Fun Day in the ICE and RAIN....!!!!

C

charlie foulds

Well-known member
Headed out today to try and break some ice to a little cove that is perfect for an east wind. The weatherman was finally right for a change. The east winds and rain came just as I made it back into the marsh. This little cove is fed by a fresh water creek,by creek I mean more like a very small spring. The ducks love to dump into this spot when the tide drops and the wind is out of the east. Unfortunately it has been way to frozen up for me and the BBIII to reach. Well after posting up a question about breaking ice with the BBIII and confident in the responses I received I figured I would give it a try. I wish I had not left the camera in the car. It would have been nice to get some pics of the icebreaking adventure. The Ice (salt ice) was about 3" thick and as soon as the bow would ride up a little it would break and I would just keep going forward fast enough so as to not come to a stop. When I reached the little open area that the ducks were using I tossed out 3 decoys and tucked into the reeds. The area was about 50yds across and maybe 30yds long. As soon as the tide started to drop the birds showed up. After taking my limit of mallards in about 1/2 hour, I had to wait for the blacks and gadwalls that I was sure would show.I had a pair of gadwalls cupped and dropping in and three shots later they were heading out at mach 1. Up to this point I thought I had finally figured out this sitting and shooting thing, but I choked ...BIG TIME. Well the tide was dropping fast and my little path threw the ice had closed up so I figured I would pick up my 3 dekes and head for home. Here is a picture I took of myself with the birds after figuring out that whole automatic timer thing. I almost forgot, after returning to the ramp I looked over the entire hull and the only place that the paint had been scratched off was on the aluminum protecting the keelsons. I truly love this sport and doing it all in a boat that you have built yourself has made it that much more rewarding. I sure would love to learn how to carve my own decoys.............hmmmm sounds like a plan.

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Great day Charlie!

You're right, waterfowling is a great sport even if you don't build your own boat. Waterfowling from a boat you've crafted has to be the ultimate.
 
Charlie,
Nice Mallets, I wish we had some Green Heads around here now, however we have been frozen for over a month.
WG
 
Charlie, if you want to do corks on the cheap, drop me a line and I will give you the info to make your own decoys. Great photo. dc
 
Charlie,
It sounds like you have that perfect spot for just the right occasion. That is a great shot on a wonderful hunt. Glad to know that there is someone besides myself that knows how to put perfect holes in the air! That was funny.
Al
 
Nice getting into the late season mallards - you seem to have yourself a nice stash of them around.

Carving will be an easy next step for you, I'd expect given your skills.

T
 
Way to go Charlie, glad to hear your season is going well, the boat is working out and your enjoying the fruits of your labor. If you try the decoy carving let me know, I'd like to have a NY Charlie in my collection.

Bill V
 
Way to go Charlie.
We got skunked yesterday.
Birds were around but nothing came in close enough.
On the bright side, the new dodger kept us warm and dry in that pouring rain.
 
Thanks Guys, This little boat has given me a chance to get to all the spots that I have been watching through my binos while sitting in my DW19' the last few years.. I sure am glad I sold that boat and built this one. I fell in love with the puddle duck hunting and the DW just wasnt the right boat anymore. As for the decoy carving,The carvers that I have spoken to and met have all been very generous with their offers of help and invitations to their workshops to show me how to get started. The waterfowling community as a whole just seems to be made up of some of the most talented and generous people that I have ever met. I am proud to be a part of it and sure am glad I went on that duck hunt only 10 short years ago. I only wish I had tried it earlier in my hunting career. I have been hunting game of one kind or another for 37 years now and find waterfowling to be a true "year round" sport.
 
Nice getting into the late season mallards - you seem to have yourself a nice stash of them around.

Carving will be an easy next step for you, I'd expect given your skills.

T
Click to expand...

Todd, Its the painting part of the decoy making that "scares"me...!!! The stash is getting bigger, maybe its the "migration"...:):):)
 
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