My happy place....

[Coulter]

I was just reminiscing and looking at a few pics from last year. This is a huge raft of mostly canvasbacks right where we hunt....about 4 days AFTER the season closed :shck: :shck:




It was still nice seeing them though. There were also some mallards, canada's, ruddy's, bluebills, ringnecks, redheads, and of course coots mixed in the bunch.




Anybody for a swim on one of our lovely beaches I can't wait for the cold weather to get here

[Hawks Feather]

Well, it seems like if they came in DURING hunting season they would have been shot.  They are the smart ones.   

Jerry

[FinsnFur]

Reminds me of when I lived on Lake Michigan, cool pics Steve 

[HaMeR]

Thats one cool lookin happy place you got there Coulter!! Thanks for sharing the neat pics!!

[Silencer]

Sweet pics    , look at all them Cans  !!!!  I'm heading out this morning, got a tip on some mallards and permission to hunt the little beaver pond.  Its raining pretty hard at the moment but the dog and I wont melt 

[ohiobob]

REAL NICE PICS Coulter !!! Where are ya at ??? I wish the "FOWL" weather would get here real QUICK !!! But Those Pics ARE NICE,,it brought a smile to my face 
Bob

[Coulter]

Hey Bob,

I am right on the shores of Lake Erie in Erie, PA. We haven't yet got any of the "fowl" weather here yet either...those pics are from last season. We still need the north (Canada) to freeze up a bit before we see any really good hunting. I'll get some more pics up if I can get out again this season.

Steve

[ohiobob]

Steve
I know what ya mean,,I saw where you said this Pic was taken FOUR DAYS AFTER The SEASON WENT OUT !!!
The Weekend after our Waterfowl season went out last year,,me and bnccont went on a Coyote Hunting excursion up North and on the way BACK for the Mansfield area,,Me and Bill stopped at Fin,Feather & Fur,,I had to get some Shells,,so we take off and about 3 Miles down the Road I looked out in a Field and it was PACKED with Canadian Geese !!! 
I told Bill that I wanted to do a Drive By on the Geese,,BUT I didn't want to mess with a Federal Wrap,,so I kept on Driving down the road  and then a few weeks after THAT "Sight seeing for Geese" tour the weather got COLD and every time I went to Work and came home from work,,the sky was FULL OF Geese !!! and I do mean FULL 
and it SEEMS that we are in for a taste of the SAME MEDICINE this year,UNLESS we get a BIG Cold Snap,,and a COLD Snap that will STAY !!!
A few weeks ago we had Non Stop shooting for 2 Hours,,it was GREAT,,so I would like to see some Bitter Cold days coming up soon,,and the Bitter Cold needs to stay so we can have some MORE of those Nonstop shootingDAYS The ONLY Ducks I have ever shot are Mallards or Woodies,,I have NO IDEA if there are any Canvasback Ducks around here,,we have shot some Pin Tails and a few Teal,,I haven't Shot them,,but the other Guys have,,I got my FIRST BANDED Goose 2 weeks ago,,NOW I need a Banded Duck to go with it,,and then I can put 2 of the bands on my Lanyard 
But you have one HELL of a "Happy Place" There Steve,,and I HOPE like crazy that NOTHING Ruins it for ya
Bob

[songdog]

           That sounds a whole lot like what the duck hunting is here in ky..You bust your butt to kill a few ducks during season, then after season they some land in the front yard.... 

[ohiobob]

Hey Bob,

I am right on the shores of Lake Erie in Erie, PA. We haven't yet got any of the "fowl" weather here yet either...those pics are from last season. We still need the north (Canada) to freeze up a bit before we see any really good hunting. I'll get some more pics up if I can get out again this season.

Steve

Coulter
I was talking to a Guy a Few Days After  the Colorado Rockies were Practicing in the Snow,,we were debating on whether we should Hunt Ducks or Geese that we have had come over every day,,he said we are JUST educating the "Local" Geese,,so we had a Little debate and my Point was that the BLIZZARD that hit the North pushed a few Geese down here,,he said NO WAY,,so we decided to go for the Geese,,I shot my FIRST Banded Goose that day,,I called the Band Number in and I just got the Certificate back,,and it WASN'T a Money Goose  BUT the Goose was Banded in Canada and we just figured that the Blizzard DID push a few Geese down here ???
Have you saw any Pockets of Geese up your way ??? and do you think the "Blizzard" Theory Holds ANY Water ???
I don't really care because it is my First Banded anything,,But I was just wondering about what EXACTLY pushes the Birds South,,as in a Little Blizzard or have you observed something Bigger Moving them ???
Thank you
Bob

[Silencer]

FIRST BANDED Goose 2 weeks ago

Congrats Bob, never even seen a band before   

Your question about migration, I have noticed with the fronts moving through and a good
North West wind, the bird have been moving alot more often the last week.  Not many stopping by,
but flying right past    Seen a few flocks of Snows and  havent seen any all year, but they kept flying by as well.
Only open water now around here is the River, and thats WAY too high, it suicide out there !!

