Going duck hunting Sunday... TME

[BeardOfKnowledge]

Moose is delicious, I've never had the privilege of hunting one but have definitely enjoyed eating it. Bear is another that you would think wouldn't taste great but makes for great table fare.

I've had some great bear, and I've had some atrocious bear. If your lucky they live near a fruit patch. If they live near the local dump, you probably aren't going to be thrilled, lol.

Moose around here are becoming pretty scarce. Technically we have a season, but realistically we're a few hours away from the closest place you're going to come across one. Around these parts our common game are waterfowl of pretty much all varieties, wild turkey, coyotes, black bears and whitetails. We've got elk, caribou, and moose too, but they're in much smaller quantities. Luckily we get the consolation prize of some of the biggest whitetails in the world

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

You fucking bastard

Sure, we get first crack at them, but we aren't fortunate enough to have them all funnel into our neck of the woods at the same time like some people........

 

[ThatOneDude]

So I'm ordering waders and an UA real tree water proof jacket. I like UA stuff and I can't stand bulky shit out in the field so I think that'll do. And I've narrowed down the shotgun of choice.

Benelli SuperNova Realtree MAX-4 ​Pump-Action Shotgun | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

So I'm ordering waders and an UA real tree water proof jacket. I like UA stuff and I can't stand bulky shit out in the field so I think that'll do. And I've narrowed down the shotgun of choice.

Benelli SuperNova Realtree MAX-4 Pump-Action Shotgun | Bass Pro Shops: The Best Hunting, Fishing, Camping & Outdoor Gear

I've got the UA skysweeper parka. It's going back to Cabela's though. That thing ain't going to hold up to our cold weather, lol. Most of their stuff will be more than good enough for the weather you guys get down there.

Any Benelli is a real nice firearm, my only word of caution would be that you'll likely regret spending the cash on a premium pump if the bug really gets you and you end up wanting an auto loader. A Browning or Benelli in the closet stings a lot more than a Mossberg. I wanted a Browning BPS badly, but in hindsight I'm glad I saved my money because I'll likely never use my pump again. Max 4's probably my favorite pattern though, too bad they're phasing it out.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I've got the UA skysweeper parka. It's going back to Cabela's though. That thing ain't going to hold up to our cold weather, lol. Most of their stuff will be more than good enough for the weather you guys get down there.

Any Benelli is a real nice firearm, my only word of caution would be that you'll likely regret spending the cash on a premium pump if the bug really gets you and you end up wanting an auto loader. A Browning or Benelli in the closet stings a lot more than a Mossberg. I wanted a Browning BPS badly, but in hindsight I'm glad I saved my money because I'll likely never use my pump again. Max 4's probably my favorite pattern though, too bad they're phasing it out.

Yea that's what I was thinking about the UA. But I think I should be fine with the weather down here. I have polypros that are super warm and some cold weather running gear I can wear under it and it should be more than sufficient for down here. I grew up in New England also and the cold down here doesn't really bother me.
Yea I thought about it with the shotgun and I think the price I'll pay for the benelli isn't bad and not going to kill me if I end up getting an auto loaderloader next season or so. Plus I've shot benelli's in the Marines and they had such a nice action even after getting the shit kicked out of them. Plus I was reading and people were saying the new Remington's aren't as good as the old ones. Any truth to that in your opinion?

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

Yea that's what I was thinking about the UA. But I think I should be fine with the weather down here. I have polypros that are super warm and some cold weather running gear I can wear under it and it should be more than sufficient for down here. I grew up in New England also and the cold down here doesn't really bother me.
Yea I thought about it with the shotgun and I think the price I'll pay for the benelli isn't bad and not going to kill me if I end up getting an auto loaderloader next season or so. Plus I've shot benelli's in the Marines and they had such a nice action even after getting the shit kicked out of them. Plus I was reading and people were saying the new Remington's aren't as good as the old ones. Any truth to that in your opinion?

