Pintail - Pintail - Pintail

[Jim Cloninger]

Pintail - Pintail - Pintail
The Saturday/Sunday 2 weeks ago was my last duck hunt for the season. This was the 3rd time I went duck hunting this season because I can no longer hunt by my self due to physical limitations. I need a partner to help me by putting out decoys and retrieving downed birds. I have to confess that I have not trained my Black Lab, Mazie, well enough to do the job of retrieving on her own. We hunted 2 hours on Saturday afternoon and a couple more hours on Sunday morning. I shot my Super Fox, my favorite duck gun. It was a fun hunt. I shot 2 limits, 2 Bull Sprig, one on Saturday and one on Sunday. Pintails are the most numerous duck in California during the duck season. We were inundated with Pintails and could have shot 7 per day, the duck limit in California. The 1 Pintail per day in California does not make sense. I only had 2 shots at other species of duck and shot 1 Greenhead. The best part of this hunt is what comes after the hunt is over. Wild duck is my all time favorite food to eat. I always hang my ducks for 3 days as long as they are not shot up. After 3 days I pick and clean the ducks and eat at least one before freezing. Fresh Pintail is incredibly good.
Jim
PS - I also shot a "double" on Snow Geese on Sunday with my Super Fox. These end up in a white bean stew.

[vaturkey]

Sounds like a great time indeed. Miss duck hunting. Once the lake that was ten miles away from me got developed I was done. Can't hunt the river because its just not safe when your 65 and on top of that my duck dog (Gracie) is now 12 and her retrieving duck days are over.

[Fin2Feather]

Sounds great Jim; way to go!!

[Jimmy Goodtime]

Sounds like a great time! I should really make a trip out there to hunt some ducks. Pintails and wigeon would be a dream pair and a change up from our woodies and hoodies here in GA. And a fortunate Cinnamon Teal would put a smile on that would be hard to wipe off!

[Jim Cloninger]

Hey, Jimmy, a few years ago I shot a banded Cinnamon Teal!
Jim

[Jeff S]

Congratulations on a successful hunt. I’m glad to hear that you’re still out there swinging the Super Fox.

[Sporrns]

Way to go Jim! I'm sure that brace of Bull Sprig made that HE heft a little more lively in the hands. Its great that you are still out there 'amongst 'em! Kevin

[Fox20obsessed]

Way to go Jim!
-Matt

[Stan Hillis]

Well done, friend. Sure wish we could see some pics.

SRH

[DarylC]

Nice shooting Jim. A Bull Sprig, to me, is a most handsome duck and I've yet to bag a really nice specimen of one. Guess I'll keep on trying.

[Jim Cloninger]

Sorry, no camera, no pictures. Daryl hunt on the west coast and you can shoot a lot of Pintails. I agree with you, I too think a Bull Sprig is the best looking duck.

[fox-admin]

Thumbs up Jim. It's good to hear your knocking them dead with your Super

[Don Ay]

Super fox shooting sprig great !

[200052]

Vaturkey:
Was not Sleeters Lake wonderful! The cove on the west side directly opposite the dam usually had
a small flock of very skidish blacks most days. In the 60s/70s/80s I could frequently, almost daily, be
there paddling a john boat in the dark before driving to work at Lorton. I miss that too, but at 82 I
would also consider my efforts with an oar risky.
Regards Ed Farrand

[Researcher]

In Eastern Washington when I was growing up we always saw lots of Pintails in the spring and summer, but by the time duck season opened they were scarce. I'm sure I shot more in one season on the marsh at Camp Pendleton just north of Oceanside then I ever did in Washington. Got this one right after I retired and moved back to Washington --