Did You ever swim for a duck or goose

[anthony m coons sr]

Man I know I can't be the only nut that jumped into the water after a duck. It was a cold day in late November. I was hunting out of my boat. The motor was given me trouble all day. (Bad gas I think). Near the end of shooting time a flock of mallards came in. Bang ,bang ,bang two out of three went down, not bad. But the wind was blowing about five -ten mph. I tried to start my boat nothing. Keep trying! still nothing. the birds were getting a way with the wind and tide. I said ; I'm getting those dang birds. So I knew the water was to deep for my waders. So I stripped down to my shorts and jumped in. Soon as I hit the water I knew it was a bad Idea. But I keep going. Thank God I only had to swim about fifty yards. The birds got hung up in the marsh and I got both of them. Swam back to my boat where I knew I had heaters if I needed them. But what really peed me off was after I got dressed. I tried to start my boat. Guess what! it turned right over. As I'm heading out I look in the mouth of the creek coming into the bay. I found another mallard floating. Not saying it was mine. But it could of been a triple.
View attachment Scarletsandstuff118.JPG

 

[Ken Deal]

Had to chuckle... My brother did the same thing a lifetime ago... also late Nov in North Idaho... jumped in got it and almost didn't make it back to shore... Man we were young and not that bright....

 

[Capt Rich Geminski]

As a teen we hunted in a pond near the ocean. Very few geese around in those days. We crippled a goose and it flew to the ocean and died. We dragged a 6' pram from the pond over the dunes and I was elected to row for it. Rowed out 30/40 yes got it and rowed back. Rode a tiny wave in and the transom fell out. Repaired the pram and used it for a few more years [no money].
BRILLIANT teens years and I'm still here???

 

[Dave Diefenderfer]

I had a deer stand in a spot that overlooked a creek. I would see and hear ducks flying in and out all the time, and always said "I should bring a shotgun sometime too". One day I did. I left the shotgun at the base of the tree and climbed into the stand well before light. Around 10am, after watching some teal swim in and out of sight between the spots I could see the creek, and no deer, I decided to make a sneak on them. I climbed down, and in pure Rambo mode (30-30 slung over my back) I snuck with the shotgun. Things looked different on the ground, and the bushes prevented me getting as close as I thought I might. If I went around one way, the birds would have flushed the other. So I backed up to plan my attack. Just then a pr swam out and saw me and flushed. I swung on the drake and folded him, and then the creek erupted! There were dozens of GW in there and I could only see a couple at any one time! I shot all 3 shots, focusing on drakes each time. I then made my way to the waters edge and saw more than 3 birds either dead or nearly! Back in those days, the flyway limit was 6 birds, but VA in their infinite wisdom allowed just 5. I had just returned from my annual VT trip, and "knew" the limit was 6. I am fortunate to have not been stopped on the way home that trip, nothing was wasted.

So I have birds floating, I am wearing bibs and hiking boots, no waders. Since it was the end of my hunt, not terribly cold and the truck not too far away. I simply walked into my waist and collected all my birds. Those bibs got really heavy! Would have been smarter to strip them off.

 

[Sandy Allen]

I've never had to swim for ducks, but did wade,without waders, for some! After a brief goose hunt with a farmer friend, I decided to check out a spot for woodcock on the way home--I had guns for both woodcock and geese with me, but no dog. I didn't find any woodcock, but found the brook I was following had been dammed up by beavers! Large shallow pond created and many trees in it. I heard a few quacks and then saw some mallards. I jumped them and got 2 drakes. It was November, but I put my wallet in my shirt pocket and waded out to about waste deep to get the ducks. I was wearing L L Bean 12" boots! Exploring the pond further , I put up some more ducks several hundred yards away.I shot at 2, but 3 came down, 2 woodies and another mallard. Waded for them also. Turned out to be my correct limit,as only 2 woodies and 5 ducks total and 3 geese was it! Turned out I was having a good day shooting, as I'd had a triple on geese and 5 ducks with 4 shots! Better average than Ted Williams .400! I'm sure my shooting reverted to it's previous, less accurate, level soon!