Unsung heroes--- unwritten stories

Well, I THOUGHT there would be exploits and stories, war songs sung and war dances danced.  The guns are now silent, and the war songs and dances never came... But the brown dog and I, we soldier on.  We apologize in advance for our personality disorders.

Painting of Chesapeake Bay Retriever at Old Ebbitt's Grill, Washington DC.

Dispatch from Fort Gusty, New York

 An element from the Pennsylvania detachment linked up with "Team Terminator" Canoga, NY for a joint field exercise which included an aquatic search and destroy of  Aythya Americana, Aythya marila, and Bucephala clangula americana (divers), as well as suppression of Branta canadensis (BC).  21 divers and accomplices including puddlers and a snow goose were destroyed.  22 BC were terminated over a 72 hour period at Fort Gusty. A complete report will follow, contributed by members of the Pennsylvania detachment.

Fort Gusty Defensive Position

Fort Gusty battlefield photo at the end of day one.

Successful search and destroy mission for divers.

2011 late season waterfowl

The 2011 waterfowl season has been unseasonably mild and a bit slower than years past in the Canoga Creek environs.  The late season opener saw very mild temps and light winds, not optimal for open water.  We hunted the bait ponds and shot four mallards.  Nick handled the retrieving duties and made some miraculous finds in heavy cover.

The second day of season seemed to promise cooler temps and some weather, so a field hunt was organized on the Hoster field. Rich was in on this one, a tough, muddy, hardcore layout hunt in which we knocked down 9 geese and 1 duck.  Three of the geese we knocked down made the end of the field and crash-landed in the gully behind my barn.  They were unfortunately not found (no dog).

Day three found us accompanied by Dan DeLaywer of NY Ducks Unlimited ensconced in the comforts of Double Black blind on Cayuga Lake.  Due to very late carousing the night before with Dan, we all shot very poorly for the first flights, but finally managed to scratch down a half dozen mallards between the group.  Brant did the the retrieving and performed well. It was great reconvening the old crowd- Ernie, O'Connor, Riegel, Dan, Danielle, and myself.

Day four found us back in the bait ponds, taking advantage of a hard freeze that occurred overnight.  We had planned ahead for frozen water and had set up a blind near a spring fed pond that almost never freezes, leaving a duck magnet when all other inland water is locked up tight.  We shot 5 ducks- 2 gadwall and 3 mallards. Nick was on duty for the retrieves.

Day five, it was back in the ponds, as Rich had reported having been frozen out still at Double Black.  Conditions were milder, but the ducks were still few and far between.  We again shot five ducks, the bag consisting this time of 2 black ducks and three mallards.  Brant did some nice retrieving, but there was nothing spectacular in that department.

Day six, the last hunt of 2011, found us once again in warm temps and very little wind.  Though we were ready for a change of season, the ponds were the choice.  the early flight was slow, but the action turned on after 1000 and we, once again, scratched down 5 ducks- 1 gadwall and 4 mallards.  Brant made some great finds in heavy cover, including two blind retrieves, demonstrating a kind of coming-of-age wherein he is developing instincts and beginning to use his nose where needed.  It was a great way to end the year.

Happy New Year to all grousers.  Here's to a happy and healthy 2012.

Staring at your feet...

Miss Lizzy Strikes Again- 11.8 lb Lake Trout! 31 inches

Stocking the smoker

No turkey so far, but some protein nonetheless.

...not a keeper

'Twas a great day on Cayuga Lake on Captain George's Miss Lizzy... caught half a dozen or so beautiful land-locked salmon. Most of these were caught in or near the mouth of the aptly named Salmon Creek. But alas, the size limit on Cayuga Lake is 18" and these were all 16 0r 17 inches. The smoker remains idle thus far in the spring trout and salmon season.

Ice fishing- an alternative to QDM

A few risk averse land lubber grousers [ ;0] opted out of a day on the ice. Ya'll were missed... T'was a nice outing. Yet, as much as I missed the "low banter" of "sense of place," the distinctions between method and methodology, the merits of merrily shooting mercury infested waterfowl, and the inherent dangers to culture and society of being selective about the bucks one shoots, there was a distinct pleasure to be found in the solitary, slow jigging for one's dinner. No booze, no cigars--just a strong North wind and 5 inches of ice under the ironic comforts of 10 pound pac boots. And dinner was pickerel and perch.

Eric brought his daughter Danielle, Gary his daughters as well. see the Kuneytown blog for pics of the kids taking great pride in the catch.

Post yer Kids Fishing over Memorial day Weekend!!

Here's mine... this was Friday. There will be more if the weather holds. Click here for more of the story.

Spring Trolling

With frozen hands,

tossed around on Cayuga's cruelest April waters,

I wallow in prehistoric pike snot, smelling of my youth.

Whenever I twist longnose pliers to treble hook shank, my grandfather is near,

although I never called him "grandfather".

Cagey meanwhile soldiers on, defending our shores and loved ones

from the German immigrants, more democratic than the natives,

as they bring the depths of the lake up, up, up

into the towns, forests and fields

during the uncertain verb seasons.

4 Shot Massacre- Snow Geese on Cayuga

It was a day of reckoning for the tundra destroying Snow Geese. Eric and I invested a few hours in patriotism and civic duty to rid the world (management or sport? Discuss.) of excess Anser caerulescens caerulescens . The first hour or two of the hunt looked doubtful, but the beautiful weather made it down right enjoyable to be back in the blind. Our patience was rewarded as we observed the borg-like "mind " of a group of thousands of snow geese "decide" to move south into our cove. The collective consciousness of the snow goose borg soon enveloped the intrepid hunters and it was all we could do to fend off the invading horde. Alas, after two shots each, a fair number were mowed down and the main body retreated.

Nick had his work cut out for him retrieving the near-shore birds, while I, in typically imbecile fashion, rowed around the middle of the frigid lake sans life jacket or other safety equipment, practicing naval maneuvers on crippled and escaping snows. I managed to get most of them.

It was an epic excursion, and memorable in many ways. Check out this link for photos of the cove full of snows the day before. It was the same this day, once they finally moved in. What a deafening cacophony, and a sight to behold.

Ice Fishing 09 v.1

So the North end of the Mighty Cayuga is locked up tighter than a drum. We've been fishing on the ice since well before New Years, but here is some prime footage from New Year's Eve's fishing. Yoda was the king of catching on this day, but we all managed to stay warm in the sub-zero weather due to copious amounts of warming fluids. More to come on ice fishing exploits.

Double Black Opening Weekend- Cayuga Lake

Ducks

Sat- 13. 5 teal, 8 mallards
Sun- 12 1 black duck, 1 merganser, 10 mallards

Dog Retrieves

Brant- 5
Sage-1
Suzie- 3

Winds

Sat 25-30 mph S/SE
Sun 15-25 mph, S/SE

Canoe Trips

Sat- 3
Sun-2

Best opening weekend in the history of Double Black. Period.

Cayuga Cat!

Click on the picture for the full story. (yep, thats the Canoga Creek Farm & Conservancy over the successful angler's left shoulder, under the setting sun)

Tori scores bullheads

...with a little help from George!

Ducking & the Boss

A Reprieve...the Last Good Duck Hunt