Finally! Opening Day

[barleydog]

Had our opener yesterday.  Finally got the bugs out of my system.  It's hard not thinking about the seasons opener weeks or even months before it begins. 
Ended up being a beautiful day, which equates to a lousy time for patterning birds.  Warm temps and no bugs, what a beautiful opener.  The day started out slow with a couple mallards and some widgeon.  Lot's of divers of mixed species joined in all day.  Ended up with 2 mallards, 2 teal, 2 widgeons, 1 pintail, 2 canvasbacks, 5 barrows goldeneyes, and 2 greater scaup.  Barley the dog got a good workout, and showed signs of being out of shape!   We take divers in our bag limit, (which is ten.)  Divers are ground up and turned into hot sticks.  Good stuff!
Great story!  I'm not a big jewlery collector, however, I did get a real oddity!  Managed to down two goldeneyes in one shot, (which is good considering I'm damned near blind), both of them were banded.  What's the odds eh?   

[BuckShotJon]

Wow Duck opens early for you. Ours does not open until October 23th this year I think.

This sad hurricaine that is going to hit Florida is going to move up the east coast with the rain it brings I suspect that this will move in more waterfowl.

Jon

[Bobman]

Barleydog you're up in Alaska right?  Gotta start the season early before all the duckies leave for the winter vacation!  We still have over a month to wait in NY  !

Sounds like you had a great opening day hunt!  I did manage to get 2 with one shot once (both teal from a big flock that was settling into our spread just before sunrise), but with all of the waterfowl I've gotten I only have 4 bands.  I guess it was your lucky day  !  Do you have pics to post?

[barleydog]

I forgot to mention that I am in Alaska....  Yeah, we have a couple weeks to duck hunt and then everything is froze up.  Wish the state would open it up on Aug.15, the same day as grouse.  One of the birds I shot yesterday was still FULL of pin feathers.  Talk about young, I'm suprised it could fly!  I wish you guys lot's of luck on your opener. 
I'll post a pic of the goldeneyes.  -Barleydog