Wanderer

I thought this was a free country? The heart shot pic is a little graphic but it is what it is. A great, humane shot. People shoot things to make them dead, then eat them. It’s life. Thought I’d add: We’re having backstrap for dinner tonight. Looking forward to it.

I don’t usually search out the WSI but have taken notice of it for years. They usually start reporting it in Outdoor News when it starts getting bad. I figured it was going to be high this year. We’re just lucky it hasn’t been colder. Still, I hope for the best for both mooses running around here.

@leech~~ Confused? I agree with protecting the gear. The Opti comment was a bit of a joke due to their image: Optibomb. Shop for used boats for a year and you’ll see what I mean.

Just cuz it has an Optimax on it doesn’t mean the whole rig should be wasted!

So you’ve updated then?!

Congrats minky! Unfortunately I haven’t cut a hole yet this year. I’ve either been hunting or not had a long enough day on the ice yet to make it worth it. I figure I need to get a hard side out somewhere so I can just walk up to it and sit for a while. Like old dudes do. Cuz I’m getting old.

Ever...

I don’t think Cenaiko could never support lake trout.

I haven’t fished the Anoka dam in years but it was pretty good at times. I don’t know how access is on the east side but that’s where I normally fished. Always saw people in the rocks on the west side but it always seemed shallower and rocky over there - not ideal sucker habitat. You could try the west side where the Rum dumps into the ‘Sippi or go down further to Mississippi Point Park and fish below the overflow from Hayden Lake. It was The Mill Pond when I was growing up. Welcome by the way!

I guess the adventure wasn’t over until we got through the mountains! We drove through snow on the way out but only a couple inches on the ground. Things changed in a week! Pass closed to oversized loads and chains required for other commercial trucks. Banks as tall as a 1 ton pickup!

Well we’re done as of today. Grilled up some birds again this afternoon. Nom, nom... We got crowded this morning by the weekenders on our first choice spot for puddle ducks so we made a move to get on some buffies in particular. I love those little guys for looks, shooting sport and taste! Ended on high note. Very wet morning but we had a nice departing view. Thanks for following and the comments.

@IceHawk My buddy I’m with is a guide and plans to start booking trips out here. This trip was a trial run that he asked me to help him with. How could I pass up an opportunity to help a friend, eh?! We’ve both put a lot of time in researching the areas we’re hunting. He has vast experience with all ducks, including sea ducks and is a registered guide in Maine and has his Captain’s license. His ability to handle salt water travel is amazing. He reads it like a book and really knows how to handle tides wind and “bigger than we shoulda been in” waves. I’ve been doing the on the fly navigation and real time research of access rules. They’re VERY complicated out here! So, to answer your question, it’s both guided and freelance. We wouldn’t have made the progress we have without our partnered effort. We’re getting dialed in though after a week. Some days we set up 6-8 times, and then another only twice. Fill the gas tanks on the boat every day and the truck about every third. It’s been a lot of work but oh so much fun!

A couple to catch up. My best gadwall ever! Starting to get a nice a group. End of today. Buffleheads, wigeon, gadwalls, and GREATER scaup. 5 of these birds are mount worthy. And let’s not forget the heyday pic.

We used party balls for beer and the innovative boxes of wine back in the day!

Lithium baby!