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For once, patience not necessary while hunting

COMMENTARY

Sentinel photo by ZACH KNEPP
Two drakes and a hen, the wood duck limit taken on opening day.

One trait that is typically required to be a successful hunter is patience. One does not shoot a big buck on your first trip to the stand in archery season. Nor can a hunter simply walk into a wild grape patch and down a grouse.

The rule of thumb in hunting is that the more time you spend in the field, the more your chances increase on having a memorable outing.

But there is always an exception to a rule. When it comes to that rule regarding being patient when hunting, the exception may occur during the opening morning of our early duck season for those who target wood ducks.

No other hunt regularly offers fast and furious action as soon as legal shooting hours arrive. That short-lived, yet very exciting time is enjoyed on many ponds, rivers, lakes, creeks and swamps throughout the state.

Last Saturday morning I counted on that experience as I woke up early, put on my waders and loaded my decoys, shotgun and blind bag into my truck and headed to one of my favorite wood duck locations.

The first day of duck season in the Southern Zone is something I look forward to every year. Typically I am joined by one or two friends or family members as we sit in a downed tree or one of my blinds and await the first flight of ducks screaming through the treetops of the year.

This year was a rare occurrence — a solo hunt. My brother was home in Virginia and my friend who have I spent nearly every opening morning of duck season beside was unable to hunt due to his work schedule.

I enjoy the company as much as the actual hunting when waterfowling, but nevertheless, I decided I would try and harvest a few birds by myself before heading to coach my son’s soccer game.

The warm weather meant light clothing, which definitely was a relief for me as I carried my gear to the creek. I decided to hunt a downed three where I had shot some birds the previous October that would allow me to make it back to Middleburg in time for kickoff.

While checking out the surroundings using the light from my headlamp, I tossed out half a dozen wood duck decoys where they would be visible to passing birds and then took a seat on a limb and waited for legal shooting hours to arrive.

My soccer schedule meant I did not have time to scout the creek, but I hoped I would at least get the opportunity for a few ducks. Some years that creek is loaded with woodies, while other years I see only a handful.

The problem with hunting wood ducks on a creek by yourself is that you cannot watch both directions. Having a partner means one person can look each way on the creek to warn the other gunner regarding the approaching birds.

Woodies are extremely fast flyers and seem to appear out of nowhere. Many fly at tree top height and quickly appear and disappear within shooting distance.

That morning I tried to keep my head on a swivel and watch both east and west. If I heard a shot, I would always turn that way in case some birds were missed and headed my direction. However, the morning was rather quiet when it came to gun shots.

The first woodie of the year beat me as I was looking the wrong direction. When I heard its wings beating it was already flying away. Many guys take those shots, but if I don’t have a good chance of downing and recovering a wood duck, I keep the gun on safe.

A few minutes later three woodies came from my left. Unfortunately for the birds, I was facing that direction and picked them out early. They also made the mistake of checking out my decoys and made a large vertical drop to present me with easier shots.

I fired three times to break the morning silence. Two birds hit the water as the third quickly escaped out of sight.

At that point I made a rookie mistake and left my gun on the tree and went out to pick up the birds. As I was retrieving the second one, I looked up to see another small flock flying right at me.

I was kicking myself for possibly costing myself a limit by not reloading and being prepared for more birds.

But I would have another opportunity to fill my three-bird limit. In fact, I would have three more chances since I missed two singles. No matter how many birds you have shot over your hunting career, wood ducks can still make a fool out of the most seasoned waterfowl hunter and those two birds were a clear example of just that.

As 7:50 rolled around, no more shots could be heard anywhere in either direction. I decided to give myself 10 more minutes before grabbing my gear and heading to the truck so I would not be late for the game.

I assumed the birds were done flying when I looked west and saw a lone woodie flying low right at me. Instead of coming the entire way to my spread, it curled back around and tried to land in a blowdown behind me. That mistake gave me an easy shot to finish my morning.

It was definitely not a banner year for duck numbers on that creek, but opening morning once again did not disappoint. Seeing those beautiful birds cruising by and the quick reactions they require is something that will continue to excite me for many opening days to come.

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Zach Knepp writes about the outdoors for The Sentinel.

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