[ohiobob]

Vic
I got the Certificate last week and it was Banded in Exetor Canada in 2003 and it says it was Hatched in 2002 or earlier
Well I am NOT sure about its Birthday,,BUT I do know when his Death Certificate should be Dated !!! 
our Waterfowl season comes back in on Dec 15th,,and it is the SAME day as our Extra Weekend of Deer Gun season comes back in for 2 days,,I am sure there will be a FEW People in their Blinds or Hunkered on a Creek bank with some Slugs at the ready  it Won't be me,,but there will be 3 people in our group that Didn't get a Deer yet
Hell,they better make sure it is Legal first,,it don't matter to me,I won't be the one getting a Ticket because I gave Deer Hunting up until next year at the EARLIEST !!!
But the New "Happy Place" I just got for Waterfowl,,MAY lead to some more Bands,I HOPE it does
Thank You
Bob

[Coulter]

Hey Bob,

Sorry for such delayed response, but I just got my computer hooked back up. Around here the general consensus is that cold weather in the north (canada) brings fresh birds down. Especially if there is a strong Arctic clipper that passes through. The other factor that drives the birds south is simply frigid temps. when the lakes, ponds and streams freeze up in the north the birds have no other choice but to start heading south. I don't have any scientific proof of this or anything, but it only stands to reason. If the food sources and roost areas are froze over with a sheet of ice then the birds have two choices - head south or succumb to mother nature.

We watch the weather around here quite a bit, and base what we will be hunting on that. The birds have just started arriving here in good numbers in the last few weeks, but I haven't had a chance to hunt any yet. Of course the season closes this coming Saturday. I will try to sneak in at least one more hunt...maybe two.

I found an awesome spot for geese on a local national wildlife refuge. Its kind of ironic, the name of the road is Swamp Rd. The north side of the road is closed to waterfowl, but the south side is open. While I was heading out of the woods from muzzleloader hunting yesterday, a flock of geese decided to call the south side of Swamp rd home for the night, then another flock, and another, and another - you get the idea. I would have to estimate approximately 150 geese alighted on the pond before I left. Here is the problem - they were landing on ice. If I can get a shot at one...How the heck am I supposed to retrieve it? There is some open water, but not much. I think I might just pack the canoe along tomorrow packed with a fishing rod and a Zara Spook...If I get a bird or two down I might just have to go goose fishing

Congrats on the banded goose too! I got the binocs out on the geese yesterday, I couldn't find any with collars, but a few of them might have a band  - I hope.

Steve

[Silencer]

think I might just pack the canoe along tomorrow packed with a fishing rod and a Zara Spook.

Funny that you should mention that, we were thinkin the same thing with the musky rigs 

[ohiobob]

Ahhhh
Geese and Musky, 2 of my Favorite Subjects and ironically I got my First Banded Goose this year and my First "Fish Ohio"
Musky this year, I am heading out here in 30 Minutes to try for some more Banded Geese, the winds are 10 MPH-30 MPH
I MIGHT have to lead the Geese by 30 Feet, of course it depends on which Direction they are flying 
We are getting the "BIG" Geese from Canada now, our weather here is Thin Ice in the Mornings, but we take a walk in the Chest Deep Water about every Hour and they try to land, it is working out good so far, But today the Ide MAY be a little thicker, so we MIGHT have to use Goose Shells on Land, and tie them down so the wind doesn't carry the Shells to Kentucky !!!
We shot a WEIRD Duck last weekend, it was Black & White, but had the Wing Feathers like a Mallard Hen ??? we have NO IDEA as to what Kind it could be  
Bob

[HaMeR]

Bob-- Does it look like the one on the far right on the log?? Could be a bufflehead which as I understand are very hard to get.

Or the 2nd from the left on the log?? I think that is a bluebill.

[Coulter]

Thats a heck of a nice bunch of ducks you got there Glenn!! We get quite a few buffleheads around here. Most guys prefer not to shoot 'em. I have no qualms about cooking 'em up. If they are cooked right they aren't to bad.

Bob...it wasn't one of those ugly hybrid duck freaks of nature that like to hang around public ponds eating popcorn, breadcrumbs and such was it?

Steve

[HaMeR]

OOPS!!!

Sorry Coulter!! I'm not a duck hunter & I stole that pic from another Forum to maybe help Bob with his duck ID!!

I'll remove it after Bob sees it tho.

[ohiobob]

Glen
Thanks for the Help, I will see IF I remember how to post Pics in here, the Wife took the Pic so it isn't a very Good one
But here is my Feeble Attempt to Post these 2 Pics that I have

Here is # 1



Here is Attempt #2



I hope they came out OK, But Thanks again for the Help Glen and that Pic you put up is a Nice Pic, I have a FEW of the Waterfowl Pics, we went out yesterday in that COLD and High 30 MPH Winds, and it seemed that the Geese were playing in the High Winds, they would turn into the Wind and damn near stay Stationary, it was just to bad they the Geese were doing that 150 Yards AWAY from us 

Coulter
You may be right about the Hybrid Duck Freaks of Nature that likes the Popcorn, all I know is that this Duck couldn't take a Direct Hit from # 2 Bismuth any better than the Greenheads or Woodies
And speaking of Bismuth, is there something going on with the Bismuth Company Mines ??? a guy I know said that Cabelas Had their Bismuth on sale and the Kid that worked there told him that they would probably never get anymore in ??? I know I bought 9 Boxes of Bismuth a Month ago for $15 a Box for #2 in 3 Inch Magnums,, But that was a lucky Find on my Part
Thanks Glen and Coulter
Bob