Rick wrote:Never fooled with a bilge pump splasher, because one would clog so quickly in our habitat, but i've found my modified Mallard Machine splasher pretty easy enough to over-do on big ducks that seldom splash it with them. And have long guessed that pulsers that can't be shut off before birds are close might become suspicious produce the same finishing issues for wary birds.
Duck Engr wrote:Good info, thanks Darren! I think it was a higdon splasher. I can’t exactly recall but do remember seeing wires.
Your envy will be shortlived, as we came crashing back to reality on the next day’s huntRick wrote:Been a few seasons since we've had a dozen mallards on the same strap, and haven't seen 35 of them in the same flight since leaving Yankee land. Pretty jealous just now.
Ricky Spanish wrote:I get caught looking at the wrong birds and don't even notice when others land. Its why the guys I know sit all wonky in their boat facing opposite directions.
That's an unusual tactic.
jrock75 wrote:Nice looking hole
Duck Engr wrote:Date: 1/29/23
Time: morning
Location: river
Cloud Cover: socked in with fog. Could barely see treetops for the longest time.
Wind Direction and Velocity: barely a breath from the northwest. Forecast was for 10 mph from the south….
Temperature: low 50s
Moon phase: still waxing
Special Notes: last hunt of the season. By 830 we had 2 ducks and I was fine with leaving. My buddy insisted we give it till 9. Glad he did.
Waterfowl Activity: could hear occasional ducks above us in the fog. Would see flashes of them now and then. Fog started to lift a little just before 9, and brought with it a little flurry of ducks.
Waterfowl Responsiveness: ducks from the north would want to play. Ducks coming from south couldn’t be bothered. We drake whistled and feed chattered most of the morning.
Hunters: 2
Guns:
Malfunctions: got caught up in the current headed down river back to the boat ramp and took a stout limb to the ribs, which threw me to the floor of the boat. Still feeling that one. Luckily my life jacket saved my ribs but my left shoulder wasn’t so lucky up against the corner of my floatation pod. Not having reverse makes life difficult headed down river. You make split second decisions and have to stick with them. Also broke off my switch for my nav lights trying to lean out the back of the boat to grab a duck that was too close to downed trees for the slough boat.
Dog(s): needed one or two badly as it was a mad scramble to the slough boat after every volley to catch ducks before current took them.
Special Equipment:
Curses: nada from me on a foggy no wind day.
Kudos: exceeded expectations with the weather hand we were dealt.
Birds By Species: 7 mallards. 1 wood duck
Photo Ops:
Lagniappe: I started out shooting like I’d never held a gun before and about mid morning we switched and I started shooting well while my buddy couldn’t hit the water. Should’ve filled and am confident we would have with sunshine as we lost a few groups that worked us and got uneasy with the cloud cover. Still a nice way to end the season.
https://www.themeateater.com/hunt/waterfowl/why-do-you-see-so-many-ducks-after-the-season
Once the duck season begins, mallards quickly adapt to survive, spending their nights feeding on private, flooded agriculture and flying back to the refuge before shooting light in the morning. They spend the remainder of the day on these sanctuaries and do not fly out to feed until after sunset. The mallards remain on this strict regiment for the entirety of the season unless a substantial weather event forces them to move.
Duck Engr wrote:It’s kind of ironic that the things that kill them, shotguns, may also be responsible for their survival. If shotguns were silent, we’d kill a whole lot more of them.
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