shot 2 more parrie ducks from the edge of the section today.. well actually just outside it I got over the fence and commando crawled across to the stop bank and jumped up. the ducks hadnt read the script cause they wont take off for me to shoot so I yell at them they take off 3 quick shots and the drake id flying very limply before crashing . the hen flies fine and gains altitude and distance and then dropped like a lead balloon. out comes the pooch and the kids and across the paddock we go to retrieve them. the young fella gave me a hand to dress them for the freezer and one for tea tomorrow night.

Well done Elvis.

Cheers, Vince

after tea tonight I grabbed the shotty and caller and handed the ol single banger to my Brother in law and headed out across the paddock next to the house. 2 pairs of mallards came past waay out then 4 more closer before a pair circled and dropped towards a wee pothole across the way. it was nearly dark but we hoofed it over and sneaked up to the edge of the hole.. I lobbed a rock into the water.. big splash and and and NOTHING I step forward and the dog goes forward then Quaaak Quaaak and a pair of mallards scoot up and out AJs side ... no way could I shoot as it was over his head. I see the birds get up into the pale evening sky them bang goes the trusty Baikal and the hen turns turtle and drops like the proverbial brick.
I mark the direction of the fall and get AJ to head that way then wait while I get there with the pooch who promptly scoots off and finds the hen in the long grass.
That was the first bird for AJ for the season so hes a happy chappy now.
a great evening spent with a good mate.

the lad shot a pukeko about 200yrds from the house tonight, I sent the dog over to help him and had some mallards come over head and one paid the price. got back into the house and had just stripped off the overalls when I spotted 3 parries swoop in on the dekes set just over the fence from the dog kennel so back on went the overalls and boots and the lad and I went outside again and managed to drop 2 of them. the dog was going nuts as he was still tied up and could see us just over the fence having fun without him!!!

Elvis wrote:

the lad shot a pukeko about 200yrds from the house tonight, I sent the dog over to help him and had some mallards come over head and one paid the price. got back into the house and had just stripped off the overalls when I spotted 3 parries swoop in on the dekes set just over the fence from the dog kennel so back on went the overalls and boots and the lad and I went outside again and managed to drop 2 of them. the dog was going nuts as he was still tied up and could see us just over the fence having fun without him!!!

Way to go Elvis. Sounds like a lot of fun to me. Bet those are good fresh out of the smoker.

got home early from work and dropped 2 parries with 2 shots just upstream from the house. while the lad and I were plucking those a pair of mallards dropped in way down stream so we got the wee fellas .410 out and went for a stalk. the lad put them up and dropped the drake as clean as you like , the hen came around and over me and ...and ...and... yip you guessed it I clean missed it twice!!!!

Ya silly bugger Elvis...but it is a massive ego boost for the young fella mate. You did it deliberately, didn't you.

Cheers, Vince

Elvis wrote:

:oops: it I clean missed it twice!!!!

I can just picture your lad bragging to all his mates in school how he's a better shot then Dad.

Im saying nothing. but thanks for the new excuse Vince.

took the lad for a walk up the hill today. we climbed up to a good lookout spot and had some lunch till I looked down and saw some porkers having a snooze in the sun. easy peasy thinks I (murphy starts to chuckle about now) I was so confident I rang my big brother who was at work in a pulp mill and told him what we were doing!!! he called me a name!!!! my parents were married so it didnt mean anything. good laugh though. well we stalked down towards the pigs till we were about 200 yrds away. great thinks I just a bit further then find a nice rest and bugger me they are up and off. I sit down and try to get a decent shot fired and a black pig turns off from the others get a bead on another and a cloud off dust as I fire and that pig goes off to the left aswell. I thought about leaving the lad there to guide me and figured the hour or 2 it would take to get over the gully and back would be too much so took a good look at where they were and we both went over.... well some small amount of flesh type blood was found and we tracked that for a hour UPHILL ??? before loosing all trace in thick dark wet under growth. we looked and looked but to no avail so we went home . as we pulled in the drive 2 parries landed in the paddock so we got out the shotties and bagged a duck. I managed 2 further mallards and Nath got a cheeky spurwinged plover that sqauked at him once too often. I hated to not find the porkers but gave it a really good look.

well the season finished last night.
this morning 8 fat mallards were quacking from just over the fence and at 10;30 3 parries were doing the same... next seasons breeding stock.

it gets better/worse. this photo was at 8am the water is now touching the piles of the house, not worried as it is flowing past quite well, but the ducks are all over the show.

Be safe mate, and never trust rising water, especially if is fast flowing.

Cheers, Vince

that pile of wood started to float away so the dingy got towed across section and filled up!!!
we are keeping a good eye on things but I feel confident as there is a good 2 feet of drop on other side of section so if water gets any higher it will just flow past thataways too!!
I put my waders on and rescued the chooks as there was 6" of water running through the chookhouse.

Goof grief, how much rain did you guys get??