January - Part 1 - Canvasbacks in Rhode Island

      January is usually a bittersweet month for waterfowl hunting.  We have three weeks left in the season and the birds have moved in.  Sleep deprivation is at an all time high.  It's hard to wake up each morning, but we do it anyway, because before we know it, it will be over and we'd give anything to have it back again.  As I have written, this year was slower than most and we didn't hunt on our usual schedule.

     The month did start out with another high point.  Kyle scouted a local pond and found two canvasbacks, a beautiful diving duck known in the waterfowling community as "the king of ducks".  They are one of the most regal and elegant ducks there is, and are widely desired among duck hunters everywhere.  We rarely see them in our area.  Kyle has taken a canvasback in RI and was generous enough to send Jim and I after them.   Usually the flock of cans (their obvious nickname) on this particular pond numbers in the neighborhood of fifty or so birds.  This time, there was only two, sitting with a flock of ruddy ducks, a somewhat common diving duck to our area, mostly ignored by hunters.

Canvasbacks

Ruddy Ducks in summer plumage.  Unlike other ducks, ruddies come into breeding colors during the late spring and summer months. 

      Our plan of attack was to use our kayaks to (hopefully) float close enough to the birds for a shot.  Our best bet was to use the wind to move us so we had to move as little as possible, all the while keeping the sun at our backs to help hide us from the birds.  On paper this sounds easy, but getting close enough to most ducks on open water is a challenge.  Although canvasbacks aren't easy to get close to, ruddy ducks are.  We hoped this would help keep the cans from flying before we got into range.  It took us two tries that day, but we were able to get about 25 yards from the two canvasbacks and before we knew it, we had taken them both.  It worked better than we could have planned. Although we have both taken canvasbacks on hunts in Canada, this was a first for both Jim and I in Rhode Island.

Our two trophies, both destined for a good taxidermist.

December Lull

     December traditionally means the start of cold weather and the start of consistently good duck hunting.  Ice forms on many of the rivers, lakes, ponds, and marshes, concentrating ducks to whatever open water they can find.  Many of the ducks and geese that have been north of us for the season thus far have come down on the prevailing north winds after being forced out by ice.  Ideally this migration means we will have a continual stream of new birds for the rest of the season, some will winter here, some will just stop over for a day or two.  At this point in the season we usually start hunting almost daily.  This is traditionally how it goes.  This year wasn't traditional.

      Warm weather and prevailing south winds are duck hunting's kryptonite.  Warm weather to the north keeps ice from forming and the ducks have no reason to leave.  Birds also don't like to fly against the wind during migration, no one wants to work harder than they have to!  We were plagued by these two factors this season.  By mid-December it became obvious we weren't seeing new ducks or geese, and hunting the same (small amount of) birds that have been here for a month since the small push in November becomes very difficult.  Ducks wise up to the game quick, especially when they are frequenting the same spots.

     Although it was tough, we kept at it when we could and had a few good hunts.  A brief cold snap in the middle of the month helped a little, but it wouldn't last long. 

The coldest morning of the month, 7 degrees and some moisture in my gun's trigger assembly didn't mix well.  I had to break it down and thaw the frozen parts in my pocket before I could finish my limit with more gadwall and a black duck.

A few good cornfield hunts helped keep December from being a total loss.

Ed and Bob spinning around to shoot at some doves which opened towards the end of December.  Doves are a fun (and delicious) addition to the duck and goose bag.

A wet corn field usually means some ducks will show, We managed several on this late December afternoon.

Another gun malfunction, this time from worn out parts instead of ice.  They can only take so much abuse in a lifetime.

The previously mentioned doves make an excellent addition to breakfast.  Simply wrap the breast meat in small strip of bacon and throw on the grill for a few minutes.

November - Hope for the season

     Although the season started slow with early geese and early ducks there was still hope shining through for a good season.  In October a small flock of snow geese showed up in a local field.  Snow geese are over abundant in much of the country and Canada, but they are uncommon in Rhode Island. Even though we don't see them often, there is still a hunting season for them with extremely liberal bag-limits due to the fact that they are such a nuisance in other areas where they frequent.  Large flocks of snow geese will destroy crops in a field and they are even destroying their own breeding grounds. Rhode Island is just not a normal stop on their migration, although a few show up every year. 

