Kevin J Legg

Amazing how fast things can change

Decent migration of divers and puddle ducks are frozen off the marshes and small bodies of water. Big lake time!

My family is also here for the rest of the week so no ducking for me till Monday. With the snow we have it would be incredible.

Perch River, and much of Black Lake and Goose Bay are frozen as are most all the marshes. Certainly moved the puddle ducks to the big water and there also seems to a decent migration of divers.

Shot a nice mixed limit this morning on the lake including broadbills. whistlers, a mallard and two blacks. Saw a fair number of birds early but they slowed down by 9:00.

My family always had venison for Christmas dinner and the year my dad past the only deer we had was the 4 point he had shot. It was tough to chock down the first few bites but we manage to continued the tradition and I only remember one year that we didn't have any venison on Christmas. We still carry on the tradition 30 years latter.

When I went home for dad's funeral I decided I should take a walk behind the house and look for a deer, as that's what dad would have wanted. About a half mile from the house I jumped a 4 point like the one dad had shot. I never even shouldered my gun. It just seemed like spiritual experience.

Hopefully this cold front will bring some new birds.

I did a scouting ride today to check out the lake and saw very few duck on Black River, Guffin's or Chaumont Bay. Virtually no rafted divers and only a few blacks and mallards. Seems like after the big wind what birds were here have moved on.

He probably drove it to me!

What a great buck

Nice buck and story.

Tomorrow is my birthday and I planned to deer hunt. I decided to sit a stand near my house this afternoon. I got set up about 3:30 and at 4:00 this buck came strolling through the hardwoods. I shot at 90 yards and it just kept walking toward me. When I got another opening he was about 60 yards and I shot high on the shoulder and down he went. Turned out both shots hit less than 2 inches apart. Not sure why the first shot didn't drop him but it must have been a different angle. 11 points around 180 lbs.

Very nostalgic time of year for me as I was born on my dad's birthday and he died the day after out birthday 31 years ago. He had killed a 4 point and had a heart attack and they found him laying next to his buck. Not a bad way to go!

Great story. Thanks for sharing.

Sounds like fun

John,

I usually use #2 on ducks and #4 when they are decoying well but I do sometimes go with BB. Certainly better to shot them before they land on the water and are in close but it is definitely tough to kill any cripples on the water. I've tried various shot sizes for the cripples but it seems like even when you cover them with your pattern it takes that one magic pellet to the head.

I generally set a couple longlines of broadbills with a few whistlers on one side, a few bufflehead on the other and some blacks and mallards closer to shore. If I'm where there are sea ducks I'll add some oldsquaw and scooter. We also may add a wonderduck or two and perhaps a mojo. When you're where they want to be you can get by with a few dozen decoys but sometimes you do need large sets.

Good luck with the cast and blast!

Hunted the lake yesterday and got a nice mixed bag. Scoters, broadbills, gadwall,and whistler. We also knocked down a black that we couldn't recover. It's amazing how tough these ducks are. You quickly learn to keep shooting if their heads are up at all. Once they dive they are often never seen again. You often shoot more shells on the cripples than during the rest of the shoot but you certainly need to continue to shoot follow up shots to be ethical.

I make smoke goose breast that everybody likes. Makes even the big ones tender. Going to try it with some of the divers I've been shooting.

Shot 6 bufflehead and a black on the lake yesterday

Returned from my daughter's in NJ and I got a bunch of photos of the buck in her yard. This one was taken while I stood on her deck and he was about 25 yards away with a doe. As I got near my house this morning I also saw a buck in the road about 9:00 am so they must be moving.

Birds are also around on the western end of Lake Ontario. Good luck with the geese.

Divers are a fun hunt. What area are you hunting?

I'm at my daughters in NJ and put up a couple trail cams. I got a picture of a fox, a coon, and a few deer last night. I saw the buck but no photo yet. He has rubbed both recently planted maple trees. One is less than 10' from their front door!

No hunting here at my daughters. I set up a couple trail cams in her back yard on two recently planted trees that are 15' from her deck and both have been rubbed by the buck. Should get some good photos.

He was back today and my daughter sent 4 more new photos.

Hunted the lake today and we took three limits of divers. I'm really blessed to live where I do and get to spend as much time in the outdoors as I do!