I'm sorry to say that this morning I got skunked. I did some scouting yesterday afternoon and found a shallow spot by the shore where there was a group of 30+ Wigeon feeding, and that was the 2nd day in a row I'd seen them there. There were also some Redheads and Pintails further out from shore. I decided to hunt there, and hope to get some Wigeon. Well, I hunted it, and heard Wigeon (from before light until I left) and saw Wigeon in the distance on the water, but they never did get up and fly anywhere. The water level seemed to be pretty different (more shallow) than it was yesterday evening. Not sure if maybe that had to do with something.
In retrospect, this has been a very enjoyable hunt. I got to take some birds that I rarely every have a chance at, and I got to hunt new country (to me), and those two things are always exciting. I very much plan on coming back next season with a "real", motor-powered boat, and really exploring some areas out here. I hope you enjoyed the hunt!
Trip Notes
My duck hunt is taking place near Port Aransas, on the Texas Gulf Coast. I'm hunting coastal bays.
Equipment
I'm using a 12' pirogue made by Bobcat Boats in Louisiana. It's not a traditional pirogue, but actually more like a sneak/marsh/layout boat. It's great for shallow water hunting. My primary gun is a Browning A-5 Light 12 that handed down to me by my father. My secondary gun on the trip is a good old Remington 870 Express. In the Browning I am shooting 2 3/4" Estate #3's & #4's. In the 870, I'm shooting the same thing, except in 3". The decoys I'm using are a variety, about half of which I made myself, carved from cork and hand-painted. It's a hobby I enjoy.
 
Bausch & Lomb® 7x42 Binoculars
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I've had a pair of B&L 7x42 Discoverer's for 5 years and have given them a real beating in a large variety of climates and conditions. I am very impressed with the overall quality. Compared side by side with Swarovski Binoculars in the field, the only noticeable difference was the price. They will cost you about $500 less than Swarovski's.
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Garmin® GPS 12
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Buying a Garmin GPS 12 was one of the best purchases I ever made. It has so many uses, and is so easy to use. In unfamiliar hunting areas, just mark your vehicle, hunt anywhere you want, and at the end of the day, get back to your vehicle with no problem. It's also great for marking downed animals to return to later. My GPS goes with me on EVERY hunting outing.
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Olympus D-450 Zoom Digital Camera
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If you're interested in getting a very high-quality Digital Camera, the Olympus D-450 or one of it's successors is a great choice. I've had my D-450 for about 3 years now, and have taken all of the photos for all my Live Hunts with this camera. It's not cheap, but this is one instance where you definitely get what you pay for. I highly recommend this camera.
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