As some of you know, I just started getting into waterfowl hunting last year, after a friend invited me to join him on a hunt.
 
Since then, I've done a lot of reading and watching and gone on a lot of completely unsuccessful hunts.  Over the past, week, however, I've finally started to see some rewards.  Until this week, my only two birds were taken while hunting with some guys who invited me along, put me on the birds, and basically did the hard part.  While it was an awesome time, and I enjoyed the hunts, I still really wanted to get a bird on my own.  Earlier this week, it finally happened, and I got my first bird on my own, a hen wood duck.
 

 
Yesterday, I added my first mallard drake to that as well, on a hunt with a new friend.  No pics of that bird though.  After spending some time in the bottom of a canoe, it was rather ugly.
 
Just wanted to share the excitement at seeing some results after a lot of time and effort. 

Hell ya man!  It only becomes more fun the more you do it.  Good job.

You are the man Cold.
Nice job and Congrats
Mike

Nice work Cold.  Glad you finally got on some.  Should see some of the best action of the season over the next few days. 

Good deal Cold...you are hooked now ma man...
Got my fingers crossed on the river freezing in Jan.  Soon as we get a good freeze with snow I'll have you come up this way...
 
I was out saturday...we only saw 2 mallards & 2 black dux...no birds flying untill after shooting hours...we had about 10-15 over us on the way back to the boat launch...saw lots of mergansers...
 
today would have been a good day...its almsot dark out there and its only 2:56...
 
Krott - I think I finally found the "sweet spot" on the foiles double reed...

I was out this morning...had a good spot (I think) but the birds just plain weren't there (other than a turkey that decided to wait until I was about 8 feet from it before jumping up).
 
I was going to go tomorrow, but I may not...still haven't made up my mind.  I'm thinking that with this storm, if there were no birds in the air flying to the spot I was hunting today, there probably won't be any there tomorrow in the morning.

Very Nice..  Something classic to look at when you see a wood duck laid across an Ithaca.

Nice Cool! Haven,t been able to get out yet but hope to after xmas. I sure hope 2013 is moocho better.

Hummer82

Very Nice..  Something classic to look at when you see a wood duck laid across an Ithaca.

Good eye.
 
As a southpaw, it's one of the few I can use easily.  Luckily it's a great gun and I love using it.  While I'm in the market for a lefty 12 ga., this 20 has done everything I've asked of it.

Cold, I'd say if you can get out tomorrow you should.
 
As I type I'm looking out my window in southern Butler County at group after group of ducks flying into a little lake a couple hundred yards away.  Probably have seen about 75-100 in all so far, and hundreds of geese.  Best migrating behavior I've seen here in about 3 years.  Just small trickles the past couple of years, but this is good. 
 
Unfortunately, I don't have a place to hunt 'em within a few miles of home, but I was running some errands earlier today and drove around the ponds I hunt.  There were definitely more birds there today than there have been in weeks - 2 to 3x's as many. 
 
I know where I will be at 7 AM tomorrow