I fixed the spot in my mind and planned a return as soon as I could swing it. First, three birds, and then three more small flocks, sailing in from down the creek. The ducks seem to come from everywhere—or out of nowhere. It will swallow a five-gallon bucket, easy, and I stuff the bucket with a spinning-wing decoy cushioned with camo netting. Black ducks will circle a beaver pond endlessly, then turn away for no apparent reason. Am I too close to the open water? Ducks won’t land over decoys. I wait another half hour, then pull the decoys. Minnie whined, as if knowing what was about to happen.

It’s inevitable that some birds will land on the other side of the pond or swamp. The good luck comes after I pass up some early shots on edge-of-range wood ducks and wait through an hour of duckless skies. This is my third crack at these birds in eight days. Mallards, however, go where other greenheads went. It’s true that most beaver pond shots will be close, but late in the season ducks are overly cautious even about the seemingly safe havens of pocket water. In fact, no other duck hides in undercut banks or streamside vegetation as well as a woodie.
For the last 10 years I've had a stalwart swamp buddy in my son, Jack. The fact that I've been after them, single-mindedly, for more than a week speaks to one benefit of hunting solo: I never have to coordinate with anyone else's schedule. She's a small retriever, barely 50 pounds, and on these swamp hunts she has to swim to keep up, pulling herself over blowdowns and beaver dams, then paddling around in the dark while I attach her tree stand. We all know how often you can wake up in the middle of the night, drive an hour or more, haul decoys and blinds, hide the dog, watch the sun rise, and still go home skunked. Mallards, however, go where other greenheads went. It was 26 degrees at 5:30 a.m. Heck, yes. The tree stand put us at eye level, an unusual arrangement, but a fitting one given that she's my equal partner now. If you haven’t scouted, find a point or clump of shrubs near both open water and more heavily vegetated pocket water. If there’s any chance at all for ice-up, add a half-hour, minimum, and bring a portable spotlight. A wood duck hunt over decoys — one of my favorite forms of 'fowling — is set to begin. Maybe going at it solo isn't worth going at all. As usual, poor Minnie couldn't catch a break. The loops should be about 2 to 3 feet apart. You can learn more about him by visiting his Instagram.

Kill it. That's when I begin to question what I am really after in the swamp. Different duck species seem to behave differently in beaver ponds. Copyright © 2020 Field & Stream. These days I’m likely to go retro with the best jerk cord you’ll ever see in action. Her collar clattered as she shook, showering me from head to waist. Woodies tend to be especially vocal on the water, and their contented squeals and chuckles are all the confirmation you need to plan a hunt.

And happy to have company. And I made the tough call to leave Minnie behind. The less I gave these birds to look at, the better. This is when patience and discipline are virtues. I ditched my bucket seat for a plan to hug a tree, which would give me a lower profile.

If more than two flights of mallards snub your set for some other corner of the swamp, move your decoys swiftly. I didn't want to just shoot a duck.

Adding movement to your decoys can play big dividends during the waiting hours. Site by Gray Loon. Tie one end of the bungee cord to the end of the decoy line near the last loop. I looked around and the second-guessing began. ©2020 Jordan Outdoor Enterprises, Ltd. All rights reserved. We've hunted together so often that we can load the canoe, paddle across the swamp channel, and set the decoys without saying a word. Two dozen decoys in the hole. She mops my face again, an unwitting thanks for my overnight change of heart.

Get the gun barrel moving. Tie five 6- to 8-inch-long loops into the last 20 feet of one end of the decoy line, using overhand knots. The paint on wooden blocks is less … I pulled her up onto her stand and barely twisted away in time. He's grown from a little kid I had to carry across creek channels to a trusted companion who can haul more weight than his old man is able to. She's a cuddler, and on a long sit she'll lean into my side, partly to share body warmth but also as if to say: We're in this together. And don’t pass up good shots. If your favorite pond seems to be drawing fewer ducks, look up and down the watershed for places where beavers have recently migrated. Those ducks had rejected us twice. Some of my favorite beaver ponds are resting sites, and they don’t come alive until long past dawn.

I gave her a hug and she licked my face with her typical gusto. Beaver pond birds can come very early, especially if you’re targeting wood ducks. On a long hike in, her eyes reflect my headlamp in yellow pinpricks bouncing through the woods, a comforting presence.

First, a half dozen ducks set their wings and settled down 80 yards up the swamp. Next come the decoys—maybe a half dozen, with another four or five on a jerk cord. In these situations, there’s frequently too much water, so you scouted the pond carefully to pin down the exact pocket of open water where the birds want to be. This time, Minnie saw them first, or sensed them first, and I followed her rigid gaze down the swamp. Finding firm footage in beaver ponds is difficult, so stomp around and get your feet in position now, before you have to shoot. I gritted my teeth and shook my head. Duck hunting in swamp ponds south Texas. No matter how long you stay, it's always a half hour shorter than you should have. After the initial sunrise flurry, it’s important to find every cripple you can.

