Wednesday Ducks

Hunting at Jerry's today was quite a success. The weather this morning was overcast and approximately 50° with 5-15 mph winds from the West. Our morning started off with a duck landing in our spread prior to legal shooting time. It later flushed towards us and was promptly knocked down by Dan, landing about 5 yds in front of Jackson. He stayed steady through the fall and made quick work of the retrieve.  A few minutes later a hen mallard surprised us, flying directly overhead. Dan also knocked that one down, however it fell in a location that Jackson wasn't able to see. This set up an opportunity for him to try his hand at the first "real" blind retrieve of his career... Which he lined on the first attempt with no whistles or hand signals needed!!

Shortly after getting settled back into our hunting spot, another duck flew by that Dan shot. It's splashed down hard just a couple feet inside the cattails, and Jackson had a controlled break. After making the correction, re-sitting him on the stand & waiting about a minute, I walked him out for another a blind retrieve. Unfortunately, the bird must have been wounded, because after a couple whistles and casts Jackson was in the correct spot, but there was no bird.I gave him a verbal release command to hunt for the bird on his own but it must have tucked itself back in the cattails never to be found.

After watching a few ducks drop into some water about 50 yards from us, Dan decided to take a walk (surprising no one) to jump shoot and/or flush them back towards me. While he was gone, a Gadwall decoyed into our spread, which I quickly killed. Jackson also had a controlled break on this bird, which made me decide to retrieve it myself to help him learn that he only gets to retrieve when he is steady. I then hoped we would get 1 more bird, to reinforce this lesson...

As Dan was walking back to our spot, a few mallards flew down the slough towards him. He shot the one that was in range, and it landed just a few yards from him, so he retrieved it himself. 

Over the last 2 days, his shooting has greatly improved and has been the best I've ever seen him shoot in all of our hunting time together! He has killed 8 ducks on his last 8 shots! 

After making it back to our spot and getting settled in again, a pair of BW Teal flew down the slough towards us, then turned at about 25 yds, giving us an opportunity for a crossing shot.  Dan shot 1 of them on 2 attempts for his 5th duck of the day while I kept an eye on Jackson to ensure his steadiness, which was perfect. However, his view of the fall was obscured by the reeds we were hiding in, which turned this retrieve into a sight blind that he handled with ease. So, the steadiness lesson apparently was a success and he got an easy, confidence-boosting blind.

We cut our hunt a little short (about 10:15) in an attempt to get out and find some better pheasant hunting this afternoon. Hopefully, the wind will stay calm and not dampen our chances of putting up some roosters!

Jackson's final retrieve of the day

Jax wondering where Dan is going...

Mallard decoy...

Widgeon decoy... or the real thing???