BigBendFishing.Net

Left last Friday to drive seven hours South to shoot the everglades/STA areas again.
Both shoots, as our other two hunts a few weeks back, were totally different.

Saturday Morning we met up with a friend and he put us on the Black-bellied Whistling Ducks.
He showed us the kind of water and cover they were looking for. Shallow and full of Water Cabbage...

Toden with a Black Belly

I got my first Black Belly whistling duck and Fulvous tree duck!!
Thinking about a standing mount with both of them beside each other.


I have heard people say that the Black Belly is a goofy looking duck but its a gorgeous bird...

The Feet and Beak are brightly colored... the pink fades quickly after they die.


Sunday we went to an area an hour South. Set up early and waited. Just before legal time we had a couple of other hunters set up a little close to us...
I asked them to move further away and got nowhere. I'm always surprised when hunters are rude but this area is public and a lot of newer hunters try out duck hunting for the first time.
The other folks were too close for us to get big ducks to work and we got peppered a few times early.
We stayed put and picked drake Blue Wing Teal out of flocks of 20 to 50 teal. Could have had our teal limit in no time but we wanted something different.

We waited the other hunters out and had the place to ourselves after 9am.
Finished the day with 4 wigeon, 1 green wing teal, 1 blue bill and 12 blue wing teal drakes!


Wolfeman got the prize Sunday... A stud Wigeon!


We left South Florida happy guys...

What an amazing place!

Nice post and pics, BMan. Any concern with gators that far south with what I'd assume to be some warmer waters?

Got me a blackbelly on the wall. Funny looking bird. Looks like a miniature slow flying goose.

Ron Wilson wrote:Nice post and pics, BMan. Any concern with gators that far south with what I'd assume to be some warmer waters?

Yea they are everywhere. but no more than we see here on Iamonia. Difference is during hunting season its cooler here so they are not as agressive.
I would not let a dog roam far from me there....

A friend shared this photo with me from the same area. Gator chomping on a decoy!

Saw grass and short pants and hunting just don't go together! Good job though!

bman wrote:

Ron Wilson wrote:Nice post and pics, BMan. Any concern with gators that far south with what I'd assume to be some warmer waters?

Yea they are everywhere. but no more than we see here on Iamonia. Difference is during hunting season its cooler here so they are not as agressive.
I would not let a dog roam far from me there....

A friend shared this photo with me from the same area. Gator chomping on a decoy!

Whoa. So much for getting good dog work out there. Might be some concern for more than just the dog!

Excellent photos and story again, you are certainly tapping a rich vein there.

Hey BMan, been traveling a lot, let me know next time and I'll take care of the imporant duties at the house.

glassy64 wrote:Hey BMan, been traveling a lot, let me know next time and I'll take care of the imporant duties at the house.

LOL!

Very nice! That’s a lot of traveling but when you share it with others that makes it really fun. A lot of birds help too! Thanks for sharing. Memorable days for sure!
Brian

Hey bman - If you've got too many ducks for your wife to cook I can make you up a killer gumbo!

Grew up down there. Hunted the 'glades, WMAs and anyplace else wet. It is routine for people to set up on your decoys. That's just the way they are down there. When you asked them to move, did you do it in at least three languages? Seriously. I've had decoys blasted out of the water by shooters who didn't have a clue. Gave up hunting the deep Everglades because of Cuban paramilitary groups pretending to be soldiers who were going to take back the island. Automatic weapons give me the creeps. Just sayin.

Awesome, Bman!
You know something... ... your posts do such a GREAT job capturing the spirit and thrill of the hunt, I think you ought to check with Keels on the possibility of a hunting section! Great idea, huh?!