A Late Start

The weather this fall has been so weird that it has barely even felt like hunting season. But regardless of the weather the calendar doesn’t stop. Time has been ticking fast and somehow, we are already a week away from the firearms opener here in Michigan. Where did the time go?

It doesn’t help when the early part of bow season, opening day of duck season, and the first week of duck season gets sucked away by tournament fishing. It is impossible to manage all of that at once. But other than one hunt in September we finally got it going. As far as that hunt in September, it was one for the books. More of just a lets go to go because honestly it was the most ridiculously bad panel blind hide I’ve ever seen. Plus 4 guys, 3 little girls, and 2 dogs. Luckily geese coming to loaf pond aren’t all that bright and some actually wanted to be there. I never expected to get my youngest out at 2 years old but here we were. It also was nice to have grandpa and uncle Todd to help manage the ladies because usually it is just me trying to reign them in. Although I will say Mabel and June were pretty helpful with getting Millie’s earmuffs on and her situated when the time came. It definitely helps that they are veterans of being on duck hunting adventures.

There hasn’t been as many duck hunting adventures as I would like this year but we are getting the dog some action now. Low water, poor duck habitat, lack of weather, and a bunch of other things are making it tough. But there are a few ducks around now it is just waiting for the right weather windows to hunt them. I have a lot of frustrations with our lack of habitat right now and just being handcuffed in so many ways to hunt ducks. Add the fact that there are very few “bonus ducks” that aren’t part of the scout flying around and it makes it tough to get the motivation to go.  But Hutch in his 9th season loves it just as much as ever so if he can get some work than it is worth it plus it is always fun to get the girls out. I haven’t gotten a duck mounted from Jim and Son’s in quite awhile but I’ve got one picked out. I just need the right weather to make a move on that bird and hopefully the stars align for a Hutch retrieve on it.

I feel like we are going to be waiting until December to hopefully get some good mixed bag/diver hunts. Or maybe we’ll have to wait all the way until some ice starts forming during the late split. Who knows but in the mean time doing some big lake trolling has been another option. We’ve got out twice and caught steelhead, browns, kings, and a giant Lake Michigan pike. There really is too much to do and not enough time. I’m anxious to get back out there because the War Eagle is decked out with some Cannon Tracks and Cannon dual axis rod holders. I always wondered why that stuff is so expensive but it is impressive at just how nice it is. It will be a major upgrade over my PVC milk crate set up and other homemade rod holder contraptions.

I’ve also had to make deer hunting more of a priority this year but you can find that in the next blog!