The whole rig fits in your pocket and goes up in less than five minutes. Field & Stream may receive financial compensation for products purchased through this site. While I still have duck-hunting pals who share a blind and canoe, I find myself on my own more often than ever. Hunting with a buddy or a small group of pit pals seasons each experience with laughter and good-natured ribbing. I fold the first duck that shows, the lead drake mallard in a threesome that comes in on a string, just like all the others, straight down the swamp, setting big orange feet without a second thought. It gives up to five decoys a surprising amount of motion, with a minimal amount of movement on your part. I was already scrambling my mental calendar to clear out yet another morning. Long before I had a duck boat, a duck dog, or a duck lease, I had strong legs, strong lungs, and a love of swamps. And there's no doubt that many hands make the tough work of duck hunting easier. A Bonnier Corporation Company. There are no more voices. You’ll have to navigate creek channels, beaver dams, and boot-sucking mud, so give yourself plenty of time for the often difficult hump into a beaver pond. Vent your frustration by hanging a few aluminum pie pans in trees located in the far corners of the beaver pond, away from your set-up. Ten o'clock ducks. An older beaver pond or swamp that fills with ducks at sunset might be empty of birds just a few minutes past legal shooting light as they depart for distant feeding grounds. Place decoys in each. No chance of getting turned around now. I wanted those ducks. Plenty of wood ducks are jump shot or taken on float trips, but for me these pursuits pale in comparison to the thrill of shooting them over blocks. Young ponds and flooded swamps are a hunter’s best bet, because rich, flooded soils produce a flush of edible plants, from duckweed to wild rice. However, I advise against that. They simply knew exactly where they wanted to be. Today, one seems to be the perfect number. It didn't seem as if they flared. My two concessions to middle age are a knee brace and a collapsible walking stick. Nor can you expect them to obey the rules. Minnie and I slipped out quietly. Carry small pruning shears to trim away overhanging brush or briars that will snag your coat sleeve as you turn to fire a highball at a cruising flock. A face full of dog slobber seems to help. My blind bag goes on top of all this, and I cinch down the pack top. Part of the trick to embracing a solo hunt is to separate the concepts of being alone and feeling lonely.

In low-light situations, beaver ponds toss up tricky shooting situations. All told, the gear and pack and gun and shells weigh close to four million pounds. Tie a snap swivel to the end of each loop. Or so it seems, some mornings. It's been a bittersweet evolution. You're not really alone. Here’s how to stack the odds in your favor for those times when nothing seems to go right. I now hunt over plastics exclusively. But there was something about the way those ducks had skimmed the trees that first morning, slipping in behind me after I'd pulled the plug on the hunt. Know what’s in the bag so you’ll be clear on what remains of your bag limit. It would be Pritch's first duck hunt. Try not to horse around during the slow periods. Maybe I should try the hunt without Minnie.

You may need to find—or create—open water. Shoot ‘em like doves: Move that gun barrel fast, pull the trigger as you block out the bird, and keep swinging. They might be just enough of a deterrent to steer birds to your blind. Make sure to remove these sneaky scarecrows on your way out. Now tie the last snap swivel to the other end of the bungee. Hunt together with the same friends year after year and they accrete a varnish of shared moments that brings a certain luster to the memories of a hunt. And there are times when it can be pretty close to impossible. I've committed three good mornings chasing just a handful of birds during the peak of migration, when there is no guarantee they will stick around. I couldn't bring myself to tell her that she'd have to stay home. Reproduction in whole or in part without permission is prohibited. Things had gotten personal. Was I nervous for my pup? The first half hour passed without a single big duck overhead, and I settled down on a five-gallon bucket to wait. Backstrap with Mayonnaise and Montreal Steak Seasoning, 12 Reasons Why Your Venison Tastes Like Hell. Heavy and wet, the water beading on its impossibly green head. Before dawn breaks, decide on who calls the shots and who takes the low bird. For many duck hunters, waterfowling is a social pursuit. Wood ducks are known to vanish when disturbed, even if not by gunfire. Old beaver ponds still attract ducks, but mostly for roosting. I start with an oversized decoy bag, the kind with a strong backpack-style shoulder harness system and a padded back. Concealment is critical. All rights reserved. Ducks always light into the wind. I've been chasing a midseason mix of mallards and black ducks that have given me the slip twice already. If more than two flights of mallards snub your set for some other corner of the swamp, move your decoys swiftly. Another challenge is hauling all the gear by yourself, especially when walking in to hunt. Those deeper waters stay ice-free longer and can be a late-winter magnet when surrounding ponds freeze up. Even older ponds, however, can produce a fine duck shoot. I loved seeing him mature into a mentor for others, so I knew this time would come. I WAS LUCKY I'D FOUND A FEW DUCKS IN AN ACCESSIBLE SPOT.

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