Welp, the best laid plans and all...

We show up with high expectations based on the previous afternoon of scouting.

It became evident 15 minutes before legal that the innitial setup wasn't going to work as we watched group after group dump into open water approximately 100 yards to the south of us.

We could sit, wait and hope that they would change their pattern and offer us some shots...  OR    pick up and move to where the ducks obviously wanted to be.

It was a no brainer.

We left the spread and set up in the brush close to where we saw the early action.

We were presented with only passing shots and quickly had a bunch of birds in the bag.

As things became clearer we noticed what had attracted the early flights - the receding water levels revealed a crappie condo above water.  Thats all we could come up with .  The ducks were keying on the exposed white PVC.  Strange.

The retrieves for my big engine Blaze were literally exhausting as she had to fight through thick vegetation the entire way out and back.  I felt bad for the girl as one of our flyers went sailing 100 yards away on the opposite bank.  Tough swim and then had to navigate over and around a bunch of timber.

She is at me feet now as I type (washed of course - my wife would kill me if I let her in the house w/o bathing het first.  The mud and weeds had a skunky smell to them.) She gets the spoiled princess treatment the rest of the day.  She earned it!

Had a great mid-week hunt with some awesome friends.  Being able to view 300+ birds in the sky was awe inspiring.

​Can't wait to get out and do it again!

Had a cool group of guys schedule a hunt for today about three weeks ago.

After scouting yesterday I had to make "the call."  You know, as a guide that makes a living on - guiding, I had to tell them "fellas, best place I have today is only holding 12 birds;  just not enough birds to put on a good hunt.  I'd rather we reschedule for a better hunt."

They said, "nope, we are still good.  When and where do we meet?"

I reluctantly agreed.

Turns out, they were great shots.

Had 2 birds come in before legal.  Ugh...  In my head I'm thinking that leaves us 10.

Then three came in and they splashed em all.  Not bad I'm thinking.  At least we didn't zero.

Then we saw a single high with no intention of giving us a look.

Another single came screaming by at mac 12.  Couldn't turn him.

Two more came in and never left.

Another single from the opposite direction. BOOM!

A pair drops in out of nowhere from over the trees.  Never had a chance.

Finally a single to finish the morning.

(We are sorry to report, we lost a bird to one of the ravenous turtles that inhabit this particular pond. Errr.)

All things considered, a great morning with a fun group of guys.