Post by Greenedog on Jan 13, 2011 15:24:44 GMT -5
Since today is the last day of duck season here in Indiana, I thought I'd take one more shot at my first duck. I went down to Greene-Sullivan Forest where a creek stays open. The road was so bad that I couldn't find a place to park my wussy truck. It was probably for the better, there was a group of horsemen out for a winter ride in that area.
On the way home I stopped at the Hillenbrand FWA check-in just to be nosy and see who was huntin. I was surprised to find a sign saying that waterfowlers no longer have to check-in at Minnehaha. I know a creek there that holds ducks and has a place to park. I get there and start sneaking up the creek and hadn't gone 50 yards before I see ducks. I sneak around to get closer, and peak at the creek to see they're moving away from me. I do some more sneaking and crawl up to the creek and see 2 fat greenheads. I could have probably taken a water swat shot, but I couldn't stand up to jump them. I back out and sneak around to cut them off. I go up the creek and come to a snow covered little beaver dam that the ducks haven't crossed, so I know I'm in front of them. I'm looking around for a place to hide and wait for the ducks, when I hear someone walking. I look out in the field and there's a CO! He doesn't see me, but I can tell he's looking for me so I holler out to him. He comes walking over and 4 big fat mallards, 3 drakes and a hen, jump out of the creek into the air not 20 yards from me. I was tempted to shoot, but didn't feel like getting shot myself. He had tracked me down because he couldn't figure out what I was doing. He checked my license and and my shells and even told me of a couple spots where he's seen birds. (I think he felt bad for scaring off my ducks. )
That spot was pretty much shot, so I headed back down the creek to try it to the south. I'm crossing the bridge back at the road and see a duck swimming for cover down the creek. I make a circle and come back to the creek about where I think it was. I'm straddling a big log when a drake and hen mallard bust up out of the creek not 10 yards from me! I whip off a shot that about knocks me down because of my awkward position, then another as I get reset, then they're behind a huge maple and I can't see them. I get around the tree and see them flying off up the creek.
By this time I'm soaked with sweat and decide to give it up. I haven't handed in my daily hunt pass though, might get my waders and take one more shot at 'em this evening.
On the way home I stopped at the Hillenbrand FWA check-in just to be nosy and see who was huntin. I was surprised to find a sign saying that waterfowlers no longer have to check-in at Minnehaha. I know a creek there that holds ducks and has a place to park. I get there and start sneaking up the creek and hadn't gone 50 yards before I see ducks. I sneak around to get closer, and peak at the creek to see they're moving away from me. I do some more sneaking and crawl up to the creek and see 2 fat greenheads. I could have probably taken a water swat shot, but I couldn't stand up to jump them. I back out and sneak around to cut them off. I go up the creek and come to a snow covered little beaver dam that the ducks haven't crossed, so I know I'm in front of them. I'm looking around for a place to hide and wait for the ducks, when I hear someone walking. I look out in the field and there's a CO! He doesn't see me, but I can tell he's looking for me so I holler out to him. He comes walking over and 4 big fat mallards, 3 drakes and a hen, jump out of the creek into the air not 20 yards from me. I was tempted to shoot, but didn't feel like getting shot myself. He had tracked me down because he couldn't figure out what I was doing. He checked my license and and my shells and even told me of a couple spots where he's seen birds. (I think he felt bad for scaring off my ducks. )
That spot was pretty much shot, so I headed back down the creek to try it to the south. I'm crossing the bridge back at the road and see a duck swimming for cover down the creek. I make a circle and come back to the creek about where I think it was. I'm straddling a big log when a drake and hen mallard bust up out of the creek not 10 yards from me! I whip off a shot that about knocks me down because of my awkward position, then another as I get reset, then they're behind a huge maple and I can't see them. I get around the tree and see them flying off up the creek.
By this time I'm soaked with sweat and decide to give it up. I haven't handed in my daily hunt pass though, might get my waders and take one more shot at 'em this evening.