Early Morning Over-Thinking Way Too Early

You'd have thought it was November this morning.  The alarm shot off 5AM, the booze from the night before still lingered and the smell of fresh coffee pulled me out of bed.  Why, you may ask? Well let me tell you.... we got our new pit buried and we had lots of work to do this morning.  We rolled in just a couple clicks after 6AM to see what it looked liked.  Nailed it!  Perfect location (so we think) and plenty of surrounding island ground for deeks.  The old sit and shoot constructed last year just wasn't going to work. Talk about "sore thumb."  That thing just didn't look right.  It was comfortable and constructed to last, but again our over-thinking got the best of us and it was on to our 3rd major re-construction in just 3 seasons at the Ditch.  You know the definition of insanity is doing the same thing over and over and expecting a different result.  We are sooooo far from insane.  I just know it! 

With the pit buried and no idea of what to do with the old (new last year) above ground "house for elephants", we decided on a little gas, a little brush and a clicker and there you have it.  Just like that, it's reduced to rubbish and ash (see image above). 

Yep, we are crazy, and waterfowling (serious waterfowling that is) requires multiple "jack sessions", and a number of conversations concerning the betterment of your situation. We pretty much got that part figured out.  That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest.

It's Gettin' To Be That Time...

Well, hello all my technologically advanced and well connnected waterfowl enthusiast friends.  I thought maybe it would be a good time to update the blog.  The Great Snow Goose Chase of the spring was a bust, we didn't set up and didn't shoot.  We thought we could go and literally "chase" some down but we had no luck getting to the birds.  It was wet, wet, wet...What a mess.

Exciting things happening for us this year.  We've got our island we've been wanting and a last minute decision to bury the pit in the island has been made.  With no rain, and a blessing from the man upstairs,  by Sunday's end, it should be over.  Then the real work starts.  Can't wait, haven't really had any projects going this summer to occupy all the "free" time we have had and it's nice to finally have something to do.  If anyone wants to help we have beer, wine and liqour.   At just $15 a beer, $26 glass and $101 a mixer, we should have it all done and paid for by the time it all runs out, feel free to stop by!  We could use the money (I meant help, sorry).  Mosquito spray will be provided for your comfort.

The hopes are high for a much more "normal" year this upcoming season. Plenty of water everywhere and without and opening day snow storm, nothing is indicating a repeat of last years FEST.  The smoke poles are being lubed and dusted for the first outing of the year, just 4 short weeks away.  That's right, DOVE season.  I can almost smell the burnin' barrels and smokin' shells.  The time of year to see just how bad ones' aim is.  Just how many boxes of shells can you burn through before you hit your daily bag limit?  Over/Under for you gamblers is 4 boxes.  For the "novice" marksman 4 boxes is a good day, you have fun and get bruised.  I've decided to give into the pressure and take out to the field 1 box and 1 additional  shell, just in case.  Hopefully I won't need it, but you just never now how the wind will be blowing. 

We are all excited, hope everyone reading this is too.  That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest.

GET GOIN'

If you're reading this, you should be hunting. The geese are here and it's time to pull the plugs, get your best mud gear out, and get out there.

Check back for the latest and greatest.

Great Snow Goose Chase - Undetermined

Hello again all my technologically advanced and well connected waterfowl enthusiast friends. Been quite a while since our last post, and judging by the hit counter, most of you are wondering what in the heck is going on.

This years "chase" is a bit undetermined at this point. Over the last week, there had been large numbers of speck and can's migrating back. We had yet to see or hear of any large numbers of snows moving in, up until the last couple days that is. Had heard of snows by the thousands west of here, grand island area and west. That don't do us a whole lot of good. Yesterday I did hear of large numbers flying high around Valley but have yet to see any along the missouri river. We were pulling out the feather dusters, seeing if the waders had any winter rot, and talking about just what our investment level would be this year when mother nature threw us a screw-ball. As we look outside snow covers the ground at about 1/2 inch or so. The wind is now from the North and the temps are barely above freezing. I'd say that's just about right considering the Fall season and how screwed up it was. The chase has been put on hold for right now as this weather is just not cooperating. We'll be back here now until the end. We only get a couple good days in the spring and our best efforts will be put forth.

Did hear of a group of guys that rolled South to Missouri for 3 days. Their trip was cut short after the 3 days when they had just 15 birds in the bag. Hoping for much, much more I'm sure but that tell's me they're not quite here yet.

That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest and thanks for all the hits!

