Nevada Waterfowl 2020 - 2021

[David Gough]

I had one hell of a time learning to hunt waterfowl solo during the 2019 & 2020 season. With some off season research and talking to people who know what they were doing I was able to connect a few of the dots. I dove in head first after my big game hunts were over and started hunting waterfowl mid November (after most of my big game tags were done).

Received an invite from my friend Scott to do a little goose hunting in a field he has permission on and a pit blind in. The geese came around a couple of times, but the highlight was the smoked goose leg biscuits and gravy. As Randy Newberg says, sixth dimension of food.



Anyone ever see a honker without webbed feet?




The day after Thanksgiving I went with my friend Mark to do some swan and duck hunting. I missed the swan, but shot a limit of birds. Bubs, Mark's dog, retrieved my first greenhead. This is the day I learned that ice hunts are criminal in all the best ways.



I hunted with Marks and Bubs, who turned one in December, a handful of times throughout the season. The learning curve was steep, but Mark is a master at fooling birds and I owe a debt of gratitude further than I can repay. Some of the hunting was on public, some on an amazing duck club.

Almost fell out of the layout boat shooting this greenhead at the buzzer.



We had success on public land too. You can buy two swan tags over the counter in Nevada, but there's a limited quota. I snagged mine on the first day and I'm sure glad I did. Ice hunt in late December:



This swan decoyed at ten yards. That'll test your ability to keep it together.



Was fortunate enough to spend some time in a California blind with my girlfriend and her brother. His dog, Tuff, was less than amused that we didn't shoot the ducks coming right over us a few seconds later.


Post continued below...

 

[David Gough]

Came back to Nevada the next day and I picked up this greenhead. What a surprise my first band was after a slow morning of hunting.



Headed back to California the next weekend and hunted a great refuge with a couple of buddies and Mina, a pudelpointer. She retrieved all but two of the birds pictured and then ate her weight in food for dinner. We sat back and watched the show the majority of the day. An experience I'll never forget.



Came back to the public land hunting in Nevada, and so did the swans. Many were rusted up from the California rice fields and were carrying a thick layer of white fat. This one did it just right for us.


We finished our season, but one of the highlights just happened on February 13th, 2021. A one day youth hunt. Mallards everywhere, they were in FULL plumage, he killed his first sprig, and kept it together while honkers were feet down and 10-15 yards away. Couldn't have asked for a better ending.



Hopefully a few enjoyed this and can relate to starting a similar journey. Thank you to everyone who took me under their wing. You've changed my life and my bank account.

I do have one question for the veteran waterfowlers who also hunt big game frequently. How the HELL do you make time for it all? I start hunting in August and would like more time in the marsh without giving up time in the mountains. I'm open to suggestions.

 

[ORHunter]

Love it!

Get yourself a pudelpointer like Mina and throw in upland bird hunting, fishing, turkey hunting and big game hunting all over the west while trying to keep a day job and a woman.

Thanks for the taking us along. Looks like a lot of memories made.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

 

[David Gough]

Love it!

Get yourself a pudelpointer like Mina and throw in upland bird hunting, fishing, turkey hunting and big game hunting all over the west while trying to keep a day job and a woman.

Thanks for the taking us along. Looks like a lot of memories made.

Sent from my SM-G975U using Tapatalk

There sure were. 2020 will always be the year I fell in love with waterfowl.

Big game, waterfowl, fishing, studying for the CPA, work, and my lady keeps me plenty busy. I'll leave the upland game (except collateral damage) and turkeys alone....for now.

 

[JasonWi]

Beautiful pictures and I'm glad you had such a great season.

The sights and sounds of a marsh coming alive in the mornings are truly special.

Most of my younger years were spent chasing waterfowl/upland birds and only the last four years have I taken a break from it chasing more big game opportunities. I've really missed it and seeing your pictures -- is giving me the urge to get back into it this fall.

 

[David Gough]

Beautiful pictures and I'm glad you had such a great season.

The sights and sounds of a marsh coming alive in the mornings are truly special.

Most of my younger years were spent chasing waterfowl/upland birds and only the last four years have I taken a break from it chasing more big game opportunities. I've really missed it and seeing your pictures -- is giving me the urge to get back into it this fall.

At this point I couldn't imagine not hunting big game or waterfowl. I did give up a lot of fishing though at a trophy trout lake during the fall and winter. Pleasantly ok with it. I don't really chase upland unless its a byproduct of a big game hunt.

 

[JasonWi]

That's the hardest part trying to find enough time/money for all of our activities. It's almost impossible to do everything properly -- so I've given up all other activities besides hunting, fishing, backpacking so I can allot sufficient resources to those activities.

 

[David Gough]

That's the hardest part trying to find enough time/money for all of our activities. It's almost impossible to do everything properly -- so I've given up all other activities besides hunting, fishing, backpacking so I can allot sufficient resources to those activities.

Agreed, and I only backpack to hunt, fish, or scout so it's really hunting and fishing.

Hope you get back out in the marsh this fall! I have an October 15th deadline and the waterfowl season close to home opens the next day. Can't wait, but there's bear, antelope, and elk hunting between now and then.