Clapper Rail Hunting?

[Carl]

Anyone have any experience hunting clapper rails in high marsh?
The marshes around where I was hunting yesterday is loaded with them. They were calling all morning. Probably heard at least 25.
This is high marsh, rarely if ever floods with more than a couple of inches of water, so would have to walk it. Plus I dont have a dog to point or flush. Wonder if it is worth the effort to try to walk some up next time I get done duck hunting?

 

[Jeff Reardon]

A buddy of mine is serious enough about hunting sora rails that he built a boat just for it. We don't see the clappers up here much.

Standard technique here is to hunt only the highest tides, which (1) push the rails into confined and predictable areas of dense rice and/or cattail marsh; and (2) allow access in a shallow draft boat.

He claims there are only a handful of good tides a year. His technique is to pole his boat from the stern, with a shooter sitting in the bow. The birds will stay in the cover as long as they possible can, moving ahead of the boat, and will only flush and fly when they run out of cover they can run in. When they flush, the shots are said to be ridiculously simple, as they are weak fliers. But they don't stay airborn long, so there is a premium on quick reaction time.

I'd like to say I know all this from personal experience, but the one time I agreed to go out with him, we did not see a single rail. However, it was a real nice boat ride during which I scouted some good spots for the teal season that opened a week or so later, and I got all kinds of tour guide lecture on the ins and outs of rail hunting in Maine.

I have read that some people walk or wade for rails, but in the area we hunted it would be damn tough. You'd be able to walk 100 yards or so in knee to waist deep water, and then run into a 6 foot deep channel. You'd also step on a lot of snapping turtles. Down your way you can probably add alligators and water mocassins to the list of hazards.

 

[Carl]

Nah, no gators o moccasins in this area. But also, since it is high marsh, no water to float a boat. Pretty easy walking actually, as long s you have chaps or hip boots to keep the juncas & spartina from poking you!

 

[Luke Berkey]

This was the first fall that I hunted them. But it was only worth it on real high flood tides. I talked to some guys that said this was the best year in the last 30 years for rails. We had some early Nor' Easters that had them stacked up in our area waiting to cross the Delaware Bay. Most people use boats and pole through the grass but I just walked with my dog and pushed them towards open water where they would have to flush. It was a lot of fun. Good luck. Luke Berkey