Teachin Birds

[Lancer09]

Is all I did this morning... Teaching them that they can come hang out by me all they want and not get shot.

Got out this morning and should have had a limit by 6:45 this morning. From Shooting light til 7:45 I never went more than five minutes without at least getting to work birds. had 8+ groups all cupped up and coming in. At least two more landed out of range including a group of 7. 

All I had to show for the day was a bunch of empty shells and one duck. I'm hunting a farm pond that is deep in the center 15+ feet but super muddy and super weedy pretty much everywhere now with so much silt coming in from the cattle. This pond used to be even deeper with no moss or weeds. But that one duck I shot at a quartering away and he sailed out into the middle. My first Greenhead. He was 90-100 yards out and I didn't think taking a shot that far would do any good and I'd just be wasting shells. I've been using my canoe to hunt the other side of the pond so I grabbed it and as I was putting in he dove, and never came back up. Saw my last group of birds at 7:45 and nothing else.

Unfortunately I even had a bad wind today. 10 mph right into my face istead of back out across the point I'm sitting on like usual. Didn't matter birds still wanted to be there and I just couldn't get it done. Picking up 40 decoys solo, in a canoe, in the wind really sucked. So did paddling the whole 10 acre pond trying to see that duck below the surface. Oh well.

Time to work on being patient and shooting those cupped up birds dropping in instead of just being able to hit the passing by shots. 

Time to move on to deer for a bit. 

[semble]

Sometimes you just don't bring your "A" game.  Tuesday we had ducks land in the decoys and fly away, a few groups of woodies swing through at 20-25 yds and more than a few groups of mallards I didn't call because I wanted them at 25 yds instead of 35.  We never even fired a shot.  Still, I'll take a day on the river over a day in the office anytime and I even got to work a few ducks.  It's still early season, plenty of time to knock the rust off.

[Lancer09]

Been a big season of learning.

Killed a greenhead on saturday at 10 yards landing in the decoys.

Knocked down a ringneck and a gaddie this morning.

Doing pretty much everything self taught or from youtube it's been pretty dang rewarding figuring it all out. From decoy placement, blinds, to how far to lead birds has been quite the season to figure it all out. 

[Lancer09]

This is just turning into my seasons diary.

Nailed my first double today on a group of 4 gadwalls that came in together.  

Really hoping that the cold weather tomorrow makes a big push of birds for hunting Saturday. 

Anyone got any tips on roasting a whole duck for Christmas this year? From what I saw over on Hank Shaw's blog I should fly the legs and wings first before the whole thing goes in the oven so that I don't have to over cook the breast to get the legs and wings done.  I figure I'll be just Winging the plucking, cleaning and roasting of it. 

[Lancer09]

This last weekends cold weather definitely gave us some fresh birds. Saturday even though it was cold we picked up a few. I think it was 3 birds for three of us so not great, but Sunday it was on! Hunted til 9 with a pair of other guys and by that time we had whacked 5 gadwalls and a pair of hooded merg hens. I don't know what it is about the pond i'm hunting but it's gadwall heaven. 

The nice thing about the pond I hunt, is that it is about a mile and a half from my office. I can get a nice hunt in and get two hours in til 9, and be clocked in at work by 9:15. Today was not the case. Pond was open last night, but cold, when I parked the car this morning.... 0... when we quit at 8:30... 5 degrees. Talk about cold and frozen clear across. Strong enough to walk on near the bank but would break/crack the further out we got. We ended up stomping a whole the size of 2 or 2 and a half cars or so out there and shot a few ducks this morning. I used some Christmas BP giftcards and grabbed a lucky duck spinner. With a little open water and some motion we had a few passes of ducks and picked up 4.  Probably our best shooting day so far. I shot 2 birds on 4 shots, and another guy shot 2 birds on 5 shots.. Third shooter went o for 6. 

Unfortunately right now the closest bird is 40 yards out on the ice after it finally skidded to a stop, a couple others are closer to 60 yards out. You guys usually wait for it to thaw? Other option is go get a fishing rod with a snagging hook and try to bring them in. One budy has a little pontoon pelican boat that we may use and try to break out way out to them. All options are on the table at this point.. Until then we've just got 4 birds out in the outdoor freezer!

