Most memorable moments so far this season?

[landscaper]

The day after Christmas a buddy and I killed a pair of greenheads and a pair of honkers on dry ground with no cover over a dozen silhouettes and a few duck decoys. Worked like a charm and made for a very memorable hunt.

[grnhed]

Last Friday mornings hunt.

Dad, myself and 2 members from our camp went to the hole we were hunting. Upon arrival we discovered the ice was thick enough to drive a ranger on it, and after hitting the ice with an 8 lbs. maul we discovered it only bounced! After a lot of sweat and frustration we managed to break open a hole big enough for 6 decoys a lot frustration. Tons of birds in the area, but nothing was working our ice lake. A single mallard was shot, only to watch it slide across the ice a lot further out than I willing to walk(wasnt banded). After about an hour of that Dad and I had enough and went to camp to grab some breakfast and come up with a new plan.

Dad and I went back out alone at about 10:30 to a pit on the edge of small field that had corn in front, and members and ducks had been working hard for 10 days to keep a hole somewhat open.
The weather was comfortable and sunny. I managed to break open a large hole with the 4 wheeler. The ducks worked like they were on a string! We sat in the brush in front of the pit and didn't flare a single bird. 30 minutes into the hunt we had 6 mallards and were picking our shots. We drug the hunt out as long as we could and it lasted about an hour and half. We finished with 8 mallards, 1 gadwall, 1 teal, 2 woodies. Every single duck we killed was back peddling into the decoys, including the teal and woodies.

This will probably be one my most memorable hunts ever. This was also the first hunt in over a year where my father shot. He underwent 2 brain surgeries last winter and spring and wasnt sure he would ever shoot again.

[Monte64us]

This past weekend I had my daughter that just turned six. Planning on something a little differeent to do, we got up early Saturday morning and adjourned to the reloading room. She would put the bullet on the charged cases, and then she would pull the handle on the press to seat the bullet. Even at 6yoa she was interested and constantly asked questions about the process.

Then about 1230 when we were putting some dogs on the grill, she states "You are taking me deer hunting this evening, aren't ya Dad?" Got that baby loaded up and with to a box stand at my Bud's camp. Didn't see anything but when we got back to the camp a couple of fellers are talking about duck hunting the next morning.

Gracie chimes in and asks can she go too! The guys just can't say no, so the next morning at 0430 I roll her out, feed and dress her and we are on the way to the camp.

Proceed to the blind and the decoys are already out so we get set. As soon as shooting hours hit, she is spotting and calling out the ducks like a pro! We hunted until about 0930 but only managed to kill 1 bird. Got back cleaned the bird and fixed breakfast.

The older gentleman that we were hunting with pulled me to the side and told me to bring that baby back anytime. He would never have believed a 6yo would have "duck blind manners" like she did.

Man, talk about a chest swelling with pride! He also said the next wood duck drake he got was going the taxidermist for Gracie's room!

[Bonecollecter1111]

this years highlight was a hunt were me and a buddy only killed four ducks, but got into a bunch of beavers on the way out, my sweet old dog was so wired up to retrieve, she broke and brought the still kicking beavers back to the boat. I have had her for several years and always new she would retrieve anything i shot, from ducks to squirrels, but never in my wildest would i have thought she would have been able to drage a 40 lb beaver back in the boat