Hunting Season is Upon Us

Yup, it's that time of year where I get absolutely nothing else done and piss off the loved ones. It's hunting season.

I have decided to cut back on the duck hunting this year and concentrate on big game. And it's just as well, because the irrigation company has started draining Mud Lake earlier than usual and my spots are cut off from boat access. Last week when I took Tristan hunting, I could tell the lake was lower than this time last year, and this past weekend on regular season opening day, it was about another foot lower which effectively cut me off from my favorite spot. I hunted that spot last year well into late October. I did manage to get the boat back there due to sheer momentum. If you can get a running start at it, the Mud Buddy mud motor will go through an inch or less of water providing there's mud underneath (and not rock). If you stop, you are screwed and you might as well get out and spend some time pushing. Which is exactly what I had to do to get out of my spot. It was worth it. I was covered up in ducks all morning and had the luxury of passing up whatever I didn't feel like shooting at. I could pick my shots and shoot all big ducks. I ended up with a pin tail and six mallards. I might take the boat out once or twice more all season, probably down at the river once the migration kicks in. Right now they are all local ducks and might not be concentrated on the rivers yet. I'll also wait until the ducks are fattened up and feathered out because they taste so much better than early season ducks.

As for the deer hunting, I spent all Sunday morning in the rain scoping things out. Not a deer to be seen although I did get into some elk. There aren't a lot of signs yet, so they probably aren't migrating down from the mountains quite yet. That will change after this weekend when we are supposed to get down to 17 degrees and snow. I took Sara the mule and rode Smooch. I think this ends the colt journal. I will definitely be keeping you up with his progress, but as far as colt starting, I think I accomplished just about everything I set out to accomplish this spring. He is turning into a competent trail horse with surefootedness and lots of confidence. He's a little tank in the woods, he's seen probably more than most two year olds, and he should be ready for mounted patrol come spring.