Well, it's floodin' down in Texas....SRV

[MCgunner]

So, I didn't head for the marsh this morning, figure on going Tuesday. I rode my SV650 down to Guadalupe Delta WMA and as I suspected, big sign "All Hunts Cancelled Due To Flooding". Rode down to buffalo lake road to check it out, the road that goes in to the various hunt areas, and it's underwater. Hog Bayou is all out of its banks (part of the river delta system). In fact, I scared a little 3 foot gator off the bank in the ditch by the road as I turned in.

Well, I guess I'll be headed up to College Port, Mad Island WMA Tuesday morning for teal. I've only ever hunted it once and it was pretty good. It used to be a big hunting club out there and the state/DU bought it. It's about an hour from here. I plan to pack my mesh 3D camo coveralls, waders, carry lites, and little 20 gauge Spartan side by side in the GoldWing and ride up to save gas. It's about an hours ride from here. That'll remind me of the good old days when I used to strap my shotgun on the gun rack I made for my CT90 in 8th grade metal shop and rode through Freeport to get to the marsh behind the town. 4AM, a kid riding by the high school in camo with a shotgun in plain sight, the cops would just wave and wish they were going to instead of working the graveyard shift. That was about 68-71. Think of what they'd do to a kid now days, "DOWN ON THE GROUND BOY BEFORE I BLOW YOUR HEAD OFF!!!!!" This is exactly what I wanted that little 20" spartan for, though. I can take it apart and lock it in the top trunk of the bike for travel and save a bit of gasoline.

Sure hope the danged river comes down before regular season, dangit!!!

 

[uk roe hunter]

i have some tidal marsh about 20 min from my house. I am going to shoot it this evening, anyone fancy coming? it has mallard, teal, wigeon pintail and some shoveller.

Meet at my place at 630

steve

 

[MCgunner]

I'd LOVE to go! It's sort of a far ride even on a GoldWing Honda, though, and I ain't got pontoons for the bike, so I guess I'll have to take a rain check.

BTW, I probably couldn't afford the out of state...er...country hunting license there......

 

[Jimmy Newman]

It's funny you mention that, I have a CT90 with a gun rack myself . I found the bike in my deceased grandfather's garage, it is a '73. He used to ride it around in the woods near Lufkin going after deer, ducks, and squirrels (the roads at the place he hunted could get pretty mucky even for 4WD). Still needs a little more work to get it in good running order again, but it's mostly done.

I've been in school in the frigid northeast for a few years and this time of year hunting is one of the things I miss the most about home (I am from Houston).

 

[uk roe hunter]

Mc Gunner,
I went to the Marsh, Shot a Drake Wigeon and a drake teal. I remember why i don't normally shoot at Snipe. I must have missed 10 of them! It is early season yet and we need a couple of big tides and some hard weather, Then we get more sport.

steve

 

[MCgunner]

Well, it's no crime to miss a snipe. Them's some of the most elusive flyers I've ever tried to lay a bead on. Used to shoot at 'em occasionally back when we could carry lead shot (affordable ammo) and I connected maybe twice that I remember, rofl! I would resort to trying to hit 'em when the ducks weren't flyin'.

It's funny you mention that, I have a CT90 with a gun rack myself . I found the bike in my deceased grandfather's garage, it is a '73. He used to ride it around in the woods near Lufkin going after deer, ducks, and squirrels (the roads at the place he hunted could get pretty mucky even for 4WD). Still needs a little more work to get it in good running order again, but it's mostly done.

About 10 years ago I traded a guy out of an old 67 (the year I had as a kid) CT90 and lovingly rebuilt it and used it for a while. It was in sad shape and took me about a year to hunt down the parts and such that I needed. The motor was rusted seized in the bore and took an overbore to clear up. Took it down to the bare frame and put it back again with fresh top end.

I had forgotten how little that thing was, though. I was 145 lbs soaking wet when I was 14 and it seemed like a pretty big bike to me, ROFL! Well, as a 210 lb 6 footer, it seems more like a 20" stingray bicycle with a motor in it. I bottomed out the front suspension, such as it was, every time I hit the brakes. LOL! It had the old leading link front end, the 73 had telescopic forks.

I finally got the nostalgia bug out of me and sold it. I have a little 200cc dirt bike I use down at my place now and save gas riding around town (80 mpg). I really ain't into ATVs, would rarely use it. I've been into motorcycles since I was 13 years old and only spent a year as a sophomore in college without one. That was an awful year, too. I'd walk by new CB750s and Z1s and just drool and dream.

 

[MCgunner]

delete double post

 

[Jimmy Newman]

I was fortunate in that he kept it well maintained, so there was still good oil in the engine. I've had to take apart and clean the carburetor, the points, replace all the control cables, replace the exhaust pipe (which had rusted through), chain, tires and tubes, spark plug, and some of the wiring, find keys at old Honda dealerships, and so on and so forth. I also put some heavier shocks in the back because the bike has a back seat bolted down to the cargo rack . I got some very good information from the CT90 group on yahoo groups, and found a shop at www.dratv.com that has replacement parts for pretty much everything.

It's been a good experience for me (I'm in my last year of a mechanical engineering degree now). It's a lot of fun. I was surprised that I could get up to 50mph on 4 or 5 horsepower! I only did that once, and it was on a real road, I mostly ride about 15-20mph on dirt roads.

On topic, I love duck hunting (teal especially) but haven't been in quite a while, thanks to out-of-state school, and sports every weekend before that (track and cross country). I've done some in east Texas near Winnie and some down at Rockport. I think dove hunting is still my favorite, though.

 

[auschip]

Well, my teal hunt on Saturday and Sunday was fruitful. I always forget how fast those little buggers are, but we caught up quick. We were hunting rice fields in the Garwood/Altair area (near Columbus), and the skis were thick. Had to be careful, as we saw some big ducks also.

 

[uk roe hunter]

i went last night again, i have never seen as many duck on our marsh. Conditions were dead right wiht a big tide, full moon etc but the marsh was a wash with teal and wigeon. I shot very badly with one drake teal to show for maybe 20 shots. My dog was next to F***ing useless. she has some remedial work to do. Normally i train her quite hard in the off season but i didn't this time. so she is not good. but hey it's my fault, i have to put it right. So mcgunner and guido when you get your asses to the uk bring your shotguns and lots of cartridges!

 

[MCgunner]

Well, Guadalupe Delta being closed due to flooding, I went over to Mad Island the other day. Started off bad right off when i saw my tail light wasn't burning on the Wing. Tossed everything in the van, ponied up the 25 bux for gas, got over there. The guy says they only had one and two birds per Saturday. I set up, mud bog delux, wore myself out putting out 10 deeks. Not many people shooting, fired once about 7 oclock, shot again about 8 and knocked down a teal. Went after it and got bogged down and had to swim out or drown in quicksand. Picked up and left. Screw it, birds ain't worth that! Never have the problem at Guadalupe Delta. Ruined my cell phone. Wallet got wet. :banghead::banghead::banghead::banghead:

I'm going to just wait on regular season and hunt dove for now.