sneakboxdecoy
12-08-2006, 09:38 AM
Yesterday (12/7) I received e-mail from my friend Jay asking if I would like to join him for a “5 minute”, walk in duck hunt down on the river the next morning. As the tide would be low and the forecast was for strong North winds and snow I jumped at the chance and agreed to meet him in the parking lot of the boat ramp at 6:10 AM.
After a five minute walk to our favorite point we selected our respective hiding spots below the shoreline about 70 yards apart and waited for legal shooting time at 6:30. The wind was indeed howling and the snow swirling and the first duck passed over me at legal and was gone before I was able to shoot. The next bunch of 5 mallards flew over Jay and he killed a big, late season drake. At his shot, a big group got up from ¼ mile down the mudflat in front of us and as they passed high to my right and upwind from me I dropped a banded hen (my second band this season). It was so windy that she landed about 30 yards to my left (about 40-50 yards of wind drift)!
Jay left for work at 7:00 and I decided to stay for a while longer. Two geese passed to my left and I debated a shot but decided to hold off as they were 35 yds out and I was shooting 1 1/4oz of #2 steel, deadly on ducks, but not so good for long geese. I switched to goose loads and hoped for a repeat and as I waited for more geese, 4 mallards all but took my hat off- 10 feet above the marsh and directly over my head. I noticed them when they were just a few feet out and never got my gun up! A few minutes later I heard geese coming from up river and as they passed directly over my hide I stood and killed two. My trophies landed on the exposed mudflat behind me and about 50 yds out! The nearest bird almost completely buried itself on impact in gooey New England tidal mud but the other landed on firmer ground. What a chore that retrieve was, especially the part about lugging two 8 pound geese while walking in ankle deep goo.
After I gathered up my stool and shell bag, I strung the birds on the duck strap and was back at my truck by 7:30! All and all an exciting way to spend an early morning hour during inclement weather!
As I don't know how to post a picture, you can view it at:
http://www.sneakboxdecoy.com/hunt_pictures.html
After a five minute walk to our favorite point we selected our respective hiding spots below the shoreline about 70 yards apart and waited for legal shooting time at 6:30. The wind was indeed howling and the snow swirling and the first duck passed over me at legal and was gone before I was able to shoot. The next bunch of 5 mallards flew over Jay and he killed a big, late season drake. At his shot, a big group got up from ¼ mile down the mudflat in front of us and as they passed high to my right and upwind from me I dropped a banded hen (my second band this season). It was so windy that she landed about 30 yards to my left (about 40-50 yards of wind drift)!
Jay left for work at 7:00 and I decided to stay for a while longer. Two geese passed to my left and I debated a shot but decided to hold off as they were 35 yds out and I was shooting 1 1/4oz of #2 steel, deadly on ducks, but not so good for long geese. I switched to goose loads and hoped for a repeat and as I waited for more geese, 4 mallards all but took my hat off- 10 feet above the marsh and directly over my head. I noticed them when they were just a few feet out and never got my gun up! A few minutes later I heard geese coming from up river and as they passed directly over my hide I stood and killed two. My trophies landed on the exposed mudflat behind me and about 50 yds out! The nearest bird almost completely buried itself on impact in gooey New England tidal mud but the other landed on firmer ground. What a chore that retrieve was, especially the part about lugging two 8 pound geese while walking in ankle deep goo.
After I gathered up my stool and shell bag, I strung the birds on the duck strap and was back at my truck by 7:30! All and all an exciting way to spend an early morning hour during inclement weather!
As I don't know how to post a picture, you can view it at:
http://www.sneakboxdecoy.com/hunt_pictures.html