Are you pickin' up what they're puttin' down?

I get more and more into this every year... Couldn't wait to get out and start sheddin!!! I know its a little early but knowing a couple are on the ground via trail cam.... we had to give it a try.

We searched for a loooong time for the match to this guy. We didnt go into his bedroom yet in case he still has it. We only checked the field where the first one dropped. Look at the difference in bases from a 1 year old to a 5 year old...

We found a matched set in the same field about 300 yards apart. The one side was dry but the other had some nasty infection goop on it.

That was Fowl...

This waterfowl season was one for the books. Not because of any great number of limits... because we did shoot quite a few. It was a lot of fun for the sheer amount of family and friends we got to spend the time with and the good times had with everyone.

This year marks the first time we took Abby hunting. She is the greatest house pet of all time at the Knoll house. She listens well and retrieves so I figured what the hay? She loves to bring me antlers and and retrieve anything I throw her so I brought home a couple divers to test her out. She did great bringing them back so it was just a matter of seeing how she would do sitting still and waiting as we call and shoot. I had shot a bunch around her before so I knew she was fine with that. (I would bring a short tether and her kennel)

She did great!!! The worst part about Abby is that she hates riding in the car... I know right? A dog that doesn't like riding in a car? Once we were at the farm she was all about the water... She sat ok for the most part but we tied her close and that kept her still as we shot ducks... She went right out with us to get the first ones... but from then on... She was like a seasoned vet. Abby would bring any we shot back from the water!!! Good times!!!

Andy had never shot ducks before and is a little Gun shy on taking the invite on any waterfowl hunt due to so many "sure thing" hunts going the wrong way. He is a die hard Big Buck hunter and any day away from those bucks is a wasted day... So when we told him we were into them he was skeptical but took the offer and came along.  Now it was not a banner day as far as numbers are concerned but Andy was the big wiener of the day with not only his first duck......... But a banded drake Wood Duck that had been tagged in New Brunswick in August of last year. Lucky SOB!!! Killed his first Mallards and blacks this year with us as well...

That wasn't the only band of the year... We shot a banded bird on one of the most fantastic Goose hunts I have ever been a part of in my life. This hunt was special for a lot more reasons than any number of birds. You see, we cant kill more than 2 geese a day on the Eastern Shore. I have done that plenty of times on my pond throughout the years but dont try for it much as we can straight throttle birds here on the Western Shore with a 5 or even 8 bird limit. So killing 2 of these guys a piece isnt really that big of a deal. Its what went along with it that makes it so special.

I had just been remarking to the boys as we drove home with a limit of ducks that I had never been on a real "Eastern Shore Goose Hunt"... You know the ones... The thousands of pits and blinds and silos and groups of guys we see picking up the spreads as we head home out of Chestertown. Well, I got home and "liked" and commented on a Facebook friends page about the fact that they were beating up the geese when almost as if he had heard me... Bobby Bramble messaged me and invited me down for just such a hunt. Now, I had never met Bobby face to face but felt as though I knew him from the years we have become acquainted on MarylandWhitetail.com. and just like so many folks I have met on there, we share a common bond through hunting, family, and friends in the outdoors that it was a no brainer for me to accept the offer.

The most exciting part was the fact that this guy I had never met before was perfectly fine with me bringing my 5 year old Daughter down for the hunt. Lil Miss Riley is Daddy's Girl in every way... She wants a part of every single thing I do. I thought that this would be the perfect way for her to experience a relatively stress free and relaxing hunt with excitement and success and be able to take our game from the field to the table in one day.

Riley got to play hooky from school and drink coffee with Dad all day... good times!!!

Had a lot of fun with all the kids this year while hunting birds...Its easier than deer hunting because its not so serious and they can relax. I was happy to have my buddy Davey back in the field with me this year... His Son shane is to blame and is soon to be the next "Duck Commander" Good Times!!!

Got into some Divers as well... I would show the pics from a great trip with Paul and I but there is only one pic of evidence due to my iPhone getting ruined when it did the "Polar Bear Plunge" with me... When we shot the last duck for the limit I literally just hid up to my neck in the water.... Figured I couldn't get any wetter? or colder?
This is the last pic.... from Pauls iPhone before it died....

Beat em up pretty good a couple times with Hinky, Ryan, and Michael... Good stuff... Nothin much better than divers when they decoy!!!

Wasnt the best season as far as bird numbers go but I felt blessed to have been able to hunt and share the sport with good friends...