Northern Ducks finally starting to show

[jmay]

I hunt the scab land ponds on the Lincoln/Spokane County line. After a month a poor shooting with few local ducks yesterday was a first morning of my 10 trips this year of northern ducks making their way into the area. I decoyed several groups of 4-6 of Mallards, a lot of green wing teal and a couple of pintails. With the first snows happening more should be on the way.

[mallard83]

Over on this side of the hill it has been mostly local mallards, widgeon, teal and pintails. The northerns have been making an appearance for a couple of weeks now. This year is kind of odd because we have not shot or seen very many buffle heads. Is it the same on that side of the mountains? The northerns are few and far between now, but I am assuming with this new cold weather it should bring some fresh birds in.

I am going out on Saturday so I will let you know how we do.

[gpc]

Hey Mallard there are people hunting right by Kennedy creek. There are a lot of birds flying by, not sure what they are but a lot of ducks though. You can hear gun shots going off not too far from the creek. One guy came walking up with his gun and 2 ducks, pulled out his rod and starting catching chums. It would make a good cast and blast day trip, the chums are worth it a lone to make the trip, so hunting would just top it off. Oh and the ducks the guy had were black and white colored.

[jmay]

E Wa is completely frozen over. Yesterday I took a spliting Maul and a 10lbs hammer and broke 3" ice did not see a single duck in 6 hours while standing waist deep in the water watching ice form around my decoys. But all was not lost, I shot 3 pheasants on my 1.5 mile hike back to the truck.

I put my decoy bag and gear in a wheel barrow to make the hike in and out easier. Yesterday I could have starred in America's Funniest Home Video's I am pushing a wheel barrow with a sledge hammer and a maul in it wearing chest waders, then dumping the wheel barrow to and franticly looking for my shells when a pheasant ran by. This was repeated 2 more times.