In with the old....squaw

[waldo2382]

Well, today 12/14 was the last day for me this season in Alaska. The season closes on Friday and unfortunately I can't make it out to Adak this year, but I'm putting my deposit in the next time i'm in Valdez with Tim. Anyway, enough jib jab, here are some pics of today where I just hunted "long tail ducks" for about an hour before the wind started howling. These things are not very big, hard to hit and dang beautiful. The dead ones were taken a long way from the break wall that is in the first pic. Those just happened to pose for me.

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm186/waldo2382/ducks/010-1.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm186/waldo2382/ducks/001-2.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm186/waldo2382/ducks/006.jpg

http://i296.photobucket.com/albums/mm186/waldo2382/ducks/018.jpg

[solus]

nice

[Mjp62]

Interesting looking ducks. Nice job.

[dustin ray]

Them ducks are sick looking they would make a cool mount, are they good to eat?

[waldo2382]

Them ducks are sick looking they would make a cool mount, are they good to eat?

Not bad eating at all. I hope they make a cool mount. Trying my hand at this taxidermy thing. Atwater (SRJennings Taxidermy) has a few birds from up here. I'm itching to see what he comes up with.

[Atwater]

Yep...me too...Nice job Ethan, glad to see you had a great last hoorah. Oldsquaw are amazing birds, and those look fantastic...get to skinning brother! Let me know if there are any supplies you need me to ship your way.

[dchunter]

Thsoe are beautiful!

[Z-man]

Dude, you suck....

Seriously though, nice strap.

[crackerman]

Man i recognize the tail but those are the funniest looking pintail I ever saw ;)

[Atwater]

Yep, same sprig...just one dives as deep as 280 feet! Fun comparison though, there are many similarities, not just the tail.

[sportyg]

some nice birds..

[waldo2382]

Pinners definately have some grace. Oldsquaw take off and landings are rather harsh. It was choppy that day and the landings resembled a falling hippo. The take offs can be hilarious when the sea is choppy and wind. Each wave keeps knocking the bird down. They don't fly very far either. Sometimes just driving to a new spot, it is like flushing pheasants in the wave crests.
Lots of times they land and immediately dive...for a long time. The might work toward you and on a nice day it's like shooting tomahawk missles from a sub. I swear they start flying from under water. Makes for some unexpected shooting being used to ducks coming from overhead rather than under.