Early Muzz

Chris and Jesse took off work on Friday and didn't waste any time putting a deer on the ground. Deer movement was slow at first light but around 7:55am Chris shook the tree signaling my attention to the left. When I looked there was a doe crossing a creek,following her was a nice buck. Chris took the shot. He then looked up at Jesse telling him that the deer had a nice drop tine.



The Swann boys are on a roll,Jesse was up next. He had been thinking about his encounter with the big 8 earlier this year.The wind was just right for the tree he wanted to hunt so they went in after the buck. At 5:30pm deer movement began and things were beginning to look good. Around 6:00 Jesse spotted some smaller bucks feeding his way. Then Jesse saw that something was chasing a 16in. 8pt- it was the deer he was after! They fed within 50yds for a perfect broad side shot. The deer went 40yds and was down.

Opening Day Wood Duck Hunting in Southern Maryland

Saturday was the start of duck season in Maryland and this day was very special since it was Zayna's first hunt.

We set up on the main run of Lee Gootee's marsh. The excitement cranked up before legal light as we watched a few teal flying at mach-1 over the marsh grass. At sunrise, the crack of my Benelli echoed across the marsh and a drake wood duck folded near the decoys. Bella, a seasoned yellow lab veteran, showed little Zayna how to mark a bird and retrieve it like an old pro.

Just a minute later a pair of wood ducks dipped in over the tree line and Lee graciously let me shoot my limit. I dropped both wood ducks and Zayna launched into the run to pick up the lead bird. She returned with a special drake wood duck. It was a banded duck!!! ...what are the chances of retrieving a banded duck on a first hunt?

Zayna's first duck was my first banded wood duck. We registered the band with the USGS and found out that the bird was banded in Pennsylvania and was over three years old. This woody must have made a wrong turn into Whackfactor country...which is never a good idea :)

A special thanks goes out to Lee, Jimbo, Bella, Ottie, and of course Zayna. It was an awesome opening day with good friends and great gun dogs. I also want to thank Ralph Yates for introducing me to Mitch and the team at Clark Brothers Guns in Warrenton VA. They did an excellent job tuning my Bennelli for the season opener!

Have a great waterfowl season.

-Austin