Canada 2012

[jparrucci]

I am a little behind on posting this, but thought I would finally get it done on my day off. I took my first ever trip duck hunting to an undisclosed location in Saskatchewan in early October. I was pumped up for the trip, with my main goal of shooting my first Pintail and Sandhill Crane, and hopefully getting a few nice birds to bring home for the wall.

It didn't take me long to get my first Pintail, as 3 of the first 4 birds I took were drake Pintails on the first day. Due to low water conditions, we were hunting out of canoes for the most part, which my dog wasn't happy about being left behind. The ducks were everywhere, we did not need to rush shots and were picking out individual ducks to shoot. Needless to say, limits were easily had when we wanted them. I wanted a drake Pintail for the wall, and I accomplished that mission pretty early on. Being it pretty early in the season and how far north we were, most Pintails didn't even have much color yet, and none of them had a big sprig. On the second day I took a nice drake that was further along in color than any of us had taken yet, and I decided that it will be going on the wall.

I also wanted to get a big bull Canvasback for the wall. I had only shot a few in ND a couple of years ago. I ended up taking a bunch throughout the trip, but none that I felt were mature enough to mount. I also missed plenty of them; man do Cans fly fast! Day 4 or 5 I dropped a nice drake Bufflehead which had amazing greens and purples, and decided that would be wall mounter number two.

We had seen and heard lots of Sanhill Cranes in the first few days, but never were in the right spot between the fields and the roost. On our last day I finally dropped my first Sandhill Crane. (I missed plenty of others, those things are deceptive in the air)

We witnessed probably 250,000 snow geese on the body of water we were hunting. I was much more interested in taking ducks, but when a low flock came by we would put the hurt on them as well. The noise they make is deafening. One morning we had the entire flock within about a hundred yards of us. We were not even able to talk to each other in the canoe it was so loud. Even though I wasn't real interested in shooting the sky carp, it was still a sight and sound I will never forget.

We spent the last day further south in Saskatchewan hunting upland birds. My dog was happy to be back in action again, and he immediately locked up on point. I walked up and a covey of about a dozen Huns got up, and I went 3 for 3. Apparently shooting upland birds is easy after trying to hit Canvasbacks! I also shot my second ever Sharptail as well.

My biggest regrets were not getting more pictures, and not bringing food into Canada with me. I can't believe how HORRIBLE the food was everywhere we went, and how overpriced it was. I hope to go back again next year around the same time. The following birds were taken during the trip: Mallards, Pintails, Canvasbacks, Redhead, Bluebill, Ringneck, Bufflehead, Blue Winged Teal, Greenwing Teal, Canada Geese, Snow/Blue Goose, Ross's Goose (another first), Sanhill Crane, Sharptail, Hungarian Partridge. I am probably missing a few others as well. I now only have a Cinnamon Teal left for duck species (minus the Sea Ducks).

[jparrucci]

I guess those were some big images...here are some more:

[mwal]

Love the Pic's great hunt.

Mwal

[Sifty]

Looks like a good time.

It is always something to be able to get a large number of different birds.

Sifty

[Big Country]

"I am probably missing a few others". How about spoon bills, or gaddwals? Opted out of our annual trip to Saskatch this year and was a sheer joy to read your story and see the pictures. Can't wait for next season already! We prefer to chase the "sky carp" as you stated. Best tasting, hardest waterfowl to decoy we have ever encountered. Get back up there next year. You now know what a gas Saskatch can be. We focus around the Quill lakes area and have many farmer friends who we keep in contact with year after year. Awesome people. Congrats on a great trip! BC

[jparrucci]

Not a gadwall to be seen. The other guys have been going there for years and said they usually see boatloads of them. Saw plenty of shovelers and a few mergansers, but managed to not harvest any (missed once on a shoveler who had me fooled, good thing I missed!