wily

first off -- cool boat billethead i have went back and read a bunch of the old posts on the forum to try and learn more but i still have a couple questions for you guys. As you will see when you read this post my duck hunting experience is very limited...I have two boys, we went on a guided duck hunting trip on truman lake a couple years ago, and last year we hunted the family farm in lawrence county and hunted over a handful of decoys on a pond...we had a good time, but only managed to shoot one duck in 3 or 4 trips. which was fine...we had a good time and got to spend time together. This year we want to start hunting more areas but really not sure what we need or where we need to start. i would like to try the duck parks as you guys call them, but with us being so inexperienced...i would want to get far away from the crowds but i doubt that is possible at schell osage or 4rivers on a weekend. i think our skill level is about the same as the guy in the lawnchair with the bobber at roaring river at this point, so we need more practice before we subject ourselves to ridicule so my plan is to hunt the ponds at two major conservation areas in sw mo. the last couple of weekends we have started scouting public land for duck season. we have been jumping-up ducks but arent real sure what kind they are...i think they are gadwalls but not 100% sure. my oldest thinks they are teal or shovelers. anybody else seeing any birds, or know what they might be? we are mostly scouting in jasper and lawrence counties. equipment we have -- we all have good camo outwear -- jackets, coats, coveralls, gloves, and boots -- we have flashlights, binoculars, stove for cooking if needed...lil buddy heater if needed...and all the basic camping supplies we might need. this year we have about 20 decoys that are tx rigged -- mostly mallards with some teal and wood ducks thrown in. i think that is about all we can carry. the boys are too small to help carry much more than their gun. we have a good camo canoe...that we could use to shuttle gear on waters that have a boat ramp...but a lot of these ponds where we plan to go are quite a ways from a parking area...so not sure what is best solution to transport our gear. i was thinking about getting some sort of canoe cart...and then load everything up in canoe...and pull it to hunting spot full of gear -- but worried that will be harder in practice than it sounds. anybody have any other ideas to transport the gear? i have neoprene waders to use for decoy/bird retrieval, but the boys dont have waders. i bought the oldest boy hip boots last year but he outgrew them...i'd rather not spend the money on more til he grows a little more...so the boys will be shorebound. I've looked at layout blinds...but havent pulled the trigger yet. i think this is probably our best option for concealment but blinds for 3 will be expensive. I would like to wait til Christmas to purchase for the boys...do you use layout blinds at the duck parks? what are your thoughts on marsh seats? the areas we have been scouting have quite a bit of cover along the bank i forgot to mention...the most important thing we have in my kids eyes...is a 7 month old black lab pup that has been going dove hunting with us, and we plan to take him with as well. he is half the fun at this point. anybody have any tips to help reduce the learning curve?

I would suggest a ruger single six for the 22 -- it's not a semi auto -- but it is a fun gun that is accurate...get it with a 6.5 or 7.5 barrel and you have a great plinking/squirel hunting gun. for the larger caliber -- i would stay in the same family and get a ruger blackhawk in 357 or 44 mag. both guns are single action revolvers...the hammer must be pulled back to fire. it is very simple and very reliable action. semi autos tend to jam...they can be very specific as to what ammo they shoot well. i would stay with simpler design of the single action revolver. i know you travel to the yellowstone area...and i would feel a lot more comfortable with a blackhawk strapped to my leg...than a can of bear spray. i was out there a couple years ago...and we were fishing down river from sheepeater cliff...below the falls. and we had a momma bear and two cubs get close to us. it was scary...my wife, two little boys and I...and all i had was the bear spray i bought from top of the world store. thankfully they were on the other bank...but it was still too close for comfort.

i installed mine under the rub rail on the outside...and it is cool looking. lights up the water like you cant imagine. i think they're probably much brighter than you really need though...i dont remember exactly but i think mine are 3050's or something...i think you could go with something half as powerful and still have plenty of light. they're so cheap on amazon...you can buy a set and try them...and if you dont like them...you arent out much money. i dont have a picture of my boat with the lights on...but this will give you an idea of what it looks like...it was on the amazon review of the lights that i purchased.

