Bartender ....pour another round.

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

After two grey windless days I couldn’t do another. Pappa had another MRI today and I sufficed by glassing some cranes and sitting on the hill and watching two boys brush a makeshift blind on the WMA. It reminded me of years ago.
Then I came home to make cookies with the niece and nephew and enjoy a little Christmas cheer.
Tomorrows front should bring us some ducks if it doesn’t freeze too hard.

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

This last week has been a tough for missing Pappas company in the woods and blind. That coupled with grey windless days then wrapped up with an event less ( migration wise) front and brutal cold that froze solid 90 percent of what I hunt and what few ducks we had either booked it south or rafted up on some big water to keep things open and ride out the snap.

I’ve learned thru experience how hard super cold is on gear and bodies so decided to spend some family time and focus on the thaw for hunting. The thaw is generally much better for migrations and reverse migrations than the initial cold front.

The last few days I’ve done some cooking and reading and reminiscing over old journals and photos from seasons past.

I came across this one that had “ Xmas Eve Ohio river - cave in rock “ scribbled on the back.
No Year but my guess is 87 or 88 but it could have been earlier. It was still in the hip boot days when we hunted almost exclusively out of the boat and we didn’t wear waders so not to be tempted to wade in the big rivers or lakes.

It seems like yesterday:

 

[smashdn]

Dodged the pirates and got some ducks.

Agree 100% on the hard on gear part. Things get broke enough as it is in "regular" temps. Single digits is hard on everything.

 

[HeadedWest]

Where’s the strip pit diver hunt post?

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

No divers yet but we scratched some mallards today.

 

[Little FR]

I’m going this weekend. First year without my BPS, had a double loaded shell or something last year… she came back from gun repair shop in the same non functioning shape that I sent it in.

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

And the rains came …..
It appears we lost all of our ducks with the front.

It did bring out the snakes though.

Hello Moon ……. This should bring a few back in the next couple nights.

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

Sun and wind combined with the full moon brought the happy ducks to the woods today.

Another good one.

 

[Bee]

^^^^Duck Whisperer

 

[smashdn]

@B.M. Barrelcooker they acting right or are they acting like they want to pair up and hide?

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

They are pairing up already. But the new water freshened them up a bit.

 

[Gforcetrivers]

Had two flocks of snow geese fly over me in Shelbyville this morning,
had to look them up on my phone to make sure. Never seen them before.

Wait till you see ten thousand of them landing in a giant vortex

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

Got to hunt with an old friend today that I’ve known since grade school.
We missed Pappa but went ahead and filled his strap for him.

Thank you lord for the sunshine!!!

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

The conversation continued today between flights of ducks.
My camera shy quest can work the old pump gun quite well.
I hope we don’t wear Papa’s strap out before he gets back in the game.

 

[B.M. Barrelcooker]

Crispy skin seared duck breast over rice with Dr jalepeno jelly reduction sauce:

Secret ingredient is Mr Bowfingers homemade jalepeno jam.