# Bird season



## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Yes ,I know the big game season is opened in many parts of the country ,here as well ...but my hunting is centered around mostly birds this year .My local archery club has an annual big game competition but an awards system as well for the taking of everything from birds to fish ,furbearers, rodents as well as big game . There are individual awards in all categories for small game, fish and big game and a major award ,( personalized silver belt buckle ) for attaining these levels ..Got.my buckle in 2010.. I guided hunters for an outfitter aftrr that for 6 years and did very little hunting of my own. I'm back in it now and making a run at the Top level award,the Pinnacle ..quite the crazy requirements ,including 5 pope and young critters, 6 different species of big game and " ALL" of the lower awards ..I'm now 7 different bird species away from reaching this award, 2 different ducks ,3 different grouse and 2 different geese...No one has ever done it in the 40 year history of the club so I'm excited to be this close ...2 ducks Saturday to get this close ..I think the last 2 geese are going to be the killer..need 2 of the 3 ,a Ross a snow or a speckle belly ..already have my Canada .
















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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Wow, that's quite the challenge, best of luck Cam.


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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

No doubt... Nice female greenwing teal C2C!
Good luck


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Nice one congrats
I know you will get them birds keep at it and you will achieve your goal


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I don’t think anyone here doubts that you’ll achieve “the pinnacle “. Good luck to you sir.
The only thing that makes me think in your post is that your club has only been around for 40 years. I would have thought that up there in hunting paradise there would be a club several generations deep in every community.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx everyone its been fun and frustrating at the same time . Archery hasn't been big here Don,first season in my zone was 1984..I started the next year .

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

2 more birds down,a ruffy and a blue .I had never seen a blue before lots bigger than a ruffy or Spruce,roughly the size of a pheasant ...5 more birds to go .









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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Wow congrats on getting closer to your goal


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Congrats., back in the day the blues were the ones we mostly hunted.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

hassell said:


> Congrats., back in the day the blues were the ones we mostly hunted.


I was quite surprised at the size of em Rick . We ate the pair of them ,ruffy was.more tender than the blue but both good tasting .

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Congrats Cam ! Those blues are big. We have them in a very limited area here in AZ. I hunted them several years ago with a friend, they were hard to find but eventually we did. Wrapped them in foil and cooked them on the campfire. The foil kept all the juices in.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx Don ,I think they are hard to find anywhere..I had never seen them before and a friend divulged his secret spot cause I told him I only need one for this goal of mine ,mughty nice of him. So I'm unlikely to get any more unless I head out and find my own honey hole.

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Gadwall tonite, 4 birds left









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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Awesome.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Gotta look for the arrow this morning Rick ,these darn birds are expensive , 35 yds is a poke but I think I can find it .

Bonus ..found em both. 

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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Well you’re getting closer to your goal congrats on and bird checked off the list


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

4 left ,sharptail season opens Saturday so will go after one if I'm not elk hunting ...how you been Pokey ?

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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Nice job checking another one off the list Cam. 
I wish you’d have asked us sooner, we’d have told you where those arrows were.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

youngdon said:


> Nice job checking another one off the list Cam.
> I wish you’d have asked us sooner, we’d have told you where those arrows were.


Lolololol ... well if you get a chance ,tell me where I can find the first one that I launched at the blue grouse .. those hard Alberta mountain roads are unforgiving and for all I know it could be in Hassells back yard in BC...lol.

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## azpredatorhunter (Jul 24, 2012)

Nice C2C I was under the impression that you were shooting the ducks on the fly. Your not Arkansawing them them are you? 😁 lol


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

C2C said:


> 4 left ,sharptail season opens Saturday so will go after one if I'm not elk hunting ...how you been Pokey ?
> 
> Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk


Been good working way too many hours still short staffed put a few apps in at some tree removal company’s with no luck I’m too old they want 20 year old dummies that will work for next to nothing I guess
I’ve finally talked to my regional v.p. And my boss and told them they have until November 1st to get something figured out as after that date I will not be working overtime anymore 

good luck on the last 4 birds cam


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx John ,hope it works out for ya 

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

azpredatorhunter said:


> Nice C2C I was under the impression that you were shooting the ducks on the fly. Your not Arkansawing them them are you?  lol


Arkansawing em ...lol.. yup ,not too proud to admit it . I'm good but not that good ..LOL

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

So my last grouse on the list is turning into a quest...seems they could be my nemesis .I've had 3 shots so far ...over ,under and thru and still nothing to show ...I placed a blind on a fence row where they come out of tall native prairie pasture into a harvested pea field. 

