Bird on the wing

[twitchstick]

It's been awhile since I have head out hunting for myself but yesterday morning I was able to head out for some birds. Saturday a friend had called me and said he was tired of ranching and wanted to chase some birds. The wife gave me a rare sigh but gave the o.k. I don't blame her I have done close to 20 days of hunting since late October helping my dad on some hunts. After two days of snow and high winds It made long drift busting walk to the area in the lake I wanted to hunt. It worked to our advantage getting there late because the lake had frozen overnight. It changed were most of the birds were from a quick scouting trip on saturday. We could see alot of birds all bunch up on what looked like the only open water. We could see a few geese and ducks with about 200 coots at the tip of pinch piont in the lake. There was lots of cover to make a good stalk. We drop our packs and decoys to start the stalk.  When we got close the birds started to flush with about 12 canadians in the lead. I rushed to find open shooting lane in the willows then remember taking aim on one of the geese. I watched the arrow cleanly miss right behind the one I was aiming for. I see two more geese rise and I shoot agian. I watched my flu flu fly close behind one but just went skipping acrossed the ice. At this piont the sky is filled with birds going in all directions with abunch of coots still on the water. We sat down real quick and soon birds were circling back. I pick a slow one in the back of a flock and let it rip. I watch the arrow hit up into the bird from the back and it folded quick. I had forgot my camera so I couldn't take a pic until I got home.  Which really sucked because when the sun came up shinning on the new snow and with all those birds flying around it was breath taking.

[twitchstick]

Here's a pic's I took when I got home,not the best pic's I was tired and cold.  

[twitchstick]

We went back for the decoys and set up there agian. I set myself up so I was shooting my arrows back acrossed the piont so my would land on hard ground so I could retrive the birds and arrows easier. I had my dog with me but most of my arrows had old small broadheads on. We hunted for another hour or so there. Most of the birds my buddy was banging at with his shotgun were out of range and flying to fast for me. I did take a few more shoots but never connected agian. Here is one more pic  

[Izzy]

Awwwwwesome!!!

[steadman]

Way to go Jimmy!! That's some good shootin  

[bofish-IL]

I had several stands alongside a creek years ago. I watched all kinds of wood ducks and mallards swim by each day. It was very entertaining to watch them fight and chase each other.

I kept thinking I should buy some duck stamps and try them with my bow. Just never did it. I did notice even though they were 30 feet below me in a creek and I was in a stand. They had no trouble picking up my movements.

[Aunty]

O beauty wish we could hunt ducks with a bow here go congrads again on a fine bird

[stujay]

Sounds like a real hoot...and good shooting

[chopx2]

Awesome! I'd love to take a duck on the wing myself someday.

[Thumper Dunker]

Thats pretty dang cool. Tinny fast target.      

[flippnsticks]

[reddogge]

Nice widgeon.

That's cool! I want to try it for the ducks one day. I have shot a pheasant out of the air and missed a bunch of doves.

Congrats,

Bisch

[Mike Vines]

Awesome shooting.  Birds with a bow is a lot of fun, and much more rewarding than a whitetail in my opinion.

Like I always say, if I was healthier and could move better the only deer I would ever shoot are the ones that got between me and the turkeys and the pheasants.  I found shooting geese to be a lot easier than ducks.  Slow floating our rivers with a canoe was the best way to get the ducks during the warmer periods. They tended to hole up in back eddy areas. We did this to get away from the marsh/jon boat gun hunters.  The only reason I don't do it anymore is because I don't have anyone to do it with. If everyone knew how much fun that was, the DNR would make it illegal.

[Terry Green]

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[Furseeker]

Great shooting. Very cool indeed.

[twitchstick]

Thanks guys for the comments. It was nice to connect on a bird this year. I haven't put much time in but I have had a few close calls jumping ponds this year. I have taken a few grouse on the wing but most of my water fowl has been with a shotgun and my dog. Now that my dog is getting old she only like to hunt half days leaving more time for the bow.