Hunting Flooded Timber for Honkers...

**David Rearick** · #1 01-21-2008, 11:24 AM

Date: January 19, 2008

Location: PA

Sunset: 5:13

Weather: Clear and Cold

Temperature: 30’s dropping to the 20’s

Wind: 5-10mph W

Equipment Used: Greenhead Gear® LS Canada Floaters, Avery® Finisher Blind Bag, Avery® Fleece Calling Gloves, Avery® Fleece Hand Muff, Avery® DIY Lanyards, Avery® Field Caps, and Avery® Fleece Skull Caps.

Hunters: Zink staff member Erik Nilsson and Avery® Pro-Staffer David Rearick

Journal Notes:

With close to zero temps in the forecast for Saturday night and a major front approaching birds flying early is always something we keep in the back of our mind. While scouting throughout the week put us on to many “grass geese”, there just didn’t seem to be enough feeding in places other than backyards to warrant sitting in a corn field at O-dark-30 hoping for a change in there pattern. We knew they would fly, but couldn’t put a handle on what time they would do it.

After a 2 hour drive to do a little scouting the night before, on our favorite section of river, I found a nice little pocket of birds loafing in some flooded red brush. The plan changed from waking up early and hitting a good late season corn field to waking up at will and heading out about noon to catch birds, as they returned to the river from various ponds and pastures. As the clock hit noon Erik and I were headed to the river with boat and 18 GHG® LS Canada floaters in tow. We had good hopes that we had made the right decision.

After unloading the boat in faster current than we expected, we fired up the jet and headed up river. With a cold breeze in our face and a stiff current under the boat, the trip seemed to last much longer than previous runs on this stretch of water. As we continued up the river, much to our dismay, birds were already in our spot, either already coming or never leaving this particular loafing spot from the day previous. None the less, they blew out hundreds of yards in front of us so we quickly set the decoys and waited for birds to return.

Even before Erik could get in the boat, a small group was working their way back towards us. The birds split and four birds lit out front and a slightly larger group just out back. We decided to take four in front of us and Erik and I put three on the water, after jumping them up. Following my last shot at a long crosser, the bird flipped over in the air, at the report of my Hevi-Steel B’s and I noticed something shiny on his leg. Erik proclaimed “nice shot” and I quickly hoped out of the blind and ran to the birds in order to get them, before hey made it into faster, un-wadeable water. Even though I thought I saw the small piece of bent aluminum around his leg, I wanted to make sure, before I made a fool of myself that I was right. As I waded out to the bird, he gave one last kick from both feet on his back and that last kick revealed a little something extra on his leg. Three birds down and one band from just minutes into the hunt. We were happy to have slept in and made the trek up river and we still had three hours left to hunt.

It wasn’t long after getting resettled in that a single came from downriver about 500 yards up and past us. Erik and I did our best to change his mind and even though he turned and disappeared out of sight, I told Erik he would be back. Just a minute later, he didn’t prove me wrong and set his wings bombing in from over the river’s edge. The unique thing about hunting this section of river is the high bank on each side, it makes for a great view of approaching birds, and this one did it right. As he glided downward, I told Erik to take him when he was ready and as he approached, we waited and waited, as he slowly worked his way into the decoys. Erik called the shot and promptly fired three shells, with nothing but wads coming downward; a rare miss from him to adorn my journal for years to come. I quickly got on the call and try and change this birds mind. Despite being shot at. After a little work, Erik put a singe shot in him to redeem himself.

With four birds in the boat and six more to go, we scanned the skies listening for more birds. It wasn’t long until another group centered over us and split into five smaller groups. With birds going every direction, three birds came out of nowhere and were almost feet down in the decoys, before we pulled the trigger. Not to be outdone, I fired three and Erik one and he owned the only bird from the flock. I double checked my choke was screwed in and tried to make a professional look out of the miss, casually blaming it on my bulky clothing and gun, but Erik never said a word and we went about our business.

Half a two man limit to go, we were happy to see a steady flow of birds trading on the river. Even with a very small spread out today, we enjoyed the company of some Blacks, Mergansers, and Mallards throughout the day, while we awaited more honkers to decoy to the spread. After working two more flocks and putting them in the decoys, Erik and I both finished out our five bird limit and made our way back to the launch, well before LST ended. Even though we both enjoy hunting honkers feet down in a corn field, there is something about water that makes the LS Floaters worth owning. As we left and watched more birds coming to the water, I think we will sleep in another day and give these birds another go after they cool down a bit. We found that the water is just perfect for Finishers and Neo-Tubs, so we are looking forward to our next hunt in the red brush, we like to call Pennsylvania Timber.

Something Extra..

Honks over Water..I love the varitiaion in their Chin Straps...

E. and the Limit..