Been real busy at work .... Got out Friday with Paul Peterson ... He had scouted a spot at some open water along the river .... Here are some pocket camera shots ..
The sunrise is not far away ...
![Image](http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r63/rjdad/A800x600.jpg)
Very important part of a late season waterfolwers gear ! ... Especially along the river !! ( If Paul were to wrap it with camo tape , they would be all the rage at BASS PRO ! )
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How else do you beat a channel thru the ice for the boat hideaway !
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Paul gets the boat loaded with the basics for a quick set up along the ice ...
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3 quick decoys on the far side ...
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A small group on the ice near the bank side we were shooting from ...
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Of course , the way the snow fell Friday am , it didn't take long before the decoys needed some brushing off !
![Image](http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r63/rjdad/G800x717.jpg)
I just finished bragging to Paul about how good my Hatsum Escort had been holding up since I bought it .... It had cycled light loads , heavy loads , taken Ducks , Geese , Pheasants , Jacks , Cottontails etc. .... Then two shots into the hunt it siezed up with a broken gas chamber " O " ring .
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I finished the hunt with Pauls Beretta A391 .... I even got a triple on a small flock that swung past the river bank treeline we were hiding in ... and Paul hammered birds down with his old 870 pump ...
Got a couple walk up shots ... Some decent sized birds ...
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Finished up the day in a coffin blind field set up ... We had some flocks in close and birds flew in the distance right up till sundown ...
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Saturday Feb 23rd ....
Not a real good sunrise ... just some fog and frost along the river in front of my house ... I was snapping this shot as John and Kendo Kid arrived ...
![Image](http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r63/rjdad/LSatam800x532.jpg)
We started the morrning by stopping in on some local birds to see where the flocks were going ... Turned out , they weren't going anywhere !
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Then the bird baths started ...
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We headed North and found a spot along the river where approx 20 birds were still roosted ( still sleeping along the river ) .... Asked permission at the farm and gained access for a sneak attack ... But the birds had other plans !
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As we scouted further ... We came on this bearded hen ! .... I had seen her earlier in the season in the same area ... Stopped the truck and walked up on her ... she was so fixed on picking scratch she didn't see me at first ...
![Image](http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r63/rjdad/Sbeardedhen1800x591.jpg)
Didn't atke her long to spot me and head into the bush ...
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Had a hearty lunch at the local truck stop ... a little more scouting , then back to the newly aquired property for an afternoon hunt ...
John and Kendo Kid hike in ... we bring a small decoy spread to set up along the river bank ...
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We settled in along the broken up ice flows for a nice afternoon snooze ... I had heavy ice on both side of my hiding spot ...
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The sun was hot and high by 4 pm ... Made it real easy to sit back and relax ...
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Kendo Kid was hunkered in a nice tree spot and the ducks provided the entertainment while we waited for the longnecks to show up ...
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John hunkers down and thinks about the 4 longnecks that stormed his position 15 mins earlier !
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And like every other day the sun eventually sets .... this time behind a hill across the river from us ...
![Image](http://i141.photobucket.com/albums/r63/rjdad/ZFsunset800x554.jpg)
In Summary ....
Spent 2 beauty days afield ! .... Manged to ground 9 longnecks ....
Had a blast with the guys ... Scored another hunting property that has great potential for next season ! ... And the weather couldn't have been better !
Thanks again to Paul , John , and Kendo Kid for sharing some quality field time over the last 2 days ..... Recharges the batteries in time for another long week at work !
Bye now ....
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