I went to Fairmount WMA, which is on the road to Crisfield, and on the next peninsula up from Jane’s Island.
Sunrise was 645. Shooting Light 615. You can enter the impoundments 2.5 hours before sunrise- so 415.
I planned to leave at 245, get there at 4 and head in. Luckily I got up early and couldn’t sleep so I left around 130 and got to the east impoundment (pictured in the map) at 245- I was the 4th vehicle in the parking lot.
2 more trucks saw us and bailed, 2 more trucks parked to join people who got there ahead of me. Including me, there were 5 groups on the impoundment, which is about 300 acres. That seems big, but only half is open water, and it wouldn’t have fit many more groups.
Right away I overheard them talking about scouting, having seen blue-wings and green-wings, and consistent success in past years. I was totally stoked at that point.
Everyone was reasonably cool about explaining their plans. Tho the biggest group- 4 guys who’ve been going there for a long time- was clearly trying to create space for themselves by discouraging people from going to various spots. For example, they told these old guys from Jersey that the middle was mucky and shit to walk in (it was not). They kinda pushed me in the fartherst, which ended up working out for me.
So at 415, we all headed out together, starting on the dotted path in the map which I took to my spot (the green ducks). They had canoes and sit in kayaks and I could easily outpace them so I just went ahead to the spot they suggested. I’d say it was about a 15 minute paddle. The other hunters set up on the red x’s.
Back in there, it opened up to a nice little cove. I posted up on the west side, thinking the birds would come from the blue arrow (people suggested that in the parking lot). Most of the grass was short, but I pulled the yak into some of the taller bits. I covered it with the camo netting and set my chair right next to it in the water so that I could easily stand up to shoot in any direction.
You can see my spread in the second pic- I had a line of 4 gwts out to the left, a line of 4 blue wings to the right, a spinner near each, and a jerk rig with 2 of each kind also off to the right. I used my dove spinner to supplement my gwt spinner.
At 613, someone from the big group, on the island in the middle, shot once. 5-10 minutes later I heard a couple volleys that way and saw some ducks flying. They looked like teal, coming from the direction they suggested. I started working the jerk rig and peeping with the teal whistle.
Before I knew it, a few groups came in from my left, from the direction of the white arrow, passing me before I realized they were coming. Then a group landed perfectly between my decoys. I knew right away they were teal because of the size. I shot one on the water and it rolled over. I fired two more shots at the others flying away, but missed both. I walked over to pick it up, tho probably didn’t need to- the water was still and I could have gathered them up at the end, but I was too excited.
The water in the whole cove was maybe a foot deep. I picked up the duck and it was the drake BWT. I was ecstatic. Within 5 minutes of sitting back down another couple came in from the left and splashed right in front of me. The first took off immediately, but I had time to take the second- clearly small with no spoon bill. Again I went over to pick it up right away- it was the hen BWTbwt.
In less than five minutes another splashed in, this one a little farther and a slightly different shape- more compact- which threw me off. Within a moment it let out a peep and I knew it was a GWT. I shot it, and again walked right over to get it.
Only one more landed in my area, on the other side of the cove. It was gone by the time I tried creeping over. A hen spoonbill decoyed and landed perfectly well after sunrise, but I could tell the whole time it was a shoveler. I let it hang around, it wanted to come into the decoys but I think it could tell something was up (by this point it was fully light out).
I waited until maybe 930 to pack up. No one else had shot in a long while and I wasn’t seeing any birds flying, plus I knew I’d have to pluck the birds before heading home (going back to the inlaws where I couldn’t really be processing birds). The fam was also hanging out there, and the thought of wrapping it up successfully and quickly was compelling.
I paddled out past the big group. They had a huge spread. When I hit the main canal they started blasting a bunch. I kicked up two GWT paddling down the canal. I actually saw them before I came up on them and could have loaded up for a shot, but figured I was getting close to the parking area.
I got back and talked to 3 of the other groups as I cleaned the birds. The old guys who got dissuaded from the spot they planned stayed close to the launch and only got one BWT. They gave it to me because they said it wasn’t enough on its own.
The guy who went to the little spot that looks like lungs or a butterfly, the farthest south, got two GWTs. The big group on the central island all limited out.
All in all it was awesome, if pretty quick action. The comp wasn’t crazy and people were generally chill. I’m glad I decided to take the yak inside the impoundment rather than drive the Gheenoe across the water to hunt outside of it. It didn’t seem like anyone was out there.
There is another impoundment, but I didn’t hear any shooting from that direction, though I’m not sure how close it really is.
One of the guys I talked to gave me some intel on Deal Island, the next WMA up the bay, which is much larger and apparently holds more ducks (though it’s closed for teal season). That was fortuitous because I actually just got a letter that I was drawn for Deal Island on the regular season opener. Looking forward to using the Gheenoe for that (electric motors only).
Anyway, off to a pretty good start.