AL Coastal Weekend Report

[Deltaman]

Launched just after daylight Saturday, with intentions of scouting for a Sunday hunt. Launched several miles North of the causeway to check some creeks that will on occasion, hold a few Mallards late season. Spent all morning searching, but with the recent flood waters upstate still spilling through the marsh, the birds were still spread out. Pulled the boat out around 11:00 a.m., stopped and got a bite to eat, and re-launched on the causeway. Spent the afternoon searching, and finally found a few bird using an area near the bank, and decide that was where we were going to hunt for Sunday. LST Sunday morning found us blinded out at the end of a point, with a mostly coot spread (5 dz coots and 3 dz gadwall decoys to "match the hatch"), and although the birds were not plentiful, enough trickled in throughout the morning for us to have a decent hunt. Started out all drakes, as we whacked 4 redheads out of a big group that dropped in early, and it was a gadwall here and there that made up our bag,. We added two bluebills late in the morning out of desperation after passing them up for several hours, and watching more redheads light and swim through our decoys. Never got that 12th bird, but should've easily had it. With the strong 20-25 mph NW wind, I felt like I was shooting a cap gun!!!!!

Dustin, my stepson, with the money shot:


Pic of our point set-up

[Darren]

Very nice!

[Rick]

Don't be telling folks 'bout dem coots.

[DComeaux]

Nice strap, and your set up looks good!

[Deltaman]

Don't be telling folks 'bout dem coots.

When I started really getting after'em in the 70's, I quickly realized the power of coots in the spread, especially late season, based on what I was seeing. My hunting partner and I bought a dozen each, and longed for more, but just couldn't justify spending the extra money.

[Rick]

One of the first old Cajuns I hunted with down here used a coot raft and six or eight decoys. Was an eye-opener.

Now that I'm back in the marsh, I'd feel naked without my raft of coots, but I lack the balls to pare my ducks as thin as he, or you, did. Don't want to be the butt of "That dumb ass had us trying to kill ducks over coot decoys." talk after something else screwed our pooch.

[SpinnerMan]

Don't want to be the butt of "That dumb ass had us trying to kill ducks over coot decoys." talk after something else screwed our pooch.

I hunted a number of years with the same snow goose outfitter. One of the last trips he put us in a dirt field. Not a speck of vegetation. If this was the first trip and it turned out a bust, I would be convinced to this day the guy was a fucking moron and have never gone again or ever recommended him as I have to many people. Since I already knew he was not, I was still skeptical, and given that was probably our best day of the trip, no complaints. Still seems bizarre that geese decoyed into bare dirt all day. I know I'd view a raft of coot decoys the same way.

[simplepeddler]

Great post! That's a nice any day!

[Rick]

I know I'd view a raft of coot decoys the same way.

I catch crap about mine pretty regularly as is.