Yesterday my son, his dog and a friend were going duck hunting off of the Delaware River for the day day but I couldn't commit for the long haul.
I elected to go by myself to an old haunt of mine deep in the pines. It is a lot of work to get in there requiring a long ride in on a crappy road and a short, paint-removing half mile drive on a really crappy road. From there it is another half mile on foot.
Depending on the annual groundwater conditions, the second leg in the truck is sometimes a no-go and the hoof in becomes nearly a mile.
I had the woods to myself yesterday, which surprised me because it was NJ's youth day for deer.
I arrived at the parking spot at 5:30 a.m. and started the walk in with a half dozen decoys on my back.
The walk in didnt require a flashlight, the sky was just beginning to glow with pre-dawn light.
As I approached the water's edge, I spooked two woodies that flew off with a piercing squeal.
Decoys were in by 6:10 and legal shooting time was 6:18.
Here is the early view with frosty brush.
At 6:30 two woodies came from behind be with wings cupped, cutting the air loudly. They glided and dropped with a splash to the north side without a glance at my set.
It was turning out be a slow morning with another pair of woodies cruising by and not looking to land. Then a group of five mallards cruised over and dropped to my east.
A single mallard came by a few minutes later and the group let out a high ball and sucked him in like a magnet.
The sky was getting brighter and the glow on this island was beautiful.
The gun was still clean and I picked up the set at 8:45 and started back and I decided to see how close I could get to the mallards. If I could get down to 45 yards I had a chance.
I was able to get to about 60 yards sneaking along the edge of this:
Not one to shoot a sitting ducks or to push the limit of steel shot , I stood and watched an photographed the 6 birds for twenty minutes. I wish I had a better camera and zoom because it was the perfect background and light condition.
They never flew until decided to leave.
Sorry for a drawn out tale about an unsuccessful hunt but it was just one of those days to appreciate the beauty of the pines and waterfowl in solitude. Solitude is hard to come by at times while hunting in NJ but it can be done if you work at it.
I am getting back into waterfowl this year after many years of chasing deer and I really enjoying it.
My first hunting experiences were with waterfowl. I hunted an old lakebed near Gibbsboro with my dad in the late 60's.
I have great memories of blowing my old hard rubber P.S. Olt D-2 call, which I still have and lugging my dad's J.C. Higgins 12 ga. auto through the woods.
Waterfowl hunting is very challenging and places you into the middle of the most beautiful scenery in the natural world, especially in the pines.
Thanks for looking.
Scott
I elected to go by myself to an old haunt of mine deep in the pines. It is a lot of work to get in there requiring a long ride in on a crappy road and a short, paint-removing half mile drive on a really crappy road. From there it is another half mile on foot.
Depending on the annual groundwater conditions, the second leg in the truck is sometimes a no-go and the hoof in becomes nearly a mile.
I had the woods to myself yesterday, which surprised me because it was NJ's youth day for deer.
I arrived at the parking spot at 5:30 a.m. and started the walk in with a half dozen decoys on my back.
The walk in didnt require a flashlight, the sky was just beginning to glow with pre-dawn light.
As I approached the water's edge, I spooked two woodies that flew off with a piercing squeal.
Decoys were in by 6:10 and legal shooting time was 6:18.
Here is the early view with frosty brush.
At 6:30 two woodies came from behind be with wings cupped, cutting the air loudly. They glided and dropped with a splash to the north side without a glance at my set.
It was turning out be a slow morning with another pair of woodies cruising by and not looking to land. Then a group of five mallards cruised over and dropped to my east.
A single mallard came by a few minutes later and the group let out a high ball and sucked him in like a magnet.
The sky was getting brighter and the glow on this island was beautiful.
The gun was still clean and I picked up the set at 8:45 and started back and I decided to see how close I could get to the mallards. If I could get down to 45 yards I had a chance.
I was able to get to about 60 yards sneaking along the edge of this:
Not one to shoot a sitting ducks or to push the limit of steel shot , I stood and watched an photographed the 6 birds for twenty minutes. I wish I had a better camera and zoom because it was the perfect background and light condition.
They never flew until decided to leave.
Sorry for a drawn out tale about an unsuccessful hunt but it was just one of those days to appreciate the beauty of the pines and waterfowl in solitude. Solitude is hard to come by at times while hunting in NJ but it can be done if you work at it.
I am getting back into waterfowl this year after many years of chasing deer and I really enjoying it.
My first hunting experiences were with waterfowl. I hunted an old lakebed near Gibbsboro with my dad in the late 60's.
I have great memories of blowing my old hard rubber P.S. Olt D-2 call, which I still have and lugging my dad's J.C. Higgins 12 ga. auto through the woods.
Waterfowl hunting is very challenging and places you into the middle of the most beautiful scenery in the natural world, especially in the pines.
Thanks for looking.
Scott
