Sunset

It is with mixed emotions that I am coming to grip with the idea the duck hunting in northern Wisconsin is coming to a close.  It’s hard to believe that duck season opened 60 days ago.  The season started with balmy temperatures and bluebird skies.  As the season progressed, it included breaking ice to get to a honey hole that never quite lived-up to its billing.  There were limiting-out days and days of getting skunked.  

As northern Wisconsin’s season closes, some states are just starting to open their seasons.  I’m jealous that our southern brethren get to hunt “our ducks” after they’ve come into their breeding plumage.  In September we shoot wood ducks, teal, and brown mallards.  About the time the drake mallards develop their full breeding plumage of effervescent green heads, they head south for warmer climes. 

Do southern duck hunters get jealous when they hear of September and early October opening days?  On one hand we’ve had two months of hunting while the southern hunters have been champing at the bit to get out.  We’ll be putting away decoys, organizing gear, and cleaning shotguns for storage while the waterfowlers in the south will be scouting their early season spots and planning late-season hunts. 

‘Round these parts some of the best duck hunting occurs as the lakes and potholes freeze.  Depending on the weather, freeze-up can come before season ends or after the season closes.  Generally, the best migration occurs after many of the lakes and waters have frozen.  As ducks ride fronts south, they will look for any open water and if you have a spot with some water, you’ll often have ducks.  If the waters freeze later, then some of the best hunting comes after close.  This causes many hunters to spend their offseason bemoaning the wildlife biologists that weren’t able to predict freeze-up three months ahead of time. 

As the sun sets on waterfowl season 2013, I can’t help but think of how badly I need to win the lottery.  Then, I’d be able to duck hunt every day of the season and travel to the southern states to hunt their seasons, too.  Instead, I’m lamenting on the locations I wanted to hunt but didn't get to, which were surely holding piles of poultry and the locations I hunted that weren’t as productive as planned.  I’m also starting to think of waterfowl season 2014, the gear I need, and the locations I want to hunt.

Keep checking back, as the season passes I will be reminiscing and rehashing the season’s hunts.  Also, duck hunters aren’t duck hunters for only 60 days per year.  We continually plan, scout, prepare gear, and advocate for the resource and sport year round.  

The sun sets on my 2013 waterfowl season.