     Spending as much time hunting and having the passion we do, these birds became a target for us.  Initially they were using a small field closed to hunting due to it's proximity to houses, but by some stroke of luck, they moved north a couple miles to a state owned field, open to the public for hunting.  Bob, Jim, and I were there waiting the next morning in, the geese showed and we were able to extract them from the hundreds of canada geese in the area. Although Jim and Bob had both taken snows in the past, this was a first for me and another species to cross off of my list.  A great accomplishment for hunting this area.

A photo of the snow geese a week or so prior to the hunt.

Snow goose success!

Bob carrying gear out of the field. 

     After the success chasing snow geese, and a lull for a couple weeks until duck season opened back up towards the end of November, We hunted for several days in a row and did quite well on mallards and black ducks.  Our two most frequently taken species throughout the season.  Mallards are common through the entire country, they are the most recognizable duck by far.  Black ducks, however are not as common.  Outside of the northeast, black ducks are a prize, and some of the guys, who I'm sure would call me crazy for being excited about a snow goose, would love the opportunity to take one.  To keep harvest numbers down and populations stable, hunters in our area are only allowed to take one a day, so you have to be careful when hunting them as they are very similar to mallards in every way except plumage which can be tough to tell in low light or back lit situations.

     The overall success in November showed hope for the season.  If things kept up (they didn't), it would be a stellar year.  (It wasn't!)

Spent shotgun shells from a mornings hunt - Yes, we picked them up.

A drake mallard from thanksgiving morning.

My first black duck of the season and a decoy my brother carved. Although they are somewhat drab and commonplace here, they are one of my favorite birds to take.

o s a r c dux - Sea Duck Hunting

     Coastal New England offers the unique opportunity to hunt sea ducks. Their name is literal as these birds spend the majority of their lives on the ocean. Rhode Island is the winter home to five common species of sea ducks: common eider, oldsquaw, black scoter, white-wing scoter, and surf scoter.  Equipped with large bills for crushing mollusks and crabs, and large webbed feet positioned far back on their body for diving deep to get them, these birds certainly look different than the average duck. They can often be seen near shore in large flocks or rafts along rocky stretches where food is readily available.
     

Surf Scoter

Common Eider

White-wing scoter

Oldsquaw 

Harlequin ducks are a species commonly seen off the coast of Rhode Island, They cannot be hunted on the east coast due to low population numbers.

      Hunting these birds is a different ball game and a far cry from chasing wood ducks and teal in beaver ponds. Dealing with the ocean's currents, waves, and sometimes bad attitude makes sea duck hunting a different kind of challenge.  The most common way to hunt them is setting a boat near shore or in open water where the birds usually feed, then setting several lines of decoys to lure the birds in close. They generally decoy readily and offer exciting wing-shooting. Because of this there has been a boom in the popularity of this type of hunting in the past several years. Our crew doesn't hunt them very often anymore, but we go a few times each season. 

An early morning flock of black scoters.

The traditional way of hunting sea ducks involves setting long strings of decoys parallel to each other to resemble a raft of birds feeding.

Common Eiders approaching the decoys. 

