Duck Hunting with CAelknuts

[eelgrass]

I had the distinct honor of spending a couple days duck hunting with Dan. First, he has what surely is the best waterfowl hunting property in CA, no exaggeration. Totally wild natural habitat, which now days is almost unheard of, especially in California. It was like stepping back in time to the places our grandfathers hunted.

That's just for starters!

The entire place is designed, built, and used as a duck hunters paradise. From the big comfortable house, to the boat docks, to the dog kennels, to the decoy house, to the elevated blinds, to the picking shed (more correctly called the waxing room), to the cleaning station with running water. Every avid waterfowlers dream! (that would be me) This time of year he has mostly Wood Ducks, Mallards, Gadwall, and Teal. I even spotted a nice blacktail buck!

In between flights of birds I was blessed with his tales of hunting, from ducks to elk to elephants.

There were a few problems though. He acted like I was somebody important! He wouldn't let me help cook breakfast. He wouldn't let me do dishes. He wouldn't let me row the boat. He wouldn't let me help set out decoys. He wouldn't let me pick or clean my birds.

Thank you Dan for the hospitality, and mostly for your friendship. That was a hunt that I will never forget! What a special treat at a very special place.

He even helped me retreive the birds that were too big for his aging Lab!

 

[REDDOG]

Nah, he didnt think you were special, jsut didnt want you to touch anything! J/K

Got any pic's of this adventure? Thats a nice goose,but me and Buck McNeely have got bigger before

 

[Silentstalker]

Very cool! I would love to make that trip! Sounds like a very fun hunt!

 

[eelgrass]

REDDOG, I've never been real big on photos. Actually I had my camera but just forgot. I think Dan took a couple.

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

 

[Jingow]

Get any geese? If this is serious, I'm envious Eel.

 

[eelgrass]

Jim, we didn't get any geese. There were a few around but we were hunting in flooded timber type land, not real goose habitat. Although a Speck landed right in the trees about 200 yards from us.

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

 

[Jingow]

I've never hunted flooded timber. It sure looks like a blast from what I've seen on TV. Yeah I know on TV but you as well as I know there is not that much type of habitat in CA that allows public hunting. Big congrats Steve, I've still yet to be out this year. Hopefully soon for me. Thanks for sharing Jim

 

[FishlakeElkHunter]

I will agree with EVERYTHING that Eel has said. I have had the extreme pleasure of going out Twice already with Dan. I went early last year and killed Wood Ducks in the trees, then went again later in the year and killed LOTS and LOTS of geese.

Eel is not exaggerating when he says Dan treats you well. Dan is one of those RARE people that just really really enjoy being out and having a good time. He knows how to treat a guy! Hey Dan...we need Danny to get that Utah Elk tag now!! So I can repay some of this!!!

And now.....I will be going back and will be there again on January 3,4,and 5th of January!! I have lots of pics that I could post of Dans place, but I will let him decide if he wants any up here!

Eel....maybe next time we can have a MM party there(we will tell Dan about it after it is planned haha)!!! Glad you had a good time. Now you have me excited for January!!!!

 

[CAelknuts]

LAST EDITED ON Nov-29-09 AT 08:53PM (MST)[p]Jeez, you two can really lay it on and embarass a guy!

First, eelgrass is not giving you guys a clear picture of our duck club, as the house is a rickety old thing up on stilts to keep it above the flood waters we often get with wet winters. Heck, it was built in 1933, is creaky and breezy; but at least it is dry and warms up nicely. We didn't even have good TV reception for all these years until we just had a satellite dish installed before this season, now I can finally watch football when I'm up there.

The hunting SUCKED big time this past weekend, but at least I got to enjoy some fine company in the person of Steve/eelgrass. I was working on starting a thread earlier to ask if any of you knew who the gentleman in the picture was, but for some reason I was having trouble uploading any pictures. Now that he's beat me to starting a thread about our visit, I'll just post his picture since you all know who he is.

I felt bad that he came all the way down from Eureka for such poor hunting, but sometimes that's how it goes. I greatly enjoyed his company, and appreciate the kind words, even though I'm not sure why he was impressed with a place that had no ducks.

I'll try to post a few pictures from our hunt, hopefully I've got it figured out now.

Early morning, with the Sutter Buttes in the distant background.

My ancient black lab, Cody, that eel referred to in his post. She's retrieving a duck more within her size limits.

Eelgrass, with a nice pair of Greenwing drakes. Excellent table fare!

 

[eelgrass]

Dan says the hunting sucked because he's spoiled. There were more birds on his place than anywhere else in the area. There just weren't that many birds down yet. The strong north wind didn't help either. Killing birds was not even the main reason for me comming, so I was very happy.

A house on stilts is a mansion to a duck hunter.

Dan, my Canvasback made it home fine!

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

 

[RACKMASTER]

we hammered the geese today and yeasterday 6 guys took overall 60 something snows and 6 specks 42 ducks in two days!
snows were on the deck both days!
ducks a bit higher..my best start in 15 years!

rackmaster

 

[FishlakeElkHunter]

OK, so Dan is being shy...So I will show you a nice 2 hour morning up to his place.

And here is the old house on Stilts....but it is AWESOME!!!!

And here is finished product.....YUMMY!

 

[RACKMASTER]

thems flying ribeyes boyz!
every shoot gets better and better!

rackmaster

 

[CAelknuts]

Rack, where do you hunt ducks? What area?

 

[eelgrass]

FLEH, that's a great bunch of birds!

I heard today that Tulelake is loaded with birds now (extreme northern CA) so they should be moving south....oh about Jan.1.

The birds will stay up there until it freezes and then move on down to the valley.

Eel

Know guns, know peace, know safety. No guns, no peace, no safety.

 

[Jingow]

I had a club at one time off Agua Frias road. Sort of looks in the area. Near the river just north of Little Dry Creek.

 

[CAelknuts]

Jingow, we're just a few miles south of where you describe. We're about a mile or so south of the Gridley-Colusa Highway, and Little Dry Creek Wildlife Area is on the north side of the highway. We're just east of Butte Creek, and Little Dry Creek runs smack through the middle of the property.

 

[RACKMASTER]

Big Dan I was at Colusa free roam pond 6 on top I did not even take deeks out when it blows like that from the north you don't need them and it blow strong for 2 days!
I have a resi for Joice Island on the 6th.....
I got 17 resi cards already and none crappy!
best start so far.......

rackmaster

 

[CAelknuts]

Rack, it sounlds like you're having more fun than us guys who always hunt the same place. With all those reservations, you're set up for one heck of a fine season, good luck and ENJOY!