Post by jarcoach on Dec 3, 2020 14:43:07 GMT
After abandoning the bay a couple of years ago because the eel grass die off resulted in very few brant using the bay, I decided to head back down and check it out.
Shoot time here is 7 am regardless of sunrise so I arrived at 630 and started looking. In no time spotted a group of 30 that were in legal shoot zone so prepared to launch.
Had a bird watcher launching at same time so waited to load gun until she left and to see which way she was going....she went opposite of where I wanted to go so all good.
Got boat in water and started towards birds- those couple of years took their toll on my hands... was it really this much work?
10 minutes before shoot time right on cue- the brant lifted and flew to closed zone. As I didn’t spot any other groups in the semi dark, I figured day over. Stood up to glass and 500 yards away were 100+. Off I go- tried to pick an edge and got a small group broke off main bunch- they lifted at 35 and I dropped one. The birds just rolled half a mile or so so after retrieving off for another.
I could not break any off of this group and when they got up, I had no clear shot at a single and was afraid of raining brant so didn’t shoot.
There were a few birds against the tide from me that were in the initial group so I made the long trek upcurrent and up swell to get the downhill ride in.
35 birds strung out over 50 yards- 2 broke off early and it was too late to go for them as I was already broadside to them. The main flock took off at 45 or so and I didn’t take the shot- look back and the 2 are still there....swing quickly and get on them....no separation at all...closed to 25 and finally one lifted and got clear ...one shot and first brant limit one a few years.
Had to run the gauntlet of bird watchers when I came in. I had wrapped birds in my sweatshirt and all hunting stuff in a blanket... lots of questions by kayakers.... claimed I wasn’t hunting as I didn’t want to deal w drama. Walked through 3 of them with birds in sweatshirt and nobody raised an eyebrow.Got out of there without being called a murderer....gonna go at low tide next time- not as many kayakers....
Have a safe season all
Shoot time here is 7 am regardless of sunrise so I arrived at 630 and started looking. In no time spotted a group of 30 that were in legal shoot zone so prepared to launch.
Had a bird watcher launching at same time so waited to load gun until she left and to see which way she was going....she went opposite of where I wanted to go so all good.
Got boat in water and started towards birds- those couple of years took their toll on my hands... was it really this much work?
10 minutes before shoot time right on cue- the brant lifted and flew to closed zone. As I didn’t spot any other groups in the semi dark, I figured day over. Stood up to glass and 500 yards away were 100+. Off I go- tried to pick an edge and got a small group broke off main bunch- they lifted at 35 and I dropped one. The birds just rolled half a mile or so so after retrieving off for another.
I could not break any off of this group and when they got up, I had no clear shot at a single and was afraid of raining brant so didn’t shoot.
There were a few birds against the tide from me that were in the initial group so I made the long trek upcurrent and up swell to get the downhill ride in.
35 birds strung out over 50 yards- 2 broke off early and it was too late to go for them as I was already broadside to them. The main flock took off at 45 or so and I didn’t take the shot- look back and the 2 are still there....swing quickly and get on them....no separation at all...closed to 25 and finally one lifted and got clear ...one shot and first brant limit one a few years.
Had to run the gauntlet of bird watchers when I came in. I had wrapped birds in my sweatshirt and all hunting stuff in a blanket... lots of questions by kayakers.... claimed I wasn’t hunting as I didn’t want to deal w drama. Walked through 3 of them with birds in sweatshirt and nobody raised an eyebrow.Got out of there without being called a murderer....gonna go at low tide next time- not as many kayakers....
Have a safe season all