One for the players and one for the haters...

Still struggling with this cold/sinus infection and the side effects of the 12 different medications in my system, I decide that sea ducking out of a boat was not on my list of things to do this past weekend.  Rather I opted to take a quick black duck on the flood tide which ended up being a little more time consuming than preferred.  I did convince a smaller single to part ways from another pair of feeders and pile drive it with my dwindling supply of Federal Black Cloud shotgun shells.  With no friends in attendance, this was the best photo I could muster of the nice black duck.

One for the players...

 So then I decide, why not take advantage of the flood tide and visit my buddy on the other side of the peninsula?  A quick phone call later, I was heading home for the bufflehead decoys and then setting up in a spot that had been proven nearly a year before.  The buffleheads were quite a distance out and clearly weren't going to push my way, but we still rested against the shoreline accompanied by none other than Sailor.  I will be honest that I only included this prize yellow lab in an ill attempt to impress Penbayman over at Maine-Matters.

 

If you notice this picture proudly displays a dedicated retriever who certainly holds a legacy of pursuits, then you are wrong.  Sailor does not like the water, cringes at the blast of a shotgun, and would rather sit in my lap than ever retrieve fair game.  However, the dog can pose for a vain attempt at mimicry of greatness and I'm sure Craig will be impressed with the imagery faux pas.

One for the haters...

I did take advantage of a unique opportunity upon quitting time.  Craig yelled down from his house that a bunch of ducks were crossing the narrow bay and were veering in our direction.  A seagull was pressuring these mergansers and they were making a straight path my way!  I hid in a crack in a rock ledge and witnessed 20 of these prize birds swimming no more than 40 feet away.  Within the scope of this opportunity I quickly assessed my possibilities...

a) leave these useless ducks alone and call it a day
b) shot one useless duck and proudly display it to the interested little girls that belong to Craig
c) cut loose and fill my limit of mergansers, ugh the shame

As you notice from the above picture, I simply chose to get one for the books.  Man didn't it taste great!!! For this duck hunter, the merganser is at the bottom of my list...

Have a great day,

The Downeast Duck Hunter