Timing the migration

[duckkiller]

[Anatidae]

Actually, the bed of the truck will be full of stuff. We cram so much stuff in the back seat the dog has to ride on the front seat with us. It's perty tight in there.

'Wingman' has the top of the trailer reserved for when he gets to where he can go. 'Gonna spread eagle, face-down and hang on the front rail.

Yes, I have photos of the other parts of the trailer, but not on this computer or the host site I'm linking to. When I get home this weekend, I'll put some up for you. It's just a self-designed box on a 5X8 single-axle utility trailer. I don't have plans, but I'd build you one real reasonable.

We are geared-up with shell decoys. The trailer holds 4 ground blinds (collapsed and un-brushed - or 2, fully-brushed with pea stubble), 4 dozen Higdon honker shells, 4 dozen G&H Std. honker shells, 8 dozen G&H field mallard shells, a Higdon 'Flapper', 2 snow covers, 2 neo-tubs, an extra leaf spring, a leaf blower (to dust snow off the decoys), and a few tools. On the trip up there, every crack is filled with anything from Charmin to Crisco, boots, shells, cooking stuff, linens, etc.

It takes me and Anne around an hour to deploy the Higdons and the mallard shells. Half the mallard shells are on stakes, the other half set right on the ground. The only time we use the G&H honker shells are when we need a bigger 'look', or there's cacklers mixing with honkers, or when there's snow (setting them right on the ground - no stakes).....or when we take some local kids with us, using the decoys to hide them better. They (the kids) can also help with the set-up. When we get up there, we put the heads on the mallard shells and keep them under a tarp in the truck-bed, and back it up under a shed to keep snow off at night. It saves a lot of time by not having to assemble heads in the field when the wind's howling, it's dark, and you can't feel your fingers.

Here's a shot of the decoys in use.......the ones that are 'tipped' at an angle are reacting to the wind - giving them a realistic feeding/walking action. When ducks feed in a dry field while it's snowing - they look like a swarm of bees on the ground.

[jkb87]

[waterbug]

[Anatidae]

'Sorry it didn't work-out for you - I appreciate the well-wishes.

'Timing' these trips is always a little hairy. We've been up there twice, during freeze-up. The first time, we left the same day the ducks left. Last year, if we had gone to this particular area any other time but the 10 days we were there, we'd have been SO screwed. As it turned-out, we saw the ducks leave over a 24-hour period and we stayed around a few more days to get some goose footage. This was, of course, after we reached our possession limits on waterfowl. It started warming-up and we knew the thawing fields would prevent us from accessing them by truck - so we packed-up and came home.

From the looks of it, the staging ponds that hold most of the birds in this area shouldn't start icing-up 'til we get there. So far, I think we'll be in good shape. I should get a report from some of our friends up there, this weekend. Worst case - the big lake freezes in 4 days. With temps as they are now, it's not likely the water will cool-off enough to worry about a total lock-up.......like last year. Here's a photo I took of one remaining open hole of water in the area - the morning we left.......



they were 'packed in there and didn't fly-out to feed until 11:30 that morning. I think they do that during the warmest part of the day so the hole won't be too tight when they return around 2:00 - keeping what little they have, open. Who knows? That's what's so interesting about the migration - seeing what it takes to 'squeeze-'em out.

'JKB87' - yeah, that's a still shot off that video. One of these days we'll sit-down and look at the other tape......the one with the honker feeding 15yds away from me, for about 30 minutes.......that's him in the photo, above, going..."Damn, that's cold!" I never thought about shooting him.......just sat there with my lids open, just watching what he did, next. [/img]

[gamehog]

[Anatidae]

Right!..........No way

It's still looking pretty good on the forecast.........

Friday, Oct 26 Colder with snow.........................Low: 11 °F High: 25 °F
Saturday, Oct 27 Rather cloudy..........................Low: 15 °F High: 31 °F
Sunday, Oct 28 Clouds and sun..........................Low: 17 °F High: 33 °F
Monday, Oct 29 Partial sunshine.........................Low: 17 °F High: 32 °F
Tuesday, Oct 30 Cloudy with a few snowflakes....Low: 14 °F High: 29 °F
Wednesday, Oct 31 Mostly cloudy.......................Low: 12 °F High: 28 °F
Thursday, Nov 1 Rather cloudy...........................Low: 13 °F High: 26 °F
Friday, Nov 2 Times of clouds and sun.................Low: 16 °F High: 28 °F

If the current temps hold-up for the next 2 days, we'll be on the road during the cool-down, and the lake shouldn't start freezing until Sunday. This is a perfect set-up for mass migration of ducks and honkers into the area we're hunting - oughta be some great video opportunities once we limit. The farmers are done with harvest and there's "Molsen in the fridge".

Since your tuna trip got messed-up ('cause of weather), I still think you oughta pack your 'stuff' and go with us.....even if you can't stay the whole time. This weather pattern is setting-up perfectly - might not get so lucky next time.

Everybody should take a few, well-deserved days OFF! You're not gonna get credit for what you do, anyway......only for what you don't do.........and they can't gripe about it if you aren't there. I got you a good job if you get 'canned'. You can be our new Construction Administrator over at Mississippi Valley State! I'll train you myself. First day....."here's your office, there's your apartment, here's your laptop, there's the impossible project.......good luck!.......see ya in 18 months"

You'll need a driving partner - preferably someone who hunts 'our style'. They can't have any DUI's or felony charges, either.

[gamehog]

[bigwater]

[Anatidae]

[duckkiller]

[Anatidae]

'Waterbug'..........here's a few more shots of the decoy trailer........



Bottom half is for ground blinds (left side is 8'd x 38"w x 14"h) and a drawer for field mallard shells (right side is 4'd x 18"w x 14"h). In front of that is another compartment for field mallard shells, but it is accessible from the right-forward door on the top half.





Now here's two of the most important pieces of equipment on the rig.......

[greenheadgrimreaper]

[duckkiller]

[Bluesky]