Update 5.16.2024

Honestly. Id have to say that this gunning season (2023-24), was both successful and challenging - with a little odd thrown in. The successful part refers to the 1,280 fowl that were harvested. As a point of interest that total makes it the 11th most birds harvested per season in our 47 year history. Not Bad.

Also this years birds: added to all the previous years totals, would bring the number of fowl harvested in our history up to 38,746.

Try to imagine the number of “best ever’s”, “first ever’s” and extreme visuals that, that number represents.

Whoa!!… But before I get too full of myself, I’ve also sat through every slow day and “skunk” day for 47 years.

Also Whoa!!

But every season I get to see stuff I’ve never seen before. EVERY single season. This year I got to see pintail like I haven’t ever seen. Especially early during November and December. The Blue Bill and Red Head also left quite an impression over the last several weeks in January. I know I saw- hovering over and sitting in the decoys- more 50 to 150 bird flocks of pins than ever. The blue bills and reds were just, plain, stupid awesome for weeks.

There were odd drawbacks though. For the pins, there’s the one and done thing (limit wise). I had several days where I could have captured 10- 20 pins in a day. It sure was fun to watch them work my rig of decoys, though. Not every day, mind you. But every day the wind was right, and you’d expect to shoot pins; you had shots at pins. We did harvest them from the first day of the season opened in November, and right through to the last day at the end of January. And, while it took the red heads till January to begin flying well, they also cooperated real well right up to January 31st!

If there was a downside to the 2023-24 season it was the skewed ratio of puddle ducks to diver ducks. Usually, Im happy if we get 65% puddlers to 35% divers. This year we were at 75% divers to 25% puddlers. That’s still around 350 or so of the prettier ducks.

Having said that though, Big pretty red heads make for delicious suppers. As do our local buffleheads. The local aquatic grassers are super efficient at cleaning the “skank” taste out of their meat (that the same birds from another area might exhibit).

As an FYI., Our “Marsh Mama” is very much not well. For the most part I will be handling the correspondence and bookings. I am not “one” with all things computer, so I’ll suggest calling 252-261-7842 over texting. As of right now I have plenty of openings for the upcoming season but will suggest that you book sooner rather than later.

Call your buddies and let’s get you on the books. We thank everyone who has kept our business alive for nearly 50 years.

VIC, ELEN & CREW