Only three of our usual gang could make it this year for the opener. We all came from different directions to meet up in Brawley on Tuesday afternoon. One guy came from the north and scouted the DFW fields and East Highline. I drove in from the south and scouted some spots near the 8 freeway. Our third guy got stuck in that massive traffic jam near Beaumont and was this close to just turning around and going home but he eventually made it to brawley.
Report from the north was plenty of birds but lots of guys were crowding in and taping off the best areas and setting up chairs to hold their spots so we knew it would be a Crossfire Hurricane in the morning.
I found good bird volume at some spots in the south valley and also mid-valley around Brawley. So we agreed to hit a spot ten minutes from our motel on opening morning. Then a huge thunder storm rolled through and we knew it could be real interesting in the morning.
Trying to get to our first spot, we got into a serious mud predicament and were fortunate to get out after about 30 minutes of digging and maneuvering. Having a shovel, flashlights and rubber boots really saved us. So as the sun rose we headed to spot #2 which was easily accessible but had no birds flying.
We were thinking the storm ruined everything, but headed to spot #3 and found a steady flow of mournings with a good dose of euros mixed in. Had to walk in mud to retrieve many of the birds but at least we were shooting from a dry area. Turned into a really fun morning with all three getting limits at about the same time around 9:30 am and we each had a half dozen ECDs too. Cooler temps and drastically fewer hunters than normal.
Spent mid-day in the pool and went to a EURO spot in the late afternoon but I guess they had all been shot up earlier.
Morning no. 2 we hit a feed lot on invite/permission basis. I had only a short window before needing to head home but managed nine mournings, two ECDs and one pigeon before calling it. One buddy had already left the IV and the other took it easy in a folding chair nursing cracked ribs (skateboard mishap) which were aggravated by all the crackin on opening morning.
So for us it was another great opener in the IV. Lots of laughs and new stories to tell, especially digging out of Alkali mud in the dark. We all forgot to take the usual pile O birds photos. Picture three grinning, unshaven 50-somethings with guns, birds and a truck covered in mud.
Report from the north was plenty of birds but lots of guys were crowding in and taping off the best areas and setting up chairs to hold their spots so we knew it would be a Crossfire Hurricane in the morning.
I found good bird volume at some spots in the south valley and also mid-valley around Brawley. So we agreed to hit a spot ten minutes from our motel on opening morning. Then a huge thunder storm rolled through and we knew it could be real interesting in the morning.
Trying to get to our first spot, we got into a serious mud predicament and were fortunate to get out after about 30 minutes of digging and maneuvering. Having a shovel, flashlights and rubber boots really saved us. So as the sun rose we headed to spot #2 which was easily accessible but had no birds flying.
We were thinking the storm ruined everything, but headed to spot #3 and found a steady flow of mournings with a good dose of euros mixed in. Had to walk in mud to retrieve many of the birds but at least we were shooting from a dry area. Turned into a really fun morning with all three getting limits at about the same time around 9:30 am and we each had a half dozen ECDs too. Cooler temps and drastically fewer hunters than normal.
Spent mid-day in the pool and went to a EURO spot in the late afternoon but I guess they had all been shot up earlier.
Morning no. 2 we hit a feed lot on invite/permission basis. I had only a short window before needing to head home but managed nine mournings, two ECDs and one pigeon before calling it. One buddy had already left the IV and the other took it easy in a folding chair nursing cracked ribs (skateboard mishap) which were aggravated by all the crackin on opening morning.
So for us it was another great opener in the IV. Lots of laughs and new stories to tell, especially digging out of Alkali mud in the dark. We all forgot to take the usual pile O birds photos. Picture three grinning, unshaven 50-somethings with guns, birds and a truck covered in mud.
