Rail hunt

jode hillman

jode hillman

Well-known member
With the remnants of Ophelia still hanging around, and the full moon it's just about as good as it gets for sora right now. We had a couple hour push this afternoon and we were in birds right from the start. It was significantly better than average with the flood tide making it much easier to find down birds. We went through 42 shells, downed 30 birds, 3 were too shot up to salvage and only one lost.

Those averages are better than normal, the very high water levels made it possible .
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Carl said:
Wow, very nice mess of rails!
How will you cook them?
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Thanks Carl, on these we took the breast and legs, and I like to make them in a breakfast hash. Diced potatoes, onions, wild mushrooms. Brown and Fry in a cast iron skillet and then serve with a little bit of hot sauce. Simple easy and delicious. But there really is no wrong way.
 
Great hunt fellas. Never had the opportunity to hunt Rails before. What do they fly like? Do they hold tight and then explode or do they get jittery and bump from a distance? Looks like good eating.
 
Great hunt Jode. I love hunting rail. I keep meaning to build a new rail boat, but get pulled in other directions.

You appear to have a good rice crop. We have almost none this year. It's been very rainy all summer, I guess the rice doesn't like too much water.
 
don novicki said:
Great hunt fellas. Never had the opportunity to hunt Rails before. What do they fly like? Do they hold tight and then explode or do they get jittery and bump from a distance? Looks like good eating.
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Thanks Don, they are unlike any other gamebird. Being that they live in floating vegetation. They like to run more than fly. They will dart from cover to cover sometimes swimming. If the tide is not fully high they will not fly at all. You need to push them to edges where they feel vulnerable then they will take flight.

They are not particularly fast flyers, and you need to let them get out a little bit before you take your shot.

But they are Loads of fun and very good eating.
 
SJ Fairbank said:
Great hunt Jode. I love hunting rail. I keep meaning to build a new rail boat, but get pulled in other directions.

You appear to have a good rice crop. We have almost none this year. It's been very rainy all summer, I guess the rice doesn't like too much water.
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Thanks, the rice crop this year is pretty good. In our area it seems the more rain, the better it does. We have had a rice this year in areas where I have not seen it in the past. That is a good thing. I am lucky to have a couple decent railbirds skiffs, the one that I use the most is quite stable in a very good poling platform
 
Carl said:
That sounds amazing.

Add rail hunt to my bucket list.
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It is definitely one of my favorite times of the year. A great way to spend the day. If you ever find yourself up in New Jersey you can have a seat in my boat.
 
Very nice.

I have been trying to hunt them around my area the last few years. This year we were covered up with them the week before season. By the time season got here I saw 2.
 
You're killing me Jode. Our best rail tides of the season on Merrymeeting Bay are today and tomorrow, and I'm laid up with Covid!

As for a description of how they fly, the friend who took me rail hunting for the first time said, as you did, that they mostly run until they are forced to fly, and that then "they fly like little butterflies, except with two long legs hanging down under them."

I found two challenges in taking them. (1) You need to shoot them while they are still in the air, and they will not stay in the air long. (2) They flush very close to the boat, and you want to let them get some distance so your pattern opens up to increase your odds of hitting them--and avoid just completely smashing them to pulp. (The first rail I shot was completely stripped of meat. Nothing left but a beak, spine, legs and a few tailfeathers.)

The balance between #1 and #2 is the like the balance established by the distances on a baseball diamond that provides for balance between a runner stealing second and a catcher trying to throw him out.
 
noweil Mike said:
Very nice.

I have been trying to hunt them around my area the last few years. This year we were covered up with them the week before season. By the time season got here I saw 2.
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They don't like cold weather at all. A cold front will push them out fast
 
Jeff Reardon said:
You're killing me Jode. Our best rail tides of the season on Merrymeeting Bay are today and tomorrow, and I'm laid up with Covid!

As for a description of how they fly, the friend who took me rail hunting for the first time said, as you did, that they mostly run until they are forced to fly, and that then "they fly like little butterflies, except with two long legs hanging down under them."

I found two challenges in taking them. (1) You need to shoot them while they are still in the air, and they will not stay in the air long. (2) They flush very close to the boat, and you want to let them get some distance so your pattern opens up to increase your odds of hitting them--and avoid just completely smashing them to pulp. (The first rail I shot was completely stripped of meat. Nothing left but a beak, spine, legs and a few tailfeathers.)

The balance between #1 and #2 is the like the balance established by the distances on a baseball diamond that provides for balance between a runner stealing second and a catcher trying to throw him out.
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Oh man, I'm sorry to hear that Jeff. You summed it up perfectly. They are really their own unique experience, which is how it should be.

I try and count to three before I shoot, but as you noted, they often land before then!
 
Jode--we hunted in pairs and traded off shooter and poler roles. We generally just switched it up when we had to move to a new patch or when the poler got tired or bored, but a standing rule was that any shooter who either obliterated all meat from a bird or hit one after it had already touched back down had to take over the pole immediately--aka, "the penalty box".
 
Jeff Reardon said:
Jode--we hunted in pairs and traded off shooter and poler roles. We generally just switched it up when we had to move to a new patch or when the poler got tired or bored, but a standing rule was that any shooter who either obliterated all meat from a bird or hit one after it had already touched back down had to take over the pole immediately--aka, "the penalty box".
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That's great! That is similar to what we do. A lot of times we will play "shoot until you miss" Often times though a shooter can go on a pretty good streak and fatigue necessitates switching before a missed bird.
 
Bob Holzworth said:
Jode. That rail hunt of yours looks like a hunt from the 'good old days'. Enjoy while you can. Bob.
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I will sure do that Bob! I feel fortunate to be able to experience it.

If you ever find yourself back in New Jersey during September or October that front seat is welcome to have you in it.
 
Looks like a great memory. Have went on a few rails hunts myself in the lowcountry. It is always a good workout and if the tide is high enough can be alot of action. I have not gone the last couple years but have many fond memories of rail hunting with a good friend.
 
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