2000

In 2000 our focus shifted away from wood duck only areas to locations that would offer additional waterfowl opportunities.  This was brought on by our success in 1999 where our opening day hunt lasted only twenty minutes.  So, in 2000 we took to the road and hit many different locations looking for mallards and teal.  We were successful.  However, this success came at the expense of bagged wood ducks.  However, for the season, we took 2 wood ducks.

10.07.00

This picture sums up the the K&R waterfowl season of 2000.  Lots of mallards and one wood duck (right in the middle). 

10.07.00

A recreation of great shot the King made to bring down the only woodie taken on this day.

11.22.00

On our annual pre-Thanksgiving trip, we took a bufflehead and a drake woodie.  It was a brutally cold day, and this woodie was taken trying to land on the only open water in the area - a bend in a frozen river.

2001

In 2001, we had a lot on our minds.  We were not in the best physical or mental health and, when duck season started, we were just three weeks past September 11.  This, however, did not stop us from heading out come October to see what we could find.  We had a lot of success on our opening weekend trip, and found a new hunting location that would offer large numbers of wood ducks, mallards, and teal.  This was what we had been looking for and we would make much use of this area over the next several years.  After this weekend, we got out several times more but without much success.  At the end of the season, though, we still had worked to put 5 wood ducks in the bag.  However, as we ended each day of hunting after dusk, we got no pictures of any wood ducks in 2001. 

10.12.01

The King stalking after some woodies laying by a stream bank.  We have had moderate success over the years jump shooting woodies from the bank.

12.19.01

2001 was a tough year, but we would come back stronger in 2002.

2002

In 2002, we came back with a vengeance.  From wood ducks to mallards, teal to geese, and even a ring-neck duck, we hunted more and with more success than in any previous year.  As icing on the cake, we picked up our first two pieces of hardware: two bands (one on a mallard and one on a goose).  As for wood ducks, we ended up with 6, all taken over the opening weekend.

10.02.02

Nice shot of our opening evening hunting area.  The dekes can be seen in the foreground.  We would take one drake woodie here only minutes after this picture was taken. 

10.05.02

The Rooster with one of three woodies taken a couple of days later at the same location as above.  

10.01.99

A shot of the King before setting up just after sunrise.  Although we didn't see any ducks here this morning, this picture gives an example of our improving use of camouflage.

2003

In 2003, we started with our new prime hunting location.  It is a combination lake, swamp, creek, and forest.  A perfect place to attract all kinds of waterfowl.  Due to endless rains, it had more water than the previous year and the ducks were a little more spread out.  This made it tougher on us, but we hunted hard and had another great opening weekend.  A week later, we went retro and hunted back at the lake that had started it all.  It did not dissapoint: we took our limit of wood ducks.  As was becoming our latest pattern, we would get most or all of our wood ducks during the early season.  In 2003, we took home 8 wood ducks, all during the early season.

10.03.03

A shot of the King with an early season drake wood duck.  Notice the full color of the drake's head. 

10.03.03

The Rooster with the same duck as above.  The gun leaning against his thigh is a Beretta Pintail.  

10.11.03

A rare shot of us in the same picture.  This was a great day, we took four wood ducks from the canoe (2 drakes and 2 hens).  It brought back a lot of memories from our early duck hunts on these same waters. 

10.07.04

What it is all about - the circle completed again with a meal of 2003 wood ducks and fried potatoes.