Success on Opening Day

October 5th is the opening of early duck season. I rebuilt my blinds last week. Last night, I dropped of my decoys and the dog blind. Porter has been training (working on retrieves,, remaining steady in the blind), albeit not as intensely as in past years.

It was a cold, but clear morning as we headed out at 5:30 this morning. Luckily, the pond was ensconced in fog. I put out the decoys, set up the dog blind, and got Porter out of the truck. We settled into the blind about 20 minutes before legal hunting.

Geese and ducks were calling in the fog. One duck landed in the decoys, and then flew as I stood up. Porter made a great blind retrieve. A male wood duck. About an hour later, same thing again. Another wood duck, female this time. Two flights of Mallards few over, out of the fog; no chance to react quickly enough to get a shot.

Watching Porter is why I hunt. He made two great blind retrieves. Watching him work is such a pleasure.

Cleaned the ducks when I got back to camp. Marinating the breasts in orange ginger sauce. Grilling them tomorrow, for dinner.