Late Season Grind

[Deltaman]

With 20-25 mph NW winds predicted to blow Saturday, decided to wait until daylight and so a scout before making a decision on where to hunt. Spent the first hour searching, and despite the strong winds, did not find an appreciable amount of ducks until we decided to go back and pick up the blind material that Dustin had cut and stuck the day before, and we noticed quite a few birds in the windy side of the shallow bay near where he had hunted. Pulled the bamboo and Roseau cane, re-bundled, and eased up the East side of the bay, watching as group after group of Gadwalls picked up off the rough water. What is it with these damn birds............a perfectly calm side to the bay, but hell no, they want to sit out in the rough stuff!!!!! Stuck a blind in the pocket that yielded the most birds, and set our late season spread of 5+ dz coot and 15 Gadwalls. Spent the first 15 minutes chasing errant decoys that did not have sufficient weight to hold them damn wind was kickin' chicken! Don't think I have ever been so humbled when shooting as I was Saturday. It is amazing how distorted a shot pattern can become in a strong wind, and I could not seem to get far enough ahead of birds to kill'em........ugh! Despite birds pitching to the decoys as they should, we didn't drop a bird out of the first three groups that pitched And the third group was the biggest wad of Gadwalls we've had pitch all year, numbering 50+ We got all screwed up with the timing when I asked Dustin if he though we should take the 3 birds that were on top of us instead of waiting for the whole group, and he misunderstood me, thinking I said to take'm Neither one of us dropped a bird out of that group, and we could only laugh, but with a mouthful of disgust! After that first shot, all bets are off on those birds in the wind! Finally got settled in and pecked one here and there as the day progressed. Started the hunt at 9:00 a.m. and finally called it around 3:00 p.m., flat "wo out". Ended the day with 6 Gadwalls and 1 Red head, and lost 2 more gadwalls. Should've easily had a limit, as we both shot 2 boxes of shells Was still gently rocking when I took a shower Saturday night Despite our poor shooting, this was probably one of the most exciting hunts of the year for us, and only serves to confirm that it is not always a full bag that makes the hunt. Another great day in our delta!

Dustin with the hard won money shot


The blind/set/up


Know it looks somewhat odd out in the open, but very common here, as the birds (95% Gadwalls) become wary of the bank.

[aunt betty]

Couple years ago we had a drought and it made some weird hunts where I was dragging my boat/blind as close to shore as possible. That year I hammered the grey ducks and now I know why. My spread was way out in the lake and so was my blind cuz the water was so shallow. My Spot had turned into a mud flat.

Had pics of my blind and it was not hidden at all. Posted em and people were laughin. They never saw the straps of Gadwalls I got.

[Rick]

Abandoning wind-blown water for protected water must not have worked out so well for them in the past. But what's more surprising to me is that they didn't fear that sort of blinding, given what I gather of your area's pressure.

[Deltaman]

Abandoning wind-blown water for protected water must not have worked out so well for them in the past. But what's more surprising to me is that they didn't fear that sort of blinding, given what I gather of your area's pressure.

Rick, that is the most common form of blinding in our area, and yes, they will become blind shy. Funny thing that I have learned over the years is that they will become blind shy, but usually only on existing blinds that they apparently have been shot at from in the past. I have found that if you stick a new blind in an area that they are using, it will take them a little while to get wise............and is really more of a conditioned response. That is another reason that I will typically take my blind down after a successful hunt, lest it gets hunted day in and day out, as any successful blind in the area will be. My only saving grace for success this year has been because most hunters are too lazy to go through the effort, and opt to get in an existing blind............lazy suckas!!!!!!!! I tell myself I'm getting too old for this shet, but find myself gladly willing when there are ducks that need to be hunted