# Personal goal



## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

This year just to have a little fun I decided to set a personal goal for ducks in Utah. I don't live in an area of the state known for duck shooting but I have been very lucky over the years to kill some neat birds that don't tend to frequent the state. The goal I set for this year was to get a red head drake, a woodie drake, a big bull sprig, the king and If I get lucky enough to make it out with a gentlemen up north an old squaw. Well last week I scratched off the first of the list with a drake redhead. Today I got a call from a farmer friend of mine letting me know about a group of geese that he had seen going into one of my favorite ponds. I didn't get off work until 5 and I knew that more then likely the geese would be out feeding but I figured I had to run out and give it a go any way. When I got to the pond I was sneaking up to the edge of the brush and had 4 mallards drop in right on top of me. I snuck down the line of brush realizing the geese weren't there so I decided to try for the two drake mallards. When I popped up and yelled at them the drakes came up together and I went two for two on them. Just as I fired the last shot I had a lone bird come out of the north of me and realized it was a hen woodie. I passed on her and noticed another pair coming up and picked a hole in the brush they were headed for. When I saw how black they were I pulled the trigger and dropped both of them in one shot. It is a little surprising to see woodies this early down here. We normally don't see any until around thanksgiving and only have a couple of weeks to get any before the freeze pushes them out. This really get my hopes and is something to look forward to now knocking off two on the list this early. I can't wait to see how the rest of the year plays out with my goal.


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## utahgolf (Sep 8, 2007)

nice job!!! too bad ya didn't run into those woodys a month or 2 from now with some color..a trophy in utah no matter what!!


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## Fowlmouth (Oct 4, 2008)

Very nice HH, I'm still counting on you for the bands this year.


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## dkhntrdstn (Sep 7, 2007)

Congrats on your tropheys so farr.Nice job HH


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## TEX-O-BOB (Sep 12, 2007)

Good thing you didn't shoot those little guys mama. Did you wipe the milk foam off their bills before you took the picture? :mrgreen: 

Nice job.


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## snobiller22 (Sep 25, 2007)

Shooting a woody would be awesome, my goal for the year is to shoot a banded bird. Goose, duck anything.....I'd rather it be a duck though.

Congrats on the quick jump shoot!!!!


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## silentstalker (Feb 19, 2008)

Great start to your season! I remember my 1st wood ducks. Man was I excited! They were early in the year about 10 years ago. Never shot one since that year. Good luck on the rest of your goals!


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

TEX-O-BOB said:


> Did you wipe the milk foam off their bills before you took the picture? :mrgreen:


I felt bad when my dog brought them back and I seen how young they were. Its a tough game when its a snap shot and decision when they come up like that.

Rob you really are going to jinx me on the band count this year if you keep this up :lol:


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

I got a woody too!










Not to steal your thunder hammerin, but I shot this a week ago. It is a pretty old bird to look that good this early in the season. I also had a goal to get a shot at a good wood duck this season. I had no idea it would be fulfilled in the first week of the season.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Toasty that is a great bird man. He looks like he might be wall worthy. Is he headed that direction?


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## toasty (May 15, 2008)

Yep. He is already at the taxi. First duck that I will get mounted. He looks a little rough cause he soaked for 10 minutes before I got out to retrieve him, but the taxi said he is in excellent condition to mount. He said he also the largest wood duck he has ever mounted from a hunter which is probably why he looks so good this early. These flew over about 5 minutes after shooting time started and I thought I had hit a ringneck or a scaup because it was so dark. Had I know it was a wood duck, I wouldn't have let him soak in the decoys for so long.


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## hamernhonkers (Sep 28, 2007)

Make sure to send me a pic of the mount. I have mounted one up myself but I could of done a lot better. If luck holds and I get another one I would love some references to go off of.


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## Father Time (Oct 18, 2009)

Father time says two at a time saves shells!!


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