Usually sharptails aren't that smart and they are easy pickings, well at least with a shotty .The bow is turning into a different story ,these wary little guys won't sit still long enough for a shot .The thru shot was the biggest disappointment, broadhead passed clean thru at 20 yds and then he was airborne, sailing back over that 2 ft tall prairie grass never to be seen again. Not sure how far he went as the blind obscured my vision on his exit . I went out and gridded as best as I could for abiut 400 yds just as dark was falling to no avail . A friend took his lab the next day to look but no luck either ,I'm sure some needy coyote enjoyed a free supper. I have 3 weeks left in the season and have obtained permission on a few more properties to hunt so all is not lost ..yet..tonite I sit the blind again in the wind.

Update ...wind came up and I almost went home but decided to stick out the rest of the evening..wind died down a half hr before dark and I could hear the chickens talking in the grass behind me ..one made a mistake and stepped out in the open at 15 yds ...judo point made short work of him ...I was so excited that I can't remember opening the door to the blind, think I went thru the wall to get him ..lol..3 birds left 

.









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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

A big Congrats., thanks for sharing the adventure.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx Rick .. now on the final stretch with the snow geese next week ,that should be an adventure..

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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Congrats on checking another one off the list


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

I made a 2 day trip to Enchant ,AB. to hunt geese with friends and came away with my Snow goose ..After 13 shoots on the fly in 2 days I finally let one land and ran him thru.. we had a successful shotty outing with 81 snows, 2 Ross and 14 ducks .

Afternoon of second day I spent in a willow blind next to a large slough that held white geese and a bunch of ducks . I was hoping for a go at one of the ducks but none came within range. Half way thru my sit ,the geese became restless and start flying and circling the lake then would set down again .On one of their circles they came somewhat overhead and I launched an arrow  skyward at one and missed by abiut a ft behind him. I watched as the arrow sailed up and lost sight of it when it peaked and started down .. imagine my surprise when a goose on the farside of the flock folded up and hit the water from abiut 150 ft up!! The arrow had somehow hit the goose sending him down to the lake . He lay there for a couple minutes and I thought he was dead but it had only broke his wing ..I had no way to recover him and I wish now that it missed him totally.. as luck would have it he is a Ross,the last goose that I need ...I took a kayak back to rry and get him but the hi wind wouldn't allow me on the water...I'd like to have tried but a goose with a broken wing that would likely outswim he isn't worth drowning for .. . So now I'm down to a duck and a Ross or Speckle belly ..I shot a coot this morning and the club is talking abiut allowing it to be entered as a duck ..it was considered that way in the past but some how got changed....

So as the waterfowl part of the year is winding down I am so close to being done but not quite there..I've had a Crack at a Speck and missed low at 30 yds so I guess I had my chance. Yesterday the guys had another field shoot on the whites and said I missed my chance at a Ross that landed in the decoys and fed for 10 minutes  until they let him go and he flew away ...next year ,next year ....unless lightning strikes and I find Speck some how..























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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Good to see your still stacking the birds up congrats on your success


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

pokeyjeeper said:


> Good to see your still stacking the birds up congrats on your success


Thanx John , I have had a blast doing it ..major storm com8ng tonite and the ducks and geese are here in force ahead of it ..expecting 5 inches of snow a sub zero C temps ...winter is on its way ..

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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Again another great adventure, thanks for sharing, raining here, needed so much around here.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Thanks for letting us share your adventures Cam. I have every confidence in you to finish the list. 
congrats!!


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx guys ...I spent an hr and a half just before dark waiting for geese and ducks to come back to a pond to roost...dressed in snow camo I had Canada's come within 20 yds and I drew twice on them but didn't shoot ,I have one already and saw no need to kill one just to kill it. My area is not commonly Speck and Ross travel zone but never know ..maybe next time .









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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

One more down .. I shot this coot and it counts as.my last duck ..There was some discussion on the clubs awards committee over it as some say it isn't a true duck,but in fact a member of the rail family. However ,it came to light that coots had been entered in the past by others and counted as ducks so precedent had been set . I didn't care one way or the other and would have been happy to enter it as a small game entry and continue looking for another species of duck ,but if they are giving it to me I will take it . 

The quest is on now for one more species of goose ,either a Ross or Speck, it doesn't matter . Both are very hard to find in my area and even harder to get but with a stormy week ahead maybe I will get lucky. The secretary of the club is amazed that anyone has gotten this close and said " I wonder what the founding members would think,I'm sure none of them thought that anyone would actually get this close " ..I will try and post the requirements ,in the meantime prayers will gladly be accepted toward me finding a " special goose "

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

The requirements for Pinnacle award









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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

My o My, what a list and incredible challenge, us here on PT are truly proud of your accomplishments.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

I’ll second Ricks post. That’s amazing. That being said I have no doubt you’ll fulfill your quest. We’ll keep you in our thoughts and prayers my friend.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Buckles are pretty special ,silver with gold inlays ..hunter submits a pic of himself with a Pope and Young harvest and it is computer lazered onto the buckle ...my first good mule deer ...


