Nice shooting again there Swags! Duck/goose hunting is probably my overall favorite hunting. Have not had any good shooting like yours since moving to Ohio, obviously don't know where to go!!!! I grew up keeping a gun barrel hot hunting them on the upper/lower Niagara Rivers, and on some federal/state places east of Buffalo (Iroquois, Tonawanda, Oak Orchard Refuges). I'm surprised to see those divers in the bunch, didn't think we got any this far off the flyways. NE Ohio is basically totally devoid of any flyway activity. Birds go east of Lake Erie through the Niagara River corridor over to the Atlantic coastal areas, or they head west of Erie by Toledo heading down the central flyway. A very small percentage of those western birds do cross Ohio and head east to the coast, but further south across the central part of the state. I still like to go to the very back of my acreage where I can occasionally get some fast pass shooting at a few during those first 10 minutes of shooting (usually woodies or mallards), or lure in some local geese for a cautious pass of my decoys in the edge of my neighbors corn field. Glad to see there are still some good spots around here with healthy looking birds for the taking. My favorite way to cook them is similar to yours. I breast them out, cut the breast medallions into half inch thick strips, marinade in McCormick's "Montreal Steak" marinade for a day or 2, then cook on the grill or stove, sometimes adding the bacon........ yumm........ Here is a photo of a modest mornings haul from out back. Keep up the good shooting! Been lucky enough to get a few bands over the years too!
These bands were all taken when I lived up in NY. Biggest was a Canada Goose, the smallest a Green wing teal. I've never gotten a band here in Ohio. Are you getting these birds decoying in, or just that crazy first few minutes of pass shooting? I love hunting over a good decoy spread. My last Lab died about three years ago and I have not gotten another dog since. Had to finagle a few tough retrieves myself out of my bottom area last year!
They're still decoying but the puddle ducks are a little shy. A lot of what we are shooting are migrators that haven't been here long. We also aren't using a dog with ice on the water. Don't wan to lose my friends dog, so retrieving with the boat.
