Mid Summer
I went to visit my bro in CS and he and his girlfriend and I went to one of those catfish farm near 290 and 6. Not too bad, chicken liver on a hook, not like topwaters on the coast, but hell it was fun.
September 1st 2002
Opening day in Austin...
Nice to be back in Austin, that fresh air,
the wildlife, I was talking to my friend Erin before she left for Germany and I
saw three deer on Fitzhugh road, nice to see 35 and 71 is STILL under
construction (yea, if that is ever going to be completed.) I left Houston
around 8 Saturday morning and got things ready at Dripping, I also scouted that
evening and took care of some shopping. Collin met me at
The Salt Lick for some good BBQ and
listen to the Aggies. Well we got up at 5:20ish and headed over to Connies,
I recall the weather was quite enjoyable, gnats were worse than the last few
years, but just about as soon as we arrived the shots started and I took that
for a good sign of things to come. The birds started flying late that
morning and shooting was pretty steady for about an hour from 8:30 - 9:30 which
is when I shot just about all my birds. Collin got his limit about 10.
This was my first outing with my 682 Gold E and
I really liked having the O/U, I could shoot and walk straight to a bird with
out having to worry about finding the hulls. I started out 5/5 and then
went down hill very very quickly.
 Two Italian beauties, I missed a third that weekend |
 My limit and Collins (L-R) |
 Dove breast, soaked in beer, then marinated in the two shown marinates |
September 2nd 2002
Second day in Austin...
The nice weather the morning before did not return. I switched to my 391
to see if my poor shooting was the gun or me, I shot somewhat better but nowhere
near the level I shot last year. I think we had 16 birds between the three of
us.
Bailey, Steve, Collin (L-R)
The rest
More as of
05/06/2004
Teal Season September 14th - 22nd
Opening day
This was my first year on Halls Bayou Ranch and the place looked awesome.
I called Todd (the lease manager) early in the week to get a spot for our group
(Ryan S., Terry N., T.J., W., and Steve W.); we had the corner of a flooded rice
field, right near Willow Bayou. We all met in a field where they hauled us
to our location behind ATVs with trailers. I had bought new blue wing teal
decoys and used those tangle free kits you can buy, and when I opened up the bag
ALL of them were tangled (tangle free my a**!) This was a sign of things
to come for the season, someone ALWAYS went wrong. Well after about 20
minutes of swatting mosquitoes we got the decoys set and were ready to hunt.
Man it was muggy that day, and as always on the coast, lots of mosquitoes.
The hunting was nothing to brag about, we saw tons of birds but they just didn't
want to decoy, I think we ended up with about 13 or so for five of us. But
on the way out we saw a group that was next to us, and they had out like four
mojos and a few dozen decoys on the water, those teal locked up about 80 yards
out and didn't care what happened, it was amazing to watch.
Next day
Steve had to leave during the hunt, and
Ryan was at a bachelor party so today it was my brother, Steve's dad, Terry and
T.J and myself. This time we had a mojo, a mojo dove, and a wonder duck on
the water.
Here is how I summarized it at the time.
Sat.
Saw TONS of teal, lots of whistlers, few mottled and spoonies. We were hunting a
left pocket in a cut rice field, those birds just didn't like the left pocket.
All but 2 or 3 shots were pass shooting. 5 shooters, dekes were 2 dz. BWT 6
mottled. 13 birds, lost 3. On the way out we drove by a group with 4 mojo, dude
the teal were locked up at first sight, it was amazing to watch. Shot over a
box, hit 2 birds for sure.
Sun.
Saw way less teal, and pretty much less everything, 'cept black birds. Same
corner, 5 shooters, 3 returning, 10 birds, lost one cripple, my fault, I
shouldn't have taken the shot. Dekes, 16 BWT, 2 mottled, 1 mojo, 1 wonder, 1
mojo-dove. Most of these shots were decoying. Shot leftover box, killed 6 for
sure, 1 cripple and had to swat. 4. Mojo were still awesome, just not
ours... it had to be the spot in the field. Those guys were on top of the levy
walking around and the damn teal were still locked.
September 20th 2002
This was also opening day of South zone
dove season. Boy oh boy did it rain since last weekend, I mean a good 10
inches, it was really wet out there. I hunted with Ryan, a friend of
his, Terry and his dad. This was my first hunt with my ATV. We setup
in the same general area as before. Just didn't see many birds. You
can you see how I wrote it up at the time. Man I was really looking
forward to a good dove season out there, nope! Sucked, I think I shot 3 or
4 dove all year out there (not including those shot while teal hunting).
Hindsight said I should have gone out with Brent on Sunday, him and Waller got a limit of teal in 15 minutes, oh well.
Well I took off Friday to chase
some teal along with the boys, Choke Tube and the other lease members.
I got in the ATV Tuesday and was ready to try it.
Friday
We met up at 5 and went from there. When we got to our hunting area, I was
thinking, the water is getting kinda deep, it was right at the floorboard level
of my Grizzly (ha, see Sat. hunt). Put out a smattering of BWT and hens of
mallets and pinnys. We shot 3 teal for 5 people, I didn't hit any. Ryan made a
great passing shot on the first bird of the morning. The other 2 were late in
the hunt. We did manager 9 dove, and I'm pretty sure I took 4 of those.
Dove hunt that afternoon sucked. I was talking to choke and shot at his bird,
missed both times. I shot once at my seat and folded him. I walked right to it
and couldn't find it. Count brought over his dog and she found it. I think maybe
20 birds for about 25 people? But the food and beer afterward were great! Thanks
Brent and Steve.
Saturday
I was a guest of Ducks Galore, Choke Tube was next door with KatyDucker and
Count D. To the marsh, hmm... yea its a little deeper today when I look down and
can't see my boots anymore. Yesterday was all 2WD, today was 4wd diff lock,
would have been much better if I have on my vamps. I get to the blinds looking
forward to having a nice seat and hear Brent say, the ******* blinds are gone!
Long story, time to sit in the grass, no problem, wearing waders and soft mud.
Its a stunning morning, we don't see many teal at all, but three lock in and
come in, the 3 of us didn't let them get away.
That's it. Gonna wait till it drys up a little and try dove hunting again.
Duck Season November 2nd - January 19th
November 2nd 2002
24 in 30ish
1 mottled
1 hen mallard
1 bluebill
2 GWT, 1 hen, 1 drake
rest BWT
some guys in the same field shot a awesome tree duck and widgeon.
5 of us, 27 birds.
1 tree duck
1 widgeon
1 gadwall
1 spoony (my bad)
4 blue bills, I shot a drake lesser that was gorgeous
rest BWT
Just about all of the pictures from this year.
Video from Sunday the 3rd
of November hunt
