Guys,
Spoke with DSE today and we have a season in 2006. March 18th to June 12th with 7 birds per day. I object however to the Duck Opening being interuppted by such irrelevancies as the Commonwealth Games opening . Time to start getting the dogs fit for work.
Cheers...
Con

Just be glad you're getting one. You may not know the amount of work that Gamecon, F&G, SSAA, and the HAC, put into lobbying for the Minister to ingore the 'concerete greenies', and go ahead with a season.

Cheers, Dave.

quote:

Originally posted by Con:
Guys,
Spoke with DSE today and we have a season in 2006. March 18th to June 12th with 7 birds per day. I object however to the Duck Opening being interuppted by such irrelevancies as the Commonwealth Games opening . Time to start getting the dogs fit for work.
Cheers...
Con

WOT you been slack Con...shouldnt the dogs be fit all the time like all of us here..(i wish)

Ducks are pretty scare around here at present.

Same I hear further north.

But it can change so quickly with the passing weeks.

The cockies out on their harvesters are starting to see quite a few quail now.

Lets hope.

ross

Must be pretty dry out your way? Down here where the local F&G have been doing the nest box surveys, some of the birds are on their third clutch of eggs.
But we all know the little buugers will go where the rains are. Or off to the rice where there are thousands at the moment.

Cheers, Dave.

Very dry. Getting sporadic storms with 25 to 130 points but that soon goes.

Had a channel run earlier this year (although storages in the Grampians are low) and quite a few had nesting ducks around them. Same along the Wimmera R which is low in many places.

But channels that have duck on them many years about now aren't holding any.

As well all know, that changes many times over the weeks before Opening so we could get a great fall of rain and birds everywhere.

Or it could rain somewhere else (the channel country even) and still be few birds at Opening.

Last year was as dry as this year yet my son and I shot a lot. We are still eating them regularly and we gave away a fair few to friends.

GBB,
Our way we have quite a few birds still moving on the irrigation channels. But it seems the birds have finally stopped laying ... we got between 2-3 clutches this year. Still no huntable quail, although the dogs have found some "Bush quail" by the river.
Cheers...
Con

Con, me mate

Remus is still hanging in there (our ESS).

The Vet said to let him live until he was suffering. He doesn't seem to be suffering despite the weeping sores.

And Drew will not hear of another dog while Remus is still here.

I would like to see Rem put down but I am facing wife and son and daughter.

I would like a Brit or ESS or Wie but I am hitting my head against a log. I am very attached to Remus too but I think we all need to move on.

I am sorry that I put your mate out.

Never getting back to him.

But when Remus goes, we will need another bitch soon.

ross

GBB,
Good to hear Remus is still hanging on, no doubt looking forward to a few retrieves, even if they're easy ones, come duck opening. My youngster is at Werribee on Thursday for his hip/elbow X-rays. If he doesn't pass he'll be neutered and pet homed, which in itself will be heart breaking.
Have a great Christmas and holiday break!
Cheers...
Con