February 2008 Updates page 9
25 February
Late Season
Well as you can see it happened again this year in [location deleted]. I can't hardly believe it yet. Having only scouted over in [location deleted] once I took the chance and went over for a weekend hunt. Walking back into the property I seen very little fresh sign but decided to hunt a patch of timber along a trail with sign several days old. About 2 pm I had three bucks come running thru the timber past my stand. I was able to stop this buck by voice grunting at 12 yards. After the shot he ran 40 yards and then stood for 5 minutes and I could see blood coming out both sides of him before he laid down. Because of the height of my stand I knew I had gotten only one lung. The other two bucks laid down within 30 yards of my stand and all of them stayed there until dark. The buck I shot had gotten up on wobbly legs and re-laid down behind a big tree so I couldn't see if he was down for good. When I climbed down from the tree I looked up to see him standing there and then bonding off for several leaps before walking out of sight. I checked the area were he had laid and found a bed full of blood so I immediately went looking for my arrow. What I found would make any hunter sick, an arrow with paunch on it from his stomach. I had seen the entry side and knew I had hit him in the lungs. It was really tough but I walked out and left him for the night . I knew he was mortally hit after watching him for so long from the stand but knew it would be better to leave him lay although I still had vivid memories of last years deer having the hind quarters eaten off by coyotes' overnight. I went to check on another member I had meet that afternoon named Brian [last name deleted] from Wisconsin to see if he had any luck as we had agreed to check with each other before leaving. Brian was having a bad time with a touchy starter on his truck. Brian volunteered to go back in the morning to help with the recovery which absolutely blew me away that someone who was a stranger just a few hours before was willing to take his hunting time to help me out. After a mostly sleepless night and a lot of prayers Brian and I went back in and found the buck only 80 yards further then were I had seen him last. The shot had been perfect upon entry but had bounced off a rib and came out further back. Meeting Brian was just as rewarding as getting any animal, he is a very courteous, pleasant, serious hunter and one of the best people I've ever met. Thanks Jon for all you and your staffs hard work as this is the payoff for all members to have a chance to experience. Great work, thanks again. [name deleted]
Thank you for using the deer cart. New friend Brian.
For the rest of us this hunter had late season success last year as well. Thank you for taking the time to share your success at hunting and friend making with everyone.
26 February
2007 Duck Season
Water and food conditions for the 2007 duck season were above average, but several marshes in the Middle Zone that were planted didn’t completely fill until late season once the harsh weather moved in.
One of the wade-in areas in Henry County that was planted to millet, but didn't get quite enough water for the ducks to reach the seed until late season after freeze.
In Linn County, we moved our holding water to the north pool on the west marsh only to discover the beavers burrowed a hole through the levee, which wasted 2 days of free water flow. The levee has been repaired, but we lost a week of prime hunting from blind 8 and the wade-in area that replaced blind 7.
The hunting was good early with a variety of small ducks and mallards. Once the marsh froze the bulk of the members migrated to the Middle Zone, but those that were willing to break ice enjoyed some good late season mallard hunting.
The second half of the 2007-08 waterfowl season was cold and a lot of of the wetlands were frozen on and off, right up to the last day of the season.
Early last summer, the Missouri River bottoms in Holt County were struck by several rounds of major floodwater that destroyed thousands of acres of crops. After 2 previous attempts, our landowner in Holt County made the decision not to re-plant the low laying duck marsh. We jumped on the opportunity to plant the marsh area in millet and milo, which was a three day, four wheeler planting project. Once the seed was planted, the rain shut off for over 30 days. Our end product was 80 acres of 6 foot tall noxious weeds on 200 plus bushel corn ground. Needless to say, the landowner sprayed the weeds and only a small amount of millet survived, but there was plenty of weed seed for the ducks. Opening week wasn’t as action packed as it’s been in the past, but it picked up as the cold weather moved in. The week prior to Thanksgiving, a local electric company was repairing power lines that were damaged by the floodwater. They accidentally blew the electric motor that runs our pump. The ground slowly soaked up the water to the point the marsh was barely huntable throughout the Thanksgiving weekend. The motor was replaced and the marsh was pumped immediately, but shortly thereafter the water froze tight and the hunting was tough.
Denny and Brent.
A group that has been with the club for 14 seasons.
Despite the frigid weather conditions, the Middle Zone wetlands, irrigation, watershed lakes and stubble fields were productive, especially for the hunters with the gear and expertise to adjust to the fluctuating patterns of the birds. The best duck hunting as far as total numbers was the first three weeks, with the majority small ducks, wood ducks and divers and the last three weeks, with the majority mallards, Canadas and white geese.
Once the birds start using the fields, mud can be an obstacle. For those willing to overcome the mud, the opportunity is there for good hunts.