October - Early Ducks

     October is my favorite month of the year.  Autumn is in full swing. The leaves are turning and the air is cooling off.  Fall fishing remains good, deer season continues, and best of all duck season begins.  While I enjoy all of the outdoor activities I write about, duck hunting is by far my favorite.  From now until January my life will pretty much revolve around it.  Fortunately I have met a great group of friends who think the same way and share the passion I do.  We have worked the rest of the year til this point so that we can spend as much time chasing ducks as possible.  From the outside looking in, I'm sure our obsession with hunting ducks seems odd and unhealthy, but to us there's no other way. I can't say there is anything I would trade for the lack if sleep, the bitter cold mornings, the stress, and the amount of money spent that will all happen in the coming months, and all of this for a few ducks!
      Early duck season begins each year in early or mid-October.  It stays open for a short time (four days in RI and 10 in CT) before closing again and re-opening in November.  The first duck season usually consists of hunting in rivers, swamps, and beaver ponds for wood ducks, teal, and mallards. This short season is the best time to take wood ducks as they are among the first birds to migrate south for the winter, by November the majority will be gone.  The male wood duck is a strikingly beautiful bird, and although they are abundant, most people never get to see one in the wild. Their call is a loud screeching whistle which is hard to mistake. It fills the air most mornings during the October season. The window for these birds is brief so we take advantage when we can.  As far as table fare goes, wood ducks are about the best tasting duck there is. (it's a close tie with teal)
      Our early season was slow (keeping the trend), but as always it's good to get out with friends and take a few birds.

A pair of wood ducks: The drake (male) is one of the best looking birds around in my opinion.

sunrise - RI - opening day 2011

Bluewing and Greenwing teal are both common early season species as well.  Like wood ducks most will migrate by the time November rolls around.

Hunting a beaver pond set back in the woods.

Overdue - September- Geese, Deer, and Fish

     Apparently I haven't updated this since late August! Lack of motivation I guess, but this is going to be a slow week for me work wise and duck season just ended yesterday, so I figure I can at least write about and recap another season. Overall it was slow. We had trouble finding good numbers of ducks, when we did things often didn't work out as planned. There were certainly high points along the way though, and it was still one to remember.

September 

Early Goose
     September brings us the first waterfowl season of the year. Early canada goose hunting.  Canada geese can be broken down into two very basic categories: migrants and residents. Residents are the birds that breed here and stay all year long. These are often the birds you see in parks, golf courses, and on lawns during the summer months.  The migrant population are generally birds breeding in Canada which begin to migrate south at the beginning of fall.  The goal of most wildlife agencies is to reduce the number of resident geese which are often seen as a nuisance, all the while maintaining a healthy migrant goose population. Since the majority of migrant geese don't begin arriving until October, very liberal bag limits are allowed during all of September. 
      Like many other hunters in the area we take advantage of this season. It's a great way to shake the dust off the gear and get back into the groove for the next five months of waterfowl hunting. The trick to this season (for us) is hoping the geese are using areas we can hunt (mainly farm fields).  The problem, was that the birds mostly weren't using the farms we were able to hunt.  We went out a few times and had a couple decent hunts, but it set the pace for the rest of the waterfowl season. Slow!

A pair of Canada geese on the approach.

A goose with a leg band taken during the Sept. goose season.

Deer
     Along with goose hunting, the season for white-tail deer also begins in September.  Archery hunting begins in the middle of the month and is a great way to get out hunting while the weather is still warm.  I have only become a "deer hunter" in the past few years. Although I had gone for many before, I never cared for it much. I now look forward to sitting in a tree with a bow and arrow (or gun depending on the season) and waiting for a deer to walk by.  I also enjoy filling my freezer with delicious venison! I hunted several times in September for deer and was able to get things started with a nice doe.

 Venison: butchered and ready to wrap and freeze.

Fish
      September is a great month for fishing as well as hunting. The days are still hot, but the nights are generally a little cooler.  Freshwater fishing picks back up after being slow during the heat of the summer. Saltwater fishing follows this trend as well.  Many saltwater game-fish begin their migration south and feed heavily along the way.  For the months of fall, saltwater fishing can be extraordinary as seemingly endless amounts of striped bass and bluefish inhabit the coastal waters of Rhode Island and Connecticut. Inshore appearances by pelagic species also become more common and the brief arrival of small tuna species such as atlantic bonito and false albacore begins.  These fish are all hungry on their migration leading to some of the best inshore fishing of the year. As with most falls, my mind generally switches to hunting mode and I don't fish as much as I would like to or should.  I did however make it out several times and caught a few along the way.

A false albacore taken off the coast of Rhode Island on a cool September morning. These fish offer great light tackle fishing for a brief window each fall.