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

youngdon said:


> I’ll second Ricks post. That’s amazing. That being said I have no doubt you’ll fulfill your quest. We’ll keep you in our thoughts and prayers my friend.


Thanx Don, I'm amazed as well ,hard to believe it is close .thanx for the support ,I will give it my all .

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx Rick ,.Pinnacle wasnt even a dream when I started way back in 85 , buckle came in 2010 when I got my Canada goose and I was thrilled with that ....kinda fitting that my last required entry would also be a goose ,Ross or Speck it doesn't matter to me ,just hoping to get one in range .

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Sat the lake again ,cold ,snowy and windy ..had about 40 Canada's come in and land within 20-30 yds . They didn't make me so I kept still and right at the end of legal light 75 whites dropped in at 60 yds ..just too far . 

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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Good try.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

There was some discrepancy about whether or not the archery club would allow my coot as being a duck so to clear up that issue I set out to get something else . Most of the ponds and canals are frozen up but there is a small patch of open water where the cows drink on the creek that became home to a few ducks ...a couple mallards ,which I didn't need because I had one and this little guy . A few days I rried to get a shot at him but unsuccessful. Yesterday I used a cow as cover as she came back from the water and was able to get a successful shot off at 25 yds ..goldeneye is the species so ducks are clear and done .

The magpies were working over a gutpule from my nephews deer by the quinset so I set up inside and shot thru the crack between the doors ...2 done and will work on them again this week .
















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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

I thought it was illegal to shoot magpies. least it is here.

*Legal Status*

Magpies are protected as migratory non-game birds under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under the Federal Codes of Regulation (CFR 50, 21.43) it is stated, however, that "a Federal permit shall not be required to control . . . magpies, when found committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance. . . ." Most state or local regulations are similar, but consult authorities before taking any magpies.


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

kiyote said:


> I thought it was illegal to shoot magpies. least it is here.
> 
> *Legal Status*
> 
> Magpies are protected as migratory non-game birds under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under the Federal Codes of Regulation (CFR 50, 21.43) it is stated, however, that "a Federal permit shall not be required to control . . . magpies, when found committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance. . . ." Most state or local regulations are similar, but consult authorities before taking any magpies.


Open season on them here, along with crows, ravens, etc..


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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Well done Cam.


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

Congratulations sir. You are certainly a master bow hunter


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

kiyote said:


> I thought it was illegal to shoot magpies. least it is here.
> 
> *Legal Status*
> 
> Magpies are protected as migratory non-game birds under the Federal Migratory Bird Treaty Act. Under the Federal Codes of Regulation (CFR 50, 21.43) it is stated, however, that "a Federal permit shall not be required to control . . . magpies, when found committing or about to commit depredations upon ornamental or shade trees, agricultural crops, livestock, or wildlife, or when concentrated in such numbers as to constitute a health hazard or other nuisance. . . ." Most state or local regulations are similar, but consult authorities before taking any magpies.


No protection here bud ...along with crows ,starlings blackbirds and ravens on private land .

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Thanx guys ,got a possible goose hunt again this week ..maybe a Speck will show up amongst the Canadas

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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Congrats on 2 more checked off the list good luck on the goose hunt


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

No specks today ,but 4 of us limited on Canada's in 15 mins ..32 birds, and could have each shot 50 easy ..birds kept coming and landed in decoys at 15 yds as we.were cleaning up . The birds refused to leave and landed within 400 so we.may shoot again in a couple days .









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## hassell (Feb 9, 2010)

Awesome day.


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## pokeyjeeper (Sep 5, 2013)

Wow that sounds like a great time in the field


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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

C2C said:


> No protection here bud ...along with crows ,starlings blackbirds and ravens on private land .
> 
> Sent from my SM-G781W using Tapatalk


you're lucky . I have often wanted to shoot one when calling but have so far restrained myself and obeyed the law. my older brother had one as a pet when I was a lil kid. it could speak a couple words. they were not nice words. lol.


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

Did the magpie tell some of your jokes ?? Lol..

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## kiyote (Jun 15, 2014)

our crazy dog would bark at shadows and the bird would squawk WTF, WTF!


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## youngdon (Mar 10, 2010)

That’ll make some nice dinners. Congrats!


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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

youngdon said:


> That’ll make some nice dinners. Congrats!


Ya, the cats brought one of them up onto Dad's porch and proceeded to spread feathers everywhere.. not a happy grandpa..lol.

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## C2C (Mar 17, 2012)

kiyote said:


> our crazy dog would bark at shadows and the bird would squawk WTF, WTF!


Hahahaha...

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