Brant, Blacks and Bling

[NYBackwater]

With the seasons being closed in upstate New York my Dad, my friends Chris and Mike and myself decided to make a 6 hour journey southbound to the salt marshes of Long Island for the final weekend of the regular waterfowl season. We met up with my buddy Joe on friday evening and came up with a plan for saturday morning. We hit the marsh early and immediatly got into the brant. It didn't take long and we all filled our limit of salt geese. It was that much better that it was my Dad's first trip to Long Island, first time in a salt marsh, first Brant. Oh and upon retrieving his 3rd bird to fill out his limit we discovered the bird was sporting a band.

Dad with a Black drake and his banded Brant
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff148/NYBackwater/brant09004.jpg

Happy hunters after a excellent day on the salt.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff148/NYBackwater/brant09002.jpg

Well with day one in the books we decided to split up for sunday. The flight was slow early as it was high tide so we decided to move back into the backwater for some blacks and later on a dropping tide try wack some brant. In the process Chris managed to shoot the only Canada of the weekend and it too was banded. We rounded out sunday with 2 gorgous red legged black drakes and our limit of brant.
http://i242.photobucket.com/albums/ff148/NYBackwater/brant09005.jpg

[hardcore dekem]

Nice job looks like fun I would love to be able to shoot some brant!!

[goose reaper]

looks like a fanominal hunt. congrats on the bling. I think thats how you spell it?

[sweettalker*]

what kind of duck is that on the left with the crazy lookin beak in the last pic?

[Chaz Lyle]

what kind of duck is that on the left with the crazy lookin beak in the last pic?


Merganser.

[NYBackwater]

Thats a Red-breasted merganser. They are pretty common down there.

[Robert Manuel]

Great kill guys, its good to see the piles so high.

[Erik Nilsson]

Sweet! I heard you guys had a good hunt, Congrats!!!

[Ridge Nelson]

Good stuff!

[Neck Collar]

That would be a dream hunt to get away from the midwest and try and get after those ducks.

Congrats and great pics.

[Allen Riggs]

Nice pictures. Looks like a fun time!

[FishandFeathers]

those brant decoyed better than any bird i have ever seen

[CluckmeMN]

a banded brant is a TRUE trophy!!!

[take'em94]

Thats sweet man. Mount that brant with the band on it. it will look awsome. heck, mount the merganser too that thing is awsome.

[PWILLIAMS]

never hunted them before sure looks like fun congrats.

[Ron Zega]

Looks like it was worth the drive! Good work fellas!