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< 16ga. General Discussion ~ Ducks on the ditches |
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Posted:
Tue Oct 11, 2005 8:26 pm
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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 787
Location: Indiana
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Our split season on ducks opened for 3 days last Saturday, Sunday and Monday. It will come in again Oct.23 for another month or so. Last weekend the temperature was in the high 50's/low 60's and I did find a few scattered flocks of wood ducks, with some teal thrown in. I mostly jump-shoot; we have about 15 or 20 small potholes, creeks and ditches I check so I can stay pretty mobile. I shot 7 ducks over Saturday and Sunday; we could not take off work to hunt Monday. Despite the really dry weather there were some birds around. I was using a 12 ga. Model 12 , choked skeet, and shooting the 2 3/4" #6 Bismuth factory load. It proved quite lethal on ducks at an average range of probably 15 to 20 yards. Can't wait for the mallards to arrive. My Golden Retriever did a fine job, particularly on a couple of blind retrieves into a really weedy, swampy area. I did not get a shot at geese. |
_________________ One Man with Courage is a Majority
---Andrew Jackson |
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Posted:
Wed Oct 12, 2005 5:55 pm
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Member
Joined: 09 Jun 2005
Posts: 885
Location: Wisconsin
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Try bismuth or Kent Matrix in your 16, works very well. We were open for a week, now closed for 5 days, reopen Sat. Not much for mallards around yet and if it urns cold woodies will be gone. |
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Posted:
Wed Oct 12, 2005 7:20 pm
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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 787
Location: Indiana
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The 16 ga, 1 1/8 oz. load of #4's works very well, even on late-season heavy mallards. I've used it in my Merkel 1620 and it's a hard hitter. I hope by 10/23 when ducks come back in season, some mallards are here.... |
_________________ One Man with Courage is a Majority
---Andrew Jackson |
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Posted:
Wed Oct 12, 2005 8:58 pm
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Member
Joined: 24 Aug 2004
Posts: 225
Location: San Rafael, CA
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Wolfchief: You've got me salivating for the opener here; I love jumpshooting. The dove opener was wonderful but too quickly gone |
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Posted:
Fri Oct 14, 2005 7:33 pm
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Joined: 15 Oct 2004
Posts: 787
Location: Indiana
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I agree, Parker; but with all the corn being harvested around here now, I'm still seeing more doves than I would have believed. But, our average first-frost date is Oct.6th and it hasn't frosted here yet or even come close to it..... |
_________________ One Man with Courage is a Majority
---Andrew Jackson |
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