 

[BilletHead]

33 minutes ago, Lancer09 said:

This last weekends cold weather definitely gave us some fresh birds. Saturday even though it was cold we picked up a few. I think it was 3 birds for three of us so not great, but Sunday it was on! Hunted til 9 with a pair of other guys and by that time we had whacked 5 gadwalls and a pair of hooded merg hens. I don't know what it is about the pond i'm hunting but it's gadwall heaven. 

The nice thing about the pond I hunt, is that it is about a mile and a half from my office. I can get a nice hunt in and get two hours in til 9, and be clocked in at work by 9:15. Today was not the case. Pond was open last night, but cold, when I parked the car this morning.... 0... when we quit at 8:30... 5 degrees. Talk about cold and frozen clear across. Strong enough to walk on near the bank but would break/crack the further out we got. We ended up stomping a whole the size of 2 or 2 and a half cars or so out there and shot a few ducks this morning. I used some Christmas BP giftcards and grabbed a lucky duck spinner. With a little open water and some motion we had a few passes of ducks and picked up 4.  Probably our best shooting day so far. I shot 2 birds on 4 shots, and another guy shot 2 birds on 5 shots.. Third shooter went o for 6. 

Unfortunately right now the closest bird is 40 yards out on the ice after it finally skidded to a stop, a couple others are closer to 60 yards out. You guys usually wait for it to thaw? Other option is go get a fishing rod with a snagging hook and try to bring them in. One budy has a little pontoon pelican boat that we may use and try to break out way out to them. All options are on the table at this point.. Until then we've just got 4 birds out in the outdoor freezer!

 

                You know what they say Lancer? If i had a dollar for every bird I have retrieved with this I would be rich!

   Off of ice and from waters where I could not wade or no wind where the bird would not float to shore! I have been using this heavy floating mirrolure  for I bet ten years now. Surprised it still floats. Up until last year I had it rigged up on a bait caster . That reel is toast now dragging it through muck and mud and whatever else. I even tried to clean the grimy reel and it still won't throw it out far. Now I have it on a 4000 sized spinning reel. 

  As far as the gadwall liking your pond. They will eat water seeds but chances are more invertebrates and plant matter. They are also a fan of moss and stuff like that.

  BilletHead 

[BilletHead]

               Oh and Lancer if you go back a few years when Pat and I have hunted icy conditions a kayak is an option. A kind of dangerous option. I did some things back then I would not now,

BilletHead 

[Lancer09]

1 hour ago, BilletHead said:

 

  As far as the gadwall liking your pond. They will eat water seeds but chances are more invertebrates and plant matter. They are also a fan of moss and stuff like that.

  BilletHead 

It must be the vegetation. It's pretty mossy and has a lot of hydrilla as well. Too muddy to have much in the way of invertebrate life. They have all tasted pretty dang good so far this season. 

Closing in 20 gadwall for the season there, Mallards are the next most shot, with 3, and a mixed bag after that. 

 

Been using a canoe for retrieval most of the time and telling myself what a good boy I am when I go pick em up. Ice was completely covering the pond. Too thin to walk on. Too thick to take out and break our way through. Still only 13 out but the sun has got the top layer starting to melt a bit. Hopefully with it getting to the 30's tomorrow we can go grab them. 

[JohnP]

Honestly I can't the tell the difference in taste between gaddies and mallets but that's me and probably the way I cook them.  Guess if you threw them on a hot skillet side by side there might be.  Here lately I've been on a smoking kick and have several people say they would of never guessed it was duck and/or goose if hadn't told them.  Did 2 pounds of duck jerky, thinly sliced and hung in the smoker for approx 6 hour with hickory and it didn't last 2 hours at work a couple weeks ago.  But mine and my wifes favorite is SP&G seasoned and bacon wrapped duck or goose breast smoked with cherrywood or applewood at 235 degrees for approx 1.5 to 2 hours till it reaches a internal temp of 150-155 degrees then wrapped in foil and rested for 15 min before serving.

[Lancer09]

I've liked all of them I have cooked so far.. Except for the one I tried roasting whole. I overcooked the breast trying to get crispy skin that I never really achieved.

I've mostly been hitting them with salt and pepper and thyme. Scoring and searing the skin til crispy then a few seconds on the meat side and eating rare.

May do a batch of jerky next.