Thread: Nathan's 2014 season

Originally Posted by Nathan F

Had a ripper of a hunt this morning in the ice up at Methven. Plenty of mallards shot. Report and photos tomorrow.

Fantastic.

Right so as per yesterdays post it was all on Monday Morning. We had a ripper off a hunt. Im not purely talking Bird numbers but it was enjoyable for many different reasons. Having no mai mai and hiding in the tree's , Battling Ice in freezing conditions to get decoys out, Mallards coming hard and fast from many angles....
I digress , The two of us set of from Christchurch at 5:15am to a pond up in Methven. There was supposed to have been a third shooter but they got lame at the last minute. Unfortunate as we could have done with at least four guns. Man did we have birds dropping in and out. We couldnt cover the whole pond. Its an unusual shape and we shoot off an island in the middle underneath a Rhododenren tree. I have not shot it for over a year and the ducks know its a safe haven. There are massive irrigation ponds all up and down the road which get shot so they tend to pour in here during the season.
Anyway my mate and I got the standing decoys set down the far end then I waded out breaking ice with my shotgun butt to set a few floaters and a swimmer. As soon as first light came we were in business with customers landing straight on the ice.

You can see the swimmer doing its thing in the hole i made with dead customers on the ice. I love hunts like this - Old school
I was having a constant battle with the ice retreiving ducks as my mate had conveniently forgotten his waders
Once the sun hit it helped with the ice and I was able to push sheets around the pond making bigger areas for decoys.

The evidence of mass murder was becoming evident with feathers covering the ice on this cold windless Canterbury morning

The best thing I love about duck hunting is getting them close. I mean real close. Ive got no problem with steel and get sick of people wanking on about lead. Improve your calling and decoy spread, Camo up and get em in. The mate had a drake hovering 5 m in front of him when he pulled the trigger. You can see it laying on the ice with its wing on the left. Remember all these pics were just taken off the iPhone.

Who says steel dont kill???

Still the action continued. At one point I was in the middle of the pond retreiving when a pair dropped in on top of me. Two shots later two more ducks. Unfortunately I didnt see the other 50 odd trying to get in behind them. I managed another double 30 seconds later when two bandits came over high. Awesome.
We pulled stumps at 11am with 50 ish mallards. We could have kept going but how many ducks do you need??

Even as we were packing up they were still trying to get in.

Will get this baby delivered in the next week or two then go back for another crack at the end of July when its properley cold

Sorry Nathan but I do not quite understand your rationale for shooting up close...isnt it a waste of a good bird?

Originally Posted by EeeBees

Sorry Nathan but I do not quite understand your rationale for shooting up close...isnt it a waste of a good bird?

Ummmmmmm I'm struggling to understand where you're coming from. The whole idea of our hunting is to get ducks in close. Real close.

If one in 50 gets blown up the issue is ? Like I said we pulled stumps after three hours. Could have stayed all day and nailed plenty more. 100 would have been our two person limit where we were. But we will go back in a month or so and have another crack

Sorry, Nathan, I wasnt meaning to sound like an antagonist...as a newcomer to duck shooting I am not sure how close is close...

Originally Posted by EeeBees

Sorry, Nathan, I wasnt meaning to sound like an antagonist...as a newcomer to duck shooting I am not sure how close is close...

All good , no harm done. Unfortunately for want of a better phrase - shit happens.

When mallards are landing gear down fluttering in your face you have to shoot em

Unfortunately that can sometimes be the result. Personally I would much rather have that happen than have wounded ducks fly away
Or run of into the scrub and die a slow death.

Originally Posted by Nathan F

All good , no harm done. Unfortunately for want of a better phrase - shit happens.

When mallards are landing gear down fluttering in your face you have to shoot em

Unfortunately that can sometimes be the result. Personally I would much rather have that happen than have wounded ducks fly away
Or run of into the scrub and die a slow death.

I don't want to sound like an ass but why don't you hunt with a gun dog?

Originally Posted by Dundee

I don't want to sound like an ass but why don't you hunt with a gun dog?

Not everyone has a dog.... I dont

Originally Posted by Dundee

I don't want to sound like an ass but why don't you hunt with a gun dog?

My mates pup is not ready and I'm between dogs. I'm not building any fences at home until eqc sorts their shit out and I find out whether or not I'm re building. That aside mutts still don't get all woundies.

Just asking

One that inspired me from Nathans frozen pond. This is cool

That's exactly what they do lol. Incoming.

Don't get me fuckin started Bout eqc

Originally Posted by Nathan F

Don't get me fuckin started Bout eqc

welcome to my life, bet i have heard it all!

Yes I'm sorry you fullas are still going thru that shit,this Key hasn't bloody helped down there for sure.