spread. Picture this in your mind: I have a shotgun on a strap on my left shoulder, and a camera in my right hand while standing in water up to my thighs, and have a dog halfway out on a long retrieve! I quickly crammed the camera into my handwarmer pocket, took the gun off my shoulder, took aim and fired. The Gadwall folded up and literally skipped across the water when he hit! It was a challenge keeping Laverne on the teal retrieve and off the Gadwall that splashed, but I am proud to say she did it. Five ducks. Done for the day and it was 8:35. Not too shabby.

Sunday morning. The last duck hunt of 2007. Before I went out to the blind, I made a change to my choke tube. I switched from Improved .015 constriction to a Improved/Modified, which is a .025 constriction. I did this in anticipation of the ducks being a little further out on the second consecutive day of hunting. It turned out to be the right decision. Again the teal worked the spread early, and I managed to get two nice Green Wing drakes early. A single ringneck screamed in with the wind at his back....I made a nice pass shot. Three ducks down. Laverne made three nice retrieves. Then I waited. And waited. And waited. Nothing, no birds, just bright sun. Eight o'clock came and went. Then eight thirty. This sucks. The last hunt of the year and it sucks. No birds. I am going to quit at 9:00. At 8:55 in comes a single Gadwall, I shoot. It dies. Laverne goes out. Four ducks. I decide to cut bait and pack up. I pick up my decoys and of course about 20 ducks pass overhead. I just laughed because it was so typical. I picked up everything but my trusty mechanical duck when as if from heaven, a single Gadwall comes right in. I pick up my shot gun and he flares (mainly because my truck is parked on the bank of the lake), I take hail mary shot (skybusting) and the duck is hit. He wobbles and flys off crippled, and I see him go down on a small roost pond behind my big water. I finish loading the truck and drive over to the pond with Laverne in tow. As I come up to the pond, at least 25 big ducks flush off the water.....all but one. A single Gadwall floating, dead. I send Laverne and get some pictures of the last bird of 2007. Another limit of birds, and a pretty fun weekend of duck hunting!

I had a great duck season this year, and enjoyed hunting with friends and family. It was also a great season for Laverne. She made great strides on her way to becoming a truly great hunting retriever.

Can't wait until next year.

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