All She Wrote

Well it's been quite a while since the last post. It been crazy at the Ditch and have been getting home just in time to eat and go to bed and wake for the next mornings hunt. Had non-stop action the last week and it's been just crazy. Been shooting dozens of ducks everyday, finally! It all started last Saturday, the birds were coming from everywhere and we couldn't load fast enough. Every time we looked up there were ducks. It's been a long season and the time spent finally paid off. If you're reading this and believing it, you need to stay off the eggnog. Our last real hunt was a short 5 hour sit last Sunday. Didn't see a single bird in the air. The day ended with flipping the switch, winding up the cords and neatly stacking the deeks for a later pick-up. Was a long disappointing season this year. The ducks still haven't come through and we're pretty sure it's gonna be a while before they do. From day one this season has been unusual. We had that opening weekend snow and from that point on, nothing was predictable.

Got an update from the South Ditch on this seasons success down there. A ditch that is accustomed to shooting 150-200 ducks and 50-75 Can's in a season, they've managed just 12 ducks and 15 geese. Heard a story from a Mississippi River backwater boat hunter and his take this year was 4 ducks, and they are completely mobile. Last year they shot over 100.

Throughout the season, it seems that there were plenty of geese migrating, but nothing that showed a lot of interest and a lot that were flying at heights that are deemed un-workable. Our bird numbers this year were 1/2 of 2008. The reason is still unknown. We made some changes this year and I'd like to say that they were the wrong. Unfortunately I can't. No one has been shooting ducks, and the "where are the ducks" emails continue daily. We are all locked up and only have a few hours of picking up until this years season is officially in the bag.

If you're reading this, send us an update on your season's success. Just a simple terrible, great, or 'bout normal, would suffice for now. Good news is that it's time to start thinking, once again, about the Great Snow Goose Chase. We were non-committal when this years season started, but due to the lack of action, we'll probably give it another GO. Oughta be exciting. That's all for now. Check back for the latest and greatest and thanks for all the hits. We're gonna keep updating until the CHASE starts. We'll come up with something to say, something to talk about, or some insightful(yeah right) story or tactic. So don't give up on us, hoping we can come up with enough stuff to keep everyone interested.

Clearing Her Throat

The slightly over-weight, long haired, large bosom'd gal is tuning up. Spent about 5 hours this AM at the Ditch baggin' deeks, beating ice, and looking at empty skies. The sunshine was welcomed and was hoping for birds locked up sailing in. Didn't happen, only saw 4 Canada Geese. That's it, nothing else. Can't believe it's December 10th and we're all still wishing and hoping. Wishing the ducks would come, and hoping we are there when they do. This weeks efforts fell nothing short of miraculous with the incumbent weather. Don't really know of any Ditch that's been man'd the last 3 days. If we haven't been there we've tried to get there. When we did get there we shot Zero times. I heard a horrible story today from the Duk Whisperer, formerly known as SR, he told me he's fired his gun only 8 times this season, and 4 of those were at Teal early on. Now that's a sad, sad story. He's hunted the Ditch, the South Ditch, the Leshara Ditch and the Hay Ditch...man he gets around almost as much as Tiger...and really has nothing but camaraderie to talk about. We are gonna give it at least one more go this Sunday and see what happens. All of the changes we've made this year have done everything we had hoped for. We've had open water this whole week! Unfortunately there hasn't been any waterfowl to enjoy it. That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest and thanks for over 20,000 Hits. Email us whatever you know. (Check out the 2009 Sites at the Bottom of the Page.)

Doe Rae Me Fa So La Ti Doe

Hello again all my technologically advanced and well connected waterfowl enthusiast friends. Welcome to Muck Bottom Outfitters Waterfowl Report. Headed our way to the Ditch this morning thinking today just might be the day. The sky was clear, the winds were movin' and the snow was finally over. Could it be now that the 1 million ducks in South Dakota would radio the tower and request a fly by? The drive was as good as expected with the snow packed roads. The trek East on the county road wasn't quite as pleasing. Made it only about 100 yds in before it was time to turn around. The E to W county roads are just no fun with drifts. So was today the day? Can't really tell you. I heard a report from the Hay Ditch that a lot of birds got off the lake this AM, headed in sort of a Southerly direction and never returned. Not good! Was searching the net today in hopes of something interesting and I found it. It's the graph on the right hand side. Explains where all the ducks are. The Mallard Migration has apparently moved to the Mississippi. You can follow the ducks, see the current concentration in South Dakota and see how the masses have shifted East. Explains a whole lot! Heading out tomorrow to either hunt or breaks deeks out of the ice and pick some up, never to return to the waters of 2009. That's all for now, check back for the latest and greatest and thanks for all the hits! PS - someone had mentioned a slightly overweight, long haired, large bosom'd female warming up the wind pipes, hence the title.