I put green LED rope lights that i bought off amazon...they sure are cool. but they draw a tremendous amount of bugs. i'm not a scientist or anything but i think the reason they draw so many bugs is because they are so bright... i've seen boats with blue lights like mine...and i think the green looks less obtrusive to other boaters...the blue looks a little too much like a neon beer sign to me. you might try red.

Thanks MPF for tip on bois d arc...i've thought about going up there in the past but wasnt really sure how it worked, i've never been to such a formal range...i think the next time we got to springfield we'll stop past and check it out. ollie -- how have you been? seems like it's been a 100 years since i helped with the stream team...let me know when the next clean-up is...and i'll bring the boys. they are big enough to help now. does the archery range have 3d targets?

thanks for the tip on Crowder's shotgun range -- we might try it as to your point jd -- we werent at talbot -- i just used that as an example. we were on a different mdc area that is specifically managed for doves. we didnt shoot very many dirt clods...maybe 5 or 6 total. i just wanted my youngest to get some practice...and it was about 1pm. we were a long ways from anyone who might have also been hunting...so get over yourself.

thanks for the tip on the biodegradable birds == seems crazy that any one would manufacture blue rocks that were unsafe to livestock to save a couple bucks...heck you shoot them in fields dont ya? the last box we bought which was white flyer had a little warning printed on it -- i didnt see the warning when i bought them and was surprised when I was questioned about it.

thanks for the number -- i didnt even think about calling them. my head is in the clouds sometimes.

i've taken my two boys dove hunting on mdc land the last couple weekends and the birds arent flying as much as the were earlier in the season. this past weekend -- i threw up dirt clods for the boys to shoot at...which is fun...but clay pigeons would be better. we live in town and dont have a place to shoot without driving to the family farm (some relatives dont like us shooting blue rocks due to potential hazards to livestock...which seems silly to me...but that's a different story) anyhoo to get back to the original question...do you think it would be ok to shoot blue rocks at Talbot?

cool boat -- i bet that is a great boat if towee has the same characteristics as a gheenoe. mine was a plain jane, old fiberglass model that was 15 foot long...and it was heavy after a day of fishing. i could always load it easily enough but it was a bear to put up after we were finished.

i've had two of them, but sold the last one in 2010 or so. they are great boats with a cult following in southeast. i really liked the boats -- they were stable for me and young sons. i had a 5hp johnson that i used, and used it to fish spring river in oklahoma for white bass...back then i had a ranger boat that couldnt go past 10 bridge. mine didnt have enough motor to get up on plane to take advantage of the shallow running capabilities so i hit a rock or two hundred...i always kept a couple sheer pins in my wallet...and never got stranded. my first one was made in arkansas -- i bought it from a guy in little rock -- he used it on the heber springs tailwater he said. i wore a hole in the transom from dragging it around on gravel bars. i cant remember all the details about the manufacturer in arkansas but they were made there in an effort to expand brand and increase the distribution. i think the second one was made in florida but cant remember for sure -- it was newer/nicer and i didnt keep it very long. the boats are heavy -- best to have a trailer -- i never did -- i would have to put it back in the truck when we were done...and it was tough to do by myself, but i am not a big guy. that's why i had small motor too..i just took every thing apart and slid into a truck. the reason i got rid of them is because of the weight, and the difficulty in loading/unloading.

for perspective -- look at the creel limits of our surrounding states and i think Missouri's are at the least in-line with status quo TN -- 5 fish limit on all black bass (smb included) with no length limit. AR -- 10 fish limit on all black bass with no length limit -- with the exception of smb which have a 12" limit in ozarks (top third) and a 10" limit in remainder of state (bottom 2/3). ky -- 6 fish limit and 12" limit on largemouth and smallmouth bass -- 6 fish no length limit on spotted bass i am happy that MDC chose to do something about the creel/length limit on goggle eye. they are one of my (and my children's) favorite fish. At big sugar i see people keeping every fish they catch...kids and adults with walmart sacks full of goggle eye's and smb. this is a little off topic -- but i wish the influx of people into our region respected the environment more. Maybe they will in a generation or two. they remind me of my grandparents. they were depression era children that didnt waste anything...i think that is the same mindset of the people that i am referencing above. i dont see people carrying the walmart sacks full of fish on shoal creek like i do in cyclone area of big sugar. i would like to see more education about of creel limits -- i think a couple signs here or there could make a difference.