I wouldn't touch a new Rem with a 10 foot pole. They've gone from being good value guns to being cheap guns. Most guys who swear by big green haven't bought one in 20 some years. I've also heard their customer service is terrible to deal with. My Mossberg 500 served me really well. The Brownings and Benellis were nicer, but I would have paid about 50% more for one than I did my Mossberg. For me personally, the BPS was the nicest of the bunch, no question. The action is just so silky smooth. Whatever you do, please don't buy a gun because it shoots 3 1/2 inch shells. They're expensive, hurt, and simply aren't needed. It's nice to have the option, but certainly isn't required by any means. There is some value finds in firearms (like the 500) but in my experience, you get what you pay for. I've spent more money on my firearms than some of my friends have. I also don't have the complaints about my guns that my friends do of theirs.

 

[Obi-Wan-In-A-Million]

Need decoys and waders.

Outside.of that just an early alarm and beer.

I grew up shooting and just started bird hunting recently.


Beer, fat breakfast, and the hunt man.

Duck is cold hunting.
My favorite is dove, though many don't like the meat. The hunting is just so much fucking fun.

Yes, dove hunting is the shit. I got to go on a paid hunt at a plantation once, and it sucked. The guides placed the doves before hand and spun them around in a bag so they would be dizzy and wouldn't try to fly off. It was literally like shooting fish in a barrel. No sport at all. Hell, I only got through it because of the free beer and food.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Yes, dove hunting is the shit. I got to go on a paid hunt at a plantation once, and it sucked. The guides placed the doves before hand and spun them around in a bag so they would be dizzy and wouldn't try to fly off. It was literally like shooting fish in a barrel. No sport at all. Hell, I only got through it because of the free beer and food.

That doesn't sound fun at all

 

[Obi-Wan-In-A-Million]

That doesn't sound fun at all

It wasn't. A guy from Baltimore, who wasn't a hunter and knew nothing about hunting, paid for my brother, his business partner, and two others to go in hopes that my bro would do business with him. We're from south Georgia, so we all grew up hunting. About 15 minutes into the all day hunt, we were ready to leave. We only stayed because we got to keep the birds we killed. They cleaned them while we ate dinner. If not for that, I would've bounced.

 

[Obi-Wan-In-A-Million]

On the plus side, I stayed on the Jeep at one stop and peppered the hell out of the jackass that bought the hunt. I waited until he was far enough away that it would do nothing but sting like a son of a bitch, and, channeling my inner Dick Cheney, I fired twice directly at him. I told him that I saw a dove that they missed flying away and shot at it in the heat of the moment. My brother and the other guys knew what had happened though. They got a kick out of it.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

That doesn't sound fun at all

I agree. I'd rather go home empty handed and know I put in an good effort but the birds didn't do their part than a canned hunt like that.

 

[ThatOneDude]

I just scouted out some spots out back. I'll post pics this weekend after I pull the GPS data to plot them on a map and scrub all that info.

 

[jasper181]

This is from a hunt I guided this morning, ended up with 15.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

This is from a hunt I guided this morning, ended up with 15.

Picture no work.

 

[jasper181]

I can't figure out what's going on, I've tried several different ways

 

[jasper181]

 

[ThatOneDude]

 

[ThatOneDude]

I think this spot has some real promise, it's a ways east down the shore from those pics in the previous post. Saw a few ducks, cranes egrits, and a bunch of coot over here. In my amateur opinion it seems like a decent spot. What do you guys think from the pictures.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

I think this spot has some real promise, it's a ways east down the shore from those pics in the previous post. Saw a few ducks, cranes egrits, and a bunch of coot over here. In my amateur opinion it seems like a decent spot. What do you guys think from the pictures.

As far as I'm concerned anywhere you see birds is as good a place as any.

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

How's guiding work down there? Is it regulated or is it kind of a free for all like it is up here?

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

FWIW, @ThatOneDude that landscape is beautiful. Seems like a great place to spend a morning.

 

[ThatOneDude]

Man, they are shooting like crazy today..... .. Grrrrr I wish I didn't have stuff to do around the house today. Tomorrow can't come fast enough

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

Man, they are shooting like crazy today..... .. Grrrrr I wish I didn't have stuff to do around the house today. Tomorrow can't come fast enough

I feel the same way on days I'm not out and I see guys posting pictures of their limits on Facebook, lol.

 

[Stern]

Its very expensive

 

[BeardOfKnowledge]

Its very expensive

You mean waterfowling?