Fall Movement

October has finally arrived and for me that means that the fish are chewing and waterfowl are starting to migrate. Up in Sunset Country, we have yet to experience overnight freezing temps or prevailing North winds, which are 2 key elements that kick the migration into full swing.

That being said, I had some time off this week and thought I’d better check the marsh to see what was happening. We found isolated pockets of local birds and managed to harvest enough for a treat.

The long range forecast looks favorable though and I’m hopeful some big fat northern birds arrive soon. As the old saying goes, you don’t know if you don’t go and timing is everything in the waterfowl game. I’ve said it many times before, but I’ve never spent a bad day in the blind...just look at those views!

The highlight was dad and I bumping 300 or so mallards along with 100 or so ring necks from the back of a pocket choked with wild rice. The wind had all but died and the few birds that came back, either worked us over on oxygen before heading elsewhere or we just flat out missed. All was not lost though, we had a great time, interacted with nature and soaked up a picturesque sunset in my favorite part of the world.

The good news is that the migration hasn’t even started yet. I feel like a kid on Christmas Eve...anxiously waiting!