[MrShane]

I have hunted ducks with and without a retriever. I like both for different reasons, but when a dog does their part, it makes for a neat experience. This is my dog’s third season and although we didn’t take a lot of birds, she retrieved every bird that I shot and is learning to be a great hunter. Here’s a couple pics from today.

Yours, Fowlmouths, and mine all look like from the same litter.

 

[Wire]

My very first banded duck, way way way back in my airboat days, was a Scaup I killed in Farmington Bay.
Banded in Louisiana which I thought was crazy weird.
Congrats!, and where was yours banded?

The info for the band wasn't in the system yet. Looks like a pretty new band. My luck it was banded at farmington where I shot him. If I ever get the info I'll let ya know.

 

[parryconner]

Yours, Fowlmouths, and mine all look like from the same litter.

They really do, we got her down in Santaquin on the 4th of July weekend. Guy wanted to get rid of them, we paid $150 for her!

 

[Wire]

Well ended the season off strong. My 14 yr old son and I went out and killed both our limits. 11 teal and 3 shovelers.

 

[benelli man]

We ended up with 5 ducks and one goose. Certainly not the hottest hunt we've had in more ways than one but it was darn good to get out.

 

[Fowlmouth]

Well ended the season off strong. My 14 yr old son and I went out and killed both our limits. 11 teal and 3 shovelers.
View attachment 163349 View attachment 163350

Fantastic! Looks freezing cold....

 

[parryconner]

Great photos guys! There are some really good hunters on this forum. I always see great pics and feel inspired to do better next year. I spent the day washing off decoys, and getting gear and stuff put away in my shop. It was a cold one! Crossing my fingers for a goose on the wasatch zone before it closes.

 

[Wire]

Fantastic! Looks freezing cold....

It was definitely cold 🥶 but worth it.

 

[BowhntMT]

I am very happy with how the season went for me. Had some incredible hunts and got into birds very consistently. Once late November rolled around, I switched to targeting pintails and really trying to be consistently successful, rather than sort of lucking into them. Ended up taking several really nice drakes. Feel like I worked really hard, tried new things, and enjoyed more success than I deserve.

I am a late onset waterfowl hunter, getting into it in 2020. Like @JerryH said, we live in an incredible place for waterfowl. Amazing access, incredible diversity, and a lot of ducks.

Finished things up today with my heaviest pintail of the season.

 

[middlefork]

I was quite surprised how many were out on the lake today. That north wind was brutish.

 

[BowhntMT]

Also, not going to miss driving that access road at Farmington Bay. It was starting to rattle my fillings loose.

 

[paddler]

Also, not going to miss driving that access road at Farmington Bay. It was starting to rattle my fillings loose.

I have found that the faster you drive that road, the more it smooths out. Your tires just kind of skim over the washboard. Like 35-40MPH.

 

[JerryH]

I have found that the faster you drive that road, the more it smooths out. Your tires just kind of skim over the washboard. Like 35-40MPH.

I like to drive on the wrong side of the road. And park in the middle of the road to glass the rest area. People think I'm a birder but I'm dragging a boat.

I hope they never pave it. Slow down enjoy the scenery. One of the coolest things I've seen was a heron snatch up a vole on the side of road. It was the heron that hung around the first bridge last year.

 

[MWScott72]

I ended the year with 89 birds in 16 outings. Green wings followed by spoons made up a majority of my birds. I found it more difficult than usual to target big ducks consistently. Didn’t shoot a mallard or pintail all season. Weather didn’t help at all with all the high pressure that was ever present.

I’ve decided to find a few more areas to hunt next year. My go to in the past has been Farmington, but that place has become a shiz show with the sheer number of hunters buzzing around. Worse is all the birders and non-hunting public out there. It’s gotten really bad since COVID. People are just climbing over each other out there these days, and this year finally pushed me over the edge.

