Make hay while the ice shines

Craig F

Craig F

Well-known member
We have some changes to our company's vacation policy this year, primarily limiting what can be rolled over. So I had some time to use before the end of the year and decided what better way to do it than to set myself up with some long weekends to close out the year. With the way the weather has been setting up it couldn't be working out better.

As many know our friend the 'polar vortex' paid us east coasters a visit end of this week and we started getting some ice and pushes of new birds. Well as the saying goes, "May hay while the sun shines" this was "make hay while the ice shines!" The last couple days have been pretty darn good for a puddle duck gunner like myself. Had a real fun shoot with my dad yesterday and put up with the miserable snow to rain combo this morning solo for some nice color birds.

Going to get mild again this week but I'll be ready next time that ice starts up.

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Just a little bit of water in the boat after this morning's soaking... grade A jersey mud water.

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Great pictures and shooting Craig. My company did the same thing so I'm trying to burn some vacation and sick days. Last 2 days on the water have been great, not thrilled to see this warm weather coming back
 
I've become a huge fan of your Roy Schellinger High boat. So much that I'm going to take my side blinds I made for my Huff box to the next level. A couple years ago I made some collapsable cedar frames that slip down into my grass rails on the side wash/decoy boards. this year I believe it will be some hinged boards similar to what is on your boat however mounted with pinned bimini hardware. Some places I just want to sit on a chair and gun vs a layout seat and this will make for much greater versatility.

p.s., Let me know when you're ready to thin the heard of that one...hehehehehe
 
Ha ha Ron I've been told by quite a few gunning buddies "don't ever sell this boat... unless you sell it to me"

I still have my sneakbox, it just doesn't get the attention it should now.
 
Hey Craig
Have you figured a way to hunt the dog out of your space age looking rocket ship yet ?

Thanks
Bob
 
Bob - I haven't gunned our lab out of the roy boat as he's my dad's dog and I usually leave him home when I go myself. We didn't take him the other day because it was so frigid. Most guys just have them sit on the floor of the boat next to them.
 
Craig
Nice job. Where did you get that light for the front of your boat? Thinking of mounting one on the front of mine. What do you power it with as well?

Thanks
John
 
John - it's a 12" LED light bar I got on Amazon. It's not a rigid or durabrite but it's also $27 so if it ever goes I'll just replace it. So far so good!

I have a small motorcycle sized battery that runs my lights and electric start. Little enersys UPS battery.
 
Thanks Craig. I always wondered bc of all the edges and some of Roy's boats have lots of exposed nuts and bolts .

Best
bob
 
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Thanks Craig. I think next season I will be adding an electric start to my motor. Just didn't want to add the extra to the price of the new motor. What size motor are you running and how big of a battery you using. My new motor weighs about 175lbs so I am trying to keep the weight down as much as I can.

Thanks John
 
I'm running a 25 yamaha two stroke. I work for a battery company so I have access to a lot of different stuff so I'm running a 24 amp hour 12v enersys pure lead UPS battery. Probably around 20 lbs or so. The LEDs don't draw much power so you don't need anything huge. It turns the motor over fine as well.
 
Nice mix of puddlers.
We made lots of ice here recently but I believe the next time I see waterfowl it will be March. :)

Tim
 
Craig, you're really getting into some beautiful birds there! Glad you're having some good hunting. That teal looks like a hoss, what a beauty!
 
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