Ducks, ducks, and more ducks

BrentD · Sep 4, 2018

Teal season opened this weekend. I decided to go all three mornings. Left me a bit beat, but we had a good time and even connected on a few birds.

My golden, Gus, is a 9 yr pheasant dog and a pretty good one, but this was his first encounter with ducks. He had a good time, but he would rather hunt pheasants. He best enjoyed the two wounded ducks that made it into tall grass. He tracked them down without too much trouble.

He does think that decoys are made to be retrieve so we had to have a few lessons about that.

2018%20Gus%20and%20Decoys%20Opening%20Day%20small.jpg

2018%20Gus%20and%20Teal%20close%20up%20small.jpg

406LIFE · Sep 4, 2018

Where are you, and is there room in your blind? I can bring a dog, elk jerky, and inspiring conversation.

BrentD · Sep 4, 2018

Iowa and there is room from time to time. My "blind" is just a bucket in the cattails.

If it keeps raining like this, by next week we will be in Missouri and by the end of the month we will be offshore in Louisiana. Please, Zuis, turn off the rain!

Goatshoes · Sep 4, 2018

Impressive for a 19 year old dog.

Goatshoes · Sep 4, 2018

Impressive for a 19 year old dog. I mean really impressive that he made it to that age .

BrentD · Sep 4, 2018

Not sure where the 19 is coming from. Today, Gus is exactly 9 years and 2 months old. But when he is 19, he will still be out there.

Deleted member 38069 · Sep 4, 2018

Good looking dog and nice green decoy! My 3 yr old lab is mainly a pheasant dog too and he is about to go out for his first duck!

mtmiller · Sep 4, 2018

Excellent early season work.

rednechuntr · Sep 5, 2018

That's some good early season eating there. I didn't know Iowa had such an early season now. What area of the state are you hunting in? I grew up in the south central area and I heard it was pretty dry this year so hopefully the rain fills up the marshes.

SandyCreek · Sep 5, 2018

rednechuntr said:
That's some good early season eating there. I didn't know Iowa had such an early season now. What area of the state are you hunting in? I grew up in the south central area and I heard it was pretty dry this year so hopefully the rain fills up the marshes.

it was pretty spotty for july-august but now the whole states going to float away

rednechuntr · Sep 5, 2018

That's rough especially as farmers are trying to get crops out, or what's left of them after a hot/dry summer. Hope you all are on high ground.

BrentD · Sep 5, 2018

I live in Story County and we have been moist to wet since late spring. I was hunting in Greene County, where is plenty wet as well. I'm not an expert but I think the early season is suffering a bit from too much water. There are flooded pastures, beanfields and all sorts of temporary wetlands are brim full, where most years they would be dry. This sucks birds away from the permanent wetlands that I was hunting this weekend. Or at least that's my story. The REAL problem is that I shot pretty poorly.

JDH · Sep 5, 2018

Glad you have some ducks around. I didn't even see a teal last weekend.

cgarner · Sep 5, 2018

Early teal season is a blast.

Goatshoes · Sep 5, 2018

BrentD said:
Not sure where the 19 is coming from. Today, Gus is exactly 9 years and 2 months old. But when he is 19, he will still be out there.

My mistake. I misread 9 as 19 somehow.

rednechuntr · Sep 5, 2018

BrentD said:
I live in Story County and we have been moist to wet since late spring. I was hunting in Greene County, where is plenty wet as well. I'm not an expert but I think the early season is suffering a bit from too much water. There are flooded pastures, beanfields and all sorts of temporary wetlands are brim full, where most years they would be dry. This sucks birds away from the permanent wetlands that I was hunting this weekend. Or at least that's my story. The REAL problem is that I shot pretty poorly.

I see, I grew up in Lucas County so the Southern part of the state must have been the dry area. I know what you mean about too much water, it can be a blessing in spring but a curse in the fall with giving the birds too many options. Everyone needs a warmup shoot, once the big ducks start migrating you'll be on target. Good luck later in the season and hopefully it dries up a little for ya!

BrentD · Sep 5, 2018

Lucas is a beautiful county. Pheasants and quail are looking up there again

Sask hunter · Sep 6, 2018

Nice pictures!!

1_pointer · Sep 7, 2018

Nicely done!! I need to really work on OB with Hank as I doubt I could get him to sit still that long.

IA might see Hank and I a couple of times this fall for roosters.

BrentD · Sep 7, 2018

1_pointer said:
Nicely done!! I need to really work on OB with Hank as I doubt I could get him to sit still that long.

IA might see Hank and I a couple of times this fall for roosters.

I gotta confess, Gus would not sit that long either, so I bought one of those corkscrew stakes that people use to tie out their dogs. I had a short piece of smooth rope that I tied to his collar like you would tie a horse to a rail. Just have to pull on the loose end and he is free and off to the races (for a decoy often as not). Anyway, it worked really well, and Gus got the idea. A couple more trips and he will be fine w/o it.

Roosters are up - state wide. Quail too.

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