Overall I had a pretty solid season...if we replaced the month of December and all the mishaps that occurred it would have been a great season I bet. Pretty disappointed that I didnt get on many geese this year...last year I bagged about 25 geese (but a little less than half of those were on a conservation hunt and I might still go on one this year) and this year so far just 3 snows...zero specks or canadas. So that's got to be my biggest let down.

Had a private spot that I've hunted for several years (My dad's Friend's place) that is normally good for 2 to 3 decent hunts a year...this year with the lack of water it was a no go there. But I ended up getting to hunt some other private places which more than made up for it.

I hunted more public this year than last year and the year before and my results were actually better but by no means great. I think my best public hunt was 3 ducks.

My season was much more volitile last year...had a bunch of skunks but more big number hunts. This year thankfully I had zero skunks but only a couple of limits. Lots of one or two bird hunts.

Right...and that wasnt counting the one that did get away. That's the only bird all season that I lost or was lost during any hunt I was on. That was a great hunt mainly because I never expect but a bird or maybe two out there.

my season crashed with the stock market. i am positive i had more skunks than hunts with at least one bird. i think my average was prob around 1 or 2 or so birds a hunt. horrible season on my part but hey it can only get better next year. right? if not im hunting city ponds from now on lol

I would say this season was one of the best I have had in awhile. There weren't the numbers of course but many of the ducks I did shoot were beautiful. I have a wonderful wood duck at birdworks. Plus I spent many mornings with good friends. Can't ask for more than that.

Tallied up the numbers today.

First thing I noticed was not one sigle diver duck of any kind. That is a first.

We killed over 500 ducks over my decoys and more than 60% were mallards. Best year for mallards since I started hunting.

Hunted 4 different states this year.

First year to hunt in Arkansas. Every duckhunter needs to make at least trip to the Bayou Meta before they die. If you have never been...go.

One thing I forgot to add I think that was a high over past seasons is that I hunted with more people this year than I ever have in the past. I meet a ton of forum members and made some good friendships.

Another low was I still have not shot a wood duck. I guess I'll never shoot one. Also I never got a new duck for the wall...Three years ago I made a deal with myself that I would get one a year...so far I got a nice canvasback and a really nice pintail. This year I kept holding out until it was too late. Had a couple from last week that were mount worthy but gave them to my buddy since it was his first hunt and he was going to get them mounted. I am going turkey hunting in April so I might pop for a big [censored] turkey mount...that's going to cost me!

Did you just say a buddy mounted some birds he did not shoot? Why would you do that?

cause he can .................................

Me and my buddy (his first hunt) shot limits of widgeon. At the end of the hunt I picked out the two prettiest ones. At that point we didnt know who shot what exact birds so it didnt matter.

But yeah I was going to get a pheasant mounted from our hunt last year out west. I think we got like 5 or 6 total for 4 guys. I only shot one...but the one I shot wasnt very good looking. I picked up another one and thought about getting it mounted by my buddy derek ruined it for me and said he shot it so that was it for me. Yeah I'd rather get a bird I shot mounted. However if you go on a hunt with just another guy or two and at the end of the hunt you know you shot say a pintail and there are two on the truck bed then most people would just pick the best looking one and say I'm getting that one mounted...I shot that one, lol.

sounds like you and I can both look at our birds and tell the true story behind the bird. I couldn't imagine, yeah it's beautiful I only shot hen ringnecks that day, but my friends shot that one and I settled.

My buddy Alan has a mallard that my other buddy ray claims he shot. It's pretty funny to rib a guy for something like that. Ray has a nice canvasback he got mounted and I tell him I shot it...just to F with him a bit. Any bird that Garrett shoots I almost always tell him that I was the one that shot it just to mess with him a little. For instance I didnt hunt with him this last weekend but I'm still pretty sure I put some steel in that spoonie drake he got.

your worthless

Ed, your first duck ever...yeah I actually shot that

Nice summary, Marc.

My whole season was a high. My goal for next year is to do better than this year but this year will be special for the following reasons:

1. First duck - GWT with Garrett and Marc
2. First and only limit - 5 GWT with Zack (also got a double)
3. First Canvasback - with Scooter, Marc, and Hopedale
4. First Pintail - with my daughter, Josie
5. First solo hunt - hen Mallard with Daisy holding steady and retrieving
6. Hunting with my cousin, Charlie and getting skunked
7. Hunting with Beer_Slayer and watching him get his first ducks.