Duck open in Vic this weekend who's going?
What size steel do you prefer?

I am down Maffra way be mostly woodies with a few teal, the odd blackie and mountie.
No. 2 steel

Going to make for late evenings with daylight savings.

We are here in the Wimmera.

It will be interesting, this season. There are so few ducks around here.

A few blackies on the channels that could bump up bags.

Scattered mobs of woodies on farm dams.

Steel No 2.

Haven't decided where to go yet, probably just do the Anti patrol again, keeping track of the protesters, same as last year.

Shot size depends on what I expect to find, but steel 2's seem to work OK as a 'don't know what I'll find, be prepared for anything' load.

I'll open Sunday morning, due to dog shows Friday and all day Saturday Still quite a few Woodies about on the irrigation channels and teal and blackies, although their numbers have declined. Bismuth #4s for me, don't like steel and none of my shotguns are proofed for it either way.
Cheers...
Con

Remember Buloke in the great days of the late 70's and early 80's when it used to host 30,000 (who knows how many shooters). The township of Donald prospered. And that great t--- Laurie had stickers. "Duck of Laurie"

And Albacutya when it last had water?

Or Lake Cooper?

Please, rain, please.

GBB,
I'm not that old but I remember Lk Buloke in the mid-90's ... great hunting, and my favourite, Hird Swamp before they started dicking around with "Environmental water" and somehow seemed to drain it before every season. I'll be driving home via Hird Swamp on Saturday just to check in on it.
Cheers...
Con

I've never been to Hird but have talked to a few locals who have. One guy told me there were stacks of Pink ear there when he was last there.

Lake buloke was unreal when it had water in it. Bumper to bumper in Donald they day before.

Family from here used to camp there for a few days before Opening and up to a week after.

Its the only place i ever saw a Fleckled Duck (The oldies here call them "Monkey ducks")

im hunting the stratford area will be using steel no.4 for some close up pass shooting. been plenty of ducks in our swamp the last few weeks mainly teal and blackies but a few pink ear and hardheads last visit there was somewhere in the 5-700 count so it should be a good opener.

GBB,
I last shot Buloke in I think it was '93-'95. I think '95 was when heavy winds pushed the water to one side and then dropped off and with a HUGE electrical storm and dumping rains, stranded more than a few hunters when the water level came up. Hilariously great fun! Locals made $100 a pop pulling cars out and the coppers did their best by setting up a road block . My memories of Lake Buloke with 30,000 hunters and over 150,000 birds, not even the greenies or Govt can ever take from me!
Cheers and good luck for Opening.
Cheers...
Con

I'm up around the Mildura area it is dry up here most of my local spots are dry there is some water and a few birds so we will give it a go steel shot 3's are ok just I don't like the stuff so it will be some Bismuth and I might have top drag out my Damascus barreled gun and use some low pressure lead reloads

Con,
quite a few locals from here went that Opening of the big blow. Tents blown over, water everywhere. Some never even fired a shot after the lousy night so I am glad I wasn't there.

Apparently, quite a few of the locals pulling out cars and 4 WDs with their tractors donated the money to the local Bush Nursing hospital.

We shoot at the Donald F & G. They reckon a great deal of money went to the hospital.

I just hope Buloke gets water in it again. Its funny driving across the dry bed now.

I reckon the greenies were a pretty good side-show on the one occasion they were there when we were. The act for the cameras!! And some of those poor city kids who had no idea what they were getting into. I remember one young girl crying about not having a toilet to go to and when are we going back to Melbourne....? and she had a lot of support amongst the rat pack she was with.

Laurie playing it all up to the cameras; what a circus.

I have heard from others that they have helped keep the birds flying at times so every cloud las a silver lining.

I wonder whether they will get TV coverage this year? Laurie hasn't yet but I guess they are competing with the games.

Hope you shoot well Con.

Good luck.

I guess I'II be around again before we go out saturday morning.

Smlekid

The "Glider Field Lakes" still a goer up there?

I have a mate in red cliffs and we shot there a LONG time ago and had a great Opening.

GBB,
Yeah, Laurie and his "rent-a-crowd" are a funny bunch. A friend of mine years ago went out with them to protest, but thought something was suss when they kept stopping on the road to Kerang to pick up road-kill! I've run into Laurie a few times during my Uni days and in swamps, and it always reminds me of that Disney cartoon where the sheepdog and wolf "clock-in" for their duals then go home all friendly after the clock is signed off. Being honest though, as irrational as he can be on Animal Libber issues, I kind of respect how he's done the hard yards in something he believes, and the media scrutiny has certainly cleaned up some people's acts.
Cheers...
Con

True, too true.

GBB there is some water at the glider feilds I was thinking of going out there Saturday a freind of mine lives near there and has reported good numbers of teal some blackies and mountain ducks I am going to go to a billibong just off the Murray river
who is your Mate in Red Cliffs your talking about my home town!!!

It looks as if Laurie's mob are off to Murphys this year. Looks like I have a long drive, just to take photos of idiots (sorry, committed animal welfare advocates), and try and help F&G and the DSE and Cops keep them out of the swamp.

Wherever you decide to go for opening, have fun guys.

Smlekd

You have PM. Could be interesting.

We aborted our trip to Dowds as there is not enough water for the punts, wadeable though, and are heading to Shepparton.

We we will be mainly on private property, the farmers reckon that there is plenty of diversity, with Black, Teal, Wood and Mountain Ducks.

I too remember the Big Storm that came through, and can recall getting excited before it with all the ducks quacking away. The next morning was a disaster.

Anyway Good Luck to all.

Tasso

Smlekid, how did the Glider Fields go?

Well Opening was a success with 7 shooters getting 91 birds unsure of the actual break down but birds were, blackies, woodies, teal(both) and about 8 mounties.

There was a lot less water than last year and the paddocks were a lot dryer.

our opener was pretty good too we had 13 blokes with all getting ducks and only 2 not getting there bag on saturday morning( one of those was a 13 y.o. using a .410)
2 of the fellas decided that after number 7 if they could call a duck to with-in 30yds they would count it as a kill they managed 101 between them, not bad for 2.5 hours.
mainly chestnut teal and grey teal a few blackies and 1 mountain duck.
We have a comp every year, this year was exotic duck, with the mounty taking the prize but there were hardheads and blue wings missed on the morning
I managed 5 teal and 2 blackies saturday with 10 shots and 1 teal and 2 blackies with 4 shots on sunday all with no.4 steel.
i was in a hide with a mate we had a box of shells bet on who could land the duck in the hide first..... he won. i had 5 land with-in 1m of the hide.