David Allen
Active member
My son Philip (11 years old) and I met up with forum member Jeff Reardon for a hunt on a local lake. While not the most productive days hunting, I did have a few things re-enforced in my mind.
We met up and proceeded to the launch. We found that we were by no means the first one on the lake, so Jeff picked out a location that had produced in the past under different weather conditions. Lesson 1 re-enforced - Get there early to get the good spots. Nice spot but the calm weather meant that not many duck were flying. We did have a couple of golden eyes pass by, and some other duck that were flying like divers go by, so we threw out a few golden eye dekes outside the puddlers we where hoping for. Not long after that were had a small group of golden eyes come in and put the landing gear down. We let Phil take the lead and he knocked one down. Jeff and I backed up Phil. I know I put two or three follow-up shot onto that bird but is still dove and swam off. Jeff and Phil gave pursuit and finished him off.
View attachment photo2.jpg
When they came back we noticed that someone had set up beside us. He proceeded to rain some shot around our decoys, said that he was shooting a cripple. Strange in that when ever I swat a cripple on the water the shot lands near the duck I am shooting not well beyond it. We were safe but it is still not comforting to have shot coming your way. Shortly there after the sun came out of the clouds and was blinding. This gave us a good reason to leave the area and look for another spot. Lesson #2 re-enforced - There is always someone willing to set up closer to you than what you consider right.
We explored a few possible coves, but not many duck seen until we hit one marshy cove. Wow, we pushed a ton of ducks and geese out of that cove. unfortunately, there was no good way to hunt the area with the boat we were in. So we filed that location away as one to consider on a different day with a different boat. We continued to explore the lake but in spite of looking at several promising areas there where just no birds to be had. So we brain stormed how we could possibly hunt the cove where the bird were. I thought we could go in and drop Phil and Jeff off and they could hide behind a big stump on a muskrat house. Jeff though Phil and I should hunt together so the plan was adjusted to drop the two of us off with a plan to switch after a few ducks. This was definitely the x on the lake that day. We had bird working the dekes as we were still putting them out. With a pocket full of shells off Phil and I headed off to the intended hide. Well nope that was not to be, the bottom turned into wader sucking soup up past my knees and growing deeper. So we shifted and sat atop a small stump. No cover at all. There were birds that still wanted to be there and Phil and I both took a duck but we were just way to exposed and now cold. We waved Jeff over offered to swap locations but Jeff saw what we did that that we were just way too exposed. Lesson 3 Re-enforced - There is no substitute for being on the X. Even in the without any cover the bird still wanted to be there.
We picked up and headed back to the launch. Lesson 4 re-enforced - even a bad day of hunting is still a great day when you are hunting with good people.
Only three birds were taken with three hunters, but the day was still a great day.
We met up and proceeded to the launch. We found that we were by no means the first one on the lake, so Jeff picked out a location that had produced in the past under different weather conditions. Lesson 1 re-enforced - Get there early to get the good spots. Nice spot but the calm weather meant that not many duck were flying. We did have a couple of golden eyes pass by, and some other duck that were flying like divers go by, so we threw out a few golden eye dekes outside the puddlers we where hoping for. Not long after that were had a small group of golden eyes come in and put the landing gear down. We let Phil take the lead and he knocked one down. Jeff and I backed up Phil. I know I put two or three follow-up shot onto that bird but is still dove and swam off. Jeff and Phil gave pursuit and finished him off.
View attachment photo2.jpg
When they came back we noticed that someone had set up beside us. He proceeded to rain some shot around our decoys, said that he was shooting a cripple. Strange in that when ever I swat a cripple on the water the shot lands near the duck I am shooting not well beyond it. We were safe but it is still not comforting to have shot coming your way. Shortly there after the sun came out of the clouds and was blinding. This gave us a good reason to leave the area and look for another spot. Lesson #2 re-enforced - There is always someone willing to set up closer to you than what you consider right.
We explored a few possible coves, but not many duck seen until we hit one marshy cove. Wow, we pushed a ton of ducks and geese out of that cove. unfortunately, there was no good way to hunt the area with the boat we were in. So we filed that location away as one to consider on a different day with a different boat. We continued to explore the lake but in spite of looking at several promising areas there where just no birds to be had. So we brain stormed how we could possibly hunt the cove where the bird were. I thought we could go in and drop Phil and Jeff off and they could hide behind a big stump on a muskrat house. Jeff though Phil and I should hunt together so the plan was adjusted to drop the two of us off with a plan to switch after a few ducks. This was definitely the x on the lake that day. We had bird working the dekes as we were still putting them out. With a pocket full of shells off Phil and I headed off to the intended hide. Well nope that was not to be, the bottom turned into wader sucking soup up past my knees and growing deeper. So we shifted and sat atop a small stump. No cover at all. There were birds that still wanted to be there and Phil and I both took a duck but we were just way to exposed and now cold. We waved Jeff over offered to swap locations but Jeff saw what we did that that we were just way too exposed. Lesson 3 Re-enforced - There is no substitute for being on the X. Even in the without any cover the bird still wanted to be there.
We picked up and headed back to the launch. Lesson 4 re-enforced - even a bad day of hunting is still a great day when you are hunting with good people.
Only three birds were taken with three hunters, but the day was still a great day.