wrench -- you are the man -- thank you for helping me --- academy didnt have the circuit breaker -- so i went to orielly and bought one for $6 -- i hooked it up and the trolling motor worked -- couldnt have done it myself without your help. thank you

i am wrong -- the in-line fuse doesnt come from the charger -- it is on the wire running to the trolling motor -- just wanted to clarify -- thanks

ya, just a 12v on single battery -- that wire comes from the double bank charger. i see the two prong plugs in bass pro catalog but mine..mine has three prongs in the front. is third prong just a ground? would it be ok to only use a two prong? trolling motor is a motor guide and only a 45 pound thrust but does ok for us. what kind of a circuit breaker should i get? i saw a picture of one on here that looks like it just attaches to end of wire and then connects to the battery. i dont see the circuit breakers in bass pro catalog -- would i buy it at oriellys or somewhere like that? we have an academy sports so will try there first after it stops raining...pouring here in joplin right now thank you for helping me

thanks for the response -- i dont want this to sound dumb, but i dont know where it is -- i see what looks to be an in-line fuse on a hot wire going into the battery -- it was a little corroded on the end -- so i was going to cut end and put new clamp on it and reattach...but the in-line fuse part looks messed-up too so i tried to take a picture...almost looks a little burnt. is this the circuit breaker? looks to me like it is junk -- should I cut wire above and rewire a better circuit breaker? thank you for helping me

got caught in a rain storm today at lamar lake -- i switched motor guide trolling motor to the rabbit --- and motor stopped -- was working fine before i moved to the rabbit. got the boat home and in the garage drying out -- now when i try it only clicks -- cant tell if it is the motor itself or just the click of the switch on the foot control. doesnt work in any setting anybody have similar experience? what was the outcome? prior to trolling motor quitting we caught a few nice bass on big worms along weed line...oldest son also had a couple fishing a frog in the slop

when i tried bass fishing in taney 5 years ago -- we tried in the little cuts, and behind the islands -- out of the main flow of water...which we felt would be too cool for the bass. but i really struggled and didnt catch many bass, mostly just perch. maybe that helps by eliminating water for you...we were there about this same time of year. i'd say to fish the grass mats around the docks down river from where you will be staying. good luck

we've been going quite a bit too -- we take a boat and use the ramps on the more established pits. there's still a sense of isolation though...lot of nature too. the bass fishing has been good for us -- mostly using plastic worms along the weed edges. there are a lot of gar in the water that's for sure -- I would like to catch one to bring home for the fish tank but havent done it yet. i wish the bluegill were bigger -- the boys could catch a bluegill every cast but they are so small they arent interested -- if you had a toddler would be fun for them.

we floated sunday -- river was in good shape -- pretty good fishing...nothing spectacular but a lot of small bass...i didnt really fish -- just paddled the boy around. he was catching em pretty good. river is in good shape to old 71 bridge...after that it nose dives quick. was a pain with a couple trees across the river. we were able to stay in the boat for two of them but the third we got out and carried across...at least it was on a gravel bar...other two were deeper water with high banks around -- looked it would have been a pain, so we just skooched thru it. not sure but i think we passed chief and his bunch -- if not -- maybe chief lost his hat on the river...and the guy we saw found it.

two guys wading -- by the boat ramp on the campground side

here's a pic for perspective -- was just off my phone it's a neat place -- i'd sure like to go back

ya -- it was exciting -- he got upset when it broke off -- but as you know...that's a part of fishing. he'll know better how to handle a big fish next time. here's one the older boy caught -- was a cutthroat. which we caught in yellowstone a couple years ago...so that was pretty exciting. would have like to have caught a brook trout but no luck.