Getting ready?

[Mr. 16 gauge]

Well, waterfowl season is about 3 months away....what's everybody doing to get ready?
As for me, I've been working on a home made duck boat & training the new dog. I hope to go through the decoy loft next weekend and sort decoys....plan on possibly selling a few and touching up the paint on some others. Bought a new gear bag and I need to go and put everything together in that (but let's face it...that will probably wait until the evening before opening day!)

Need to take a weekend or couple of evenings and tune up outboards, trailer lights, ect. Repacked/replaced the bearings on both trailers earlier this year, and already checked the lights on the one.

Things are going well so far with the new pup....she is quite birdy (loves to harass the pigeons), soft mouthed (caught a few pigeons and brought them back safe and unharmed), and took her for her first water experience a few weeks ago....she didn't due well at first, but got the hang of it later in the session. I plan on taking her out again and introducing her to the boat as well. Doing some informal sessions with hand signals and whistle training....she did well with that at first, but has slipped back for some reason. We'll get it ironed out by fall.

Did a couple of trips to the trap range, and will probably do a couple more (at least) before season.

[powell&hyde]

You bet I'm getting ready, took the shotgun out last weekend and since I was too lazy to reload a couple boxes for my 12 gauge, I went out and bought some from wally world on sale. These were the 12 gauge hypersonic 3 1/2" with 1 3/8oz loads at an advertised 1700fps. I shot 5 times to see how it would pattern with this new load and my shoulder said no more. Recoil was brutal, needless to say, these loads will sit in my gun cabinet and I'll reload my own from now on.

[skeet]

Heck I never get it all ready before a week from opening day.. er...night before. P&H wimp wimp wimp.. Actually those things really do hurt..and even on sale they ain't cheap. But when you're shooting at the birds you probably won't even feel 'em. And I hope that pup works out for ya Mr 16..Nothing better than getting a dog trained..but the first real retrieve is one you won't ever forget..then the next and the next. Good luck y'all

[buckhunter]

I got my deer blind all cleaned up yesterday seeing it was in the 90's. Hosed her down and set it out to dry.