DuckSouth.com

Yes, and I'm sure it's exactly what you're thinking.


In this order:

1 - Greenhead Mallard
1 - Green-headed Wigeon
2 - Lesser Greenheads (Spoonbill Drakes)
1 - Greenhead Mallard
1 - Greenhead Mallard


It was a very nice hunt. I had the sun and wind at my back and couldn't have asked for a nicer day to be out. Only saw about 25 ducks, but I was exactly where they wanted to be and took the extra effort to really be well hidden. I shot the first drake. He came in perfect. In fact, I let him come on in thinking he might drop in the boat. (Not quite close enough for that.)

It wasn't much longer when a pair of Wigeon made an entrance. There were also a pair of Mallards working independently of the Wigeon pair. As expected, the Wigeon came in well before the Mallards that I could still see out of the corner of my approaching from a different direction. I went ahead and did what was necessary forgoing a chance at the Mallards. At the time, I wasn't even thinking about an all drake hunt. I always try to pick out Greenheads, especially when I'm by myself. But love shooting true pairs too when given the chance. But didn't do it this time.

When I saw the two pair of Spoons swing around when downwind of me, that's when I decided to do all drakes. Even if I didn't see anything else today, it would be worth it. These two drakes were beautiful. Solid white backs. Deep, deep green heads, and well defined wings all burning brightly in the afternoon sun. I don't know why these get such a bad rap they sure are elegant birds. The way all four of them came in was picture perfect. The two hens flanked their drakes. One to the left of her drake, one to the right. When it was time, and in one fluid motion, I swung on the rear drake, and then quickly through the second. Boom! Boom! almost audible as one shot. They fell almost in the same place.

I saw a single Mallard Drake well down wind of me, but low enough to think he might do it.... He did.

The way I'm set up in my boat involves two pieces of camo netting totally covering the boat, and I'm sitting in the middle. Every time I shoot, I have to "re-build" the blind, because the dog shreds it while launching from the boat. I'd have sworn that I could still hear the echo of the report of my last single gun shot while trying to fix the blind when I saw about five Mallards coming right to me. I blew three independent quacks, and they let me know they meant business. It must have been due to all the commotion out in the decoys from the efforts of the dog. They flew right over me to get to where she was. I didn't give them a chance to spot something they weren't going to like about the uncovered boat either. Quickly crumpled one more Greenhead.

It's another one of those deals where two or more hunters probably weren't going to do any better, or shoot any more than what I did alone. But it surely makes for great memories. It's been about four weeks now that the hunting has really picked up for me, and it has sure been nice.

Nice!

Great hunt man! I am headed out solo Tuesday morning. Maybe some good luck will be with me.

Its nice to hunt with only your dog to talk to isnt?

sweeeet! (injun)

Very nice. How about a pic?

like the detailed story of how each got cut... sounds like a nice little hunt

Sorry that I don't have any pics from yesterday. I do have one taken from today.... minus the other variety of Greenheads. Only got three Mallards. This hunt really sucked today:wink:

I sat there for nearly two hours before I saw anything flying. ANYTHING!! Just about to be completely bored out of my mind when I saw about 5 Mallards off in the distance. Then Suddenly, I saw a couple more over there, and some more behind them. Before I knew it, there were about 30 Mallards not in one big group, but swarming randomly around my position. It seemed as if they all came in at the same time this afternoon. Just before 5 PM. None were really sure of this situation, and it was all I could do to get one to fly over me for a low shot. He folded nicely.

There were still some birds that were upwind of me by a couple hundred yards when I shot so I didn't release the dog. Rather, I chose to keep the blind intact thinking these might come in too. They didn't.

There was still a little time left when I saw another pair of ducks headed my way. They too seemed just as leery of the offering. I never really got them to commit, but was able to get them to fly straight overhead for my favorite passing shot. I hit the bird I was aiming at and watched him sail off about 150 yards away and dropped dead in the grass. Turned out to be not a true pair of Mallards, but two Drakes. I'm guessing it was his brother who followed him down into the edge of the grass in sympathy.

I'll admit, my dog is not the kind of dog that could be sent on that long of a blind retrieve through grass so tall that I wouldn't even be able to see her. She does seem to have some Springer Spaniel in her when she's in that grass, but I just wouldn't work. So we both went off through the grass after the ducks. I was pretty sure that being as windy as it was this afternoon I thought I might even get a shot at the second duck anyway. I didn't count the steps, but it must have been 300 steps before that live duck flushed and flew right into a wall of steel 2's. That was tough walking fast through the muck and grass trying to get to them before shooting time ended, but I came back with both Drakes.

Anyway, here's a pic while loading the boat for the ride in. Well, not much of one, I was too whooped to set up for a better photo.




Yes, the paint and eyeballs come off of G & H decoys too.

good job... its always good to kill ducks "over there"

nice hunt.'
can you bump up the size of that pic a little?

Good job! Enjoyed reading the commentary on the hunts.

sounds like a good hunt