We went out on Friday and unexpectedly shot limits of birds after 3.5 hours of absolutely nothing in the decoys. Decided that I didn’t want to fight the crowds on the last day, so went with a friend and shot Huns instead.

 

[Fowlmouth]

I like to drive on the wrong side of the road. And park in the middle of the road to glass the rest area. People think I'm a birder but I'm dragging a boat.

I hope they never pave it. Slow down enjoy the scenery. One of the coolest things I've seen was a heron snatch up a vole on the side of road. It was the heron that hung around the first bridge last year.

All those potholes make it hard for road hunters to catch up to the roosters running down the road.

 

[toasty]

Tons of people out on Friday. This was my take after being relegated to a pothole the size of a car. Good thing the snipe were flying to make it interesting.

I opted to do something else for the closer instead of fight the crowds for the couple of slivers of open water on Saturday. It was subzero windchill. My 13 year old made an excellent neck shot at 50 yards. The tenderloins were amazing last night.

Just a warning that things can go south in a hurry in these cold temps. My 16 year old did not dress warm enough and passed out a couple times from hypothermia. When his eyes were in the back of his head and he had irregular breathing following by violent shakes, it was pretty scary especially when the call to 911 didn't go through. We had a pretty good hike to get back to the truck. We ended up covered him up in our coats with legs elevated and gave him a priesthood blessing. After about 10 minutes of rest, we were able to help him get him back to the truck and warm him up. Be careful, especially when you have hard headed, know it all teenagers with you that are too tough to tell you just how cold they really are.

 

[JerryH]

The upside

Your in first place for bloodiest pic of 2025!

 

[caddis8]

that's a great shot

Tons of people out on Friday. This was my take after being relegated to a pothole the size of a car. Good thing the snipe were flying to make it interesting.
View attachment 163359
I opted to do something else for the closer instead of fight the crowds for the couple of slivers of open water on Saturday. It was subzero windchill. My 13 year old made an excellent neck shot at 50 yards. The tenderloins were amazing last night.

Just a warning that things can go south in a hurry in these cold temps. My 16 year old did not dress warm enough and passed out a couple times from hypothermia. When his eyes were in the back of his head and he had irregular breathing following by violent shakes, it was pretty scary especially when the call to 911 didn't go through. We had a pretty good hike to get back to the truck. We ended up covered him up in our coats with legs elevated and gave him a priesthood blessing. After about 10 minutes of rest, we were able to help him get him back to the truck and warm him up. Be careful, especially when you have hard headed, know it all teenagers with you that are too tough to tell you just how cold they really are.
View attachment 163360

That's scary. But a great shot. Did you have issues getting the elk out? No further issues?

 

[toasty]

that's a great shot

That's scary. But a great shot. Did you have issues getting the elk out? No further issues?

No, I was able to grab a couple nephews to help quarter and pack it out. They enjoyed learning how to quarter and elk.

 

[benelli man]

Tons of people out on Friday. This was my take after being relegated to a pothole the size of a car. Good thing the snipe were flying to make it interesting.

















I opted to do something else for the closer instead of fight the crowds for the couple of slivers of open water on Saturday. It was subzero windchill. My 13 year old made an excellent neck shot at 50 yards. The tenderloins were amazing last night.

Just a warning that things can go south in a hurry in these cold temps. My 16 year old did not dress warm enough and passed out a couple times from hypothermia. When his eyes were in the back of his head and he had irregular breathing following by violent shakes, it was pretty scary especially when the call to 911 didn't go through. We had a pretty good hike to get back to the truck. We ended up covered him up in our coats with legs elevated and gave him a priesthood blessing. After about 10 minutes of rest, we were able to help him get him back to the truck and warm him up. Be careful, especially when you have hard headed, know it all teenagers with you that are too tough to tell you just how cold they really are.

Glad everyone made it out ok. I have yet to pull the trigger on any snipe due to my lack of experience with them. Always afraid I'd bring home a dowitcher by accident. Ducks I can identify but those I'm not so confident in.