1st Wave Underway

Today started about 3 times before it actually started.  Once at about 1130PM last night, again at 141AM this morning, again at 323AM and finally the alarm went off at 5AM and this time it was time to stay awake.  That's what I call anticipation.  The big winds and late reports from yesterday made it tough to get a good nights sleep before it would all start this morning.  After exiting the trucks you could hear specks and snows by the hundreds flying above in the black sky, only adding to the excitement of the first real migratory hunting hopes of the year.  The sounds continued through moving deeks, resetting deeks and trying to find just what happened to the deeks in last nights big winds. After about 35 minutes of getting things back together we settled in, turned off the lights and poured a cup of coffee.  The sounds continued.  Whistling wings above gave way to splashes in the pond, as early morning risers were well inside gun range.  Two minutes before LST we had 13 ducks on the pond, 4 Mallards and 9 Teal.  The little one's were a bit of a surprise after yesterdays monsoon style winds.  In the final two minutes just one lone hen Mallard was left.  Just as we prepared to "yell" her up here comes some gaddy's hot and heavy like a dog in heat.  We waited for them and unloaded.  The only duck that managed to fall was the Hen that was already sitting.  She popped up after the first shot and a quick swing and shot dropped her down.  FRUSTRATING when they are that close and you just can't get your bearings the first time around.  The action continued for about 2 hours, and we had 5 in the bag.  One Mallard, Two Blue Bill, Two Teal and One Gadwall.  We sat and sat even after the direct action seemed to have stopped.  Nothing really paid much attention to us after the sun got up and glaring.  We stuck it out until right at Noon and then figured we could get home and make the wives happy by cleaning or doing laundry or...yeah right, straight Night Night Time. 
The snows and specks are moving.  There was always something in the stratosphere, as long as you could focus.  Saw very few migrating ducks and not a single bunch of migrating Can's.  It appears that the storms and winds up north got a lot of the early one's moving this way.  The weather is switching back to above normal for at least the next week, so what's around will stay around.  Might see a few that didn't stick around roll back North tomorrow with the 35+ Southerly winds predicted. 
South Ditch - Just one hunter this morning, much to his surprise.  Professor Binelli hunted 'til 10 and rolled out of there with his limit of Can's and 3 ducks to even out the game carrier on the way out.  I'm tellin' ya that guy gets more birds by himself than anyone I know.  He should write a book on the "right" days to hunt, he rarely misses when the time is right. 
Oh, and the "X" goose hunt we turned down went exactly as planned.  They were limited out by 830AM.  There will be another time.  That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest or check us out on FACEBOOK.