Finally my first real duck hunt

I have been out so many time in the past season and a half and all I had to show for it was 3 ducks

I decided that I was going to head over to the Mississippi river yesterday morning and try hunting over there. It turned out to be a great Idea.

We set up in a blind and prayed for the next 20 min that the people that built the blind did not come and kick us out. They did not 10 min before shooting time we could hear ducks flying every place. Then we had two birds land in our Decoys on my side of the blind. It was now shooting time and I decided I would jump the birds and shoot. I did that and I dumped the first bird and the was distracted by the 10 others that had landed that we did not see or hear hit the water.

As I am reloading we had a single come in and after my brother shot two times I had to back him up So I quickly decided to go out and grab the two birds. I for some reason did not bring my gun with me and when I went to grab that 2nd bird it got up and flew away On my way back to the blind we had a single work in and my brother dumped it. Then we had a 30 min window in which we watched 100’s of birds flying really high. Then we had a pair circle two times and drop into the decoys and we killed both of them. That was followed by another single and a few missed shots Around 10:15 we had a good group of birds working us, the circled 8 times and finally came into the wind and cupped their wings and we took three out of that group.

We had a chance to finish out our limit but we missed a group of teal that came in with the wind and were moving about 115 MPH

This was my best duck hunt ever. Now I know what it is like to not be frustrated about going a whole week with out a shot. We ended up with 4 Mallards, 2 Pintails, and 2 shovelers. My brother got the Drake Pintail, but he also got the two shovlers.

Jeremy

tennispro:

You would have loved your hunt had you not shot a duck. The river at times like that where there are numbers of birds working an area is a soul moving experience!!! You know its one thing to drive up and down the river during the migration, but to be in the middle of it is really indescribable. I along with many guys on this site have had nights where we are picking up decoys and got mallards or woodies by the hundreds piling in on top of you. It really is the best part of duck hunting, IMHO!!! Glad to hear your hunt was successful!!!

Mark

tennispro:

You would have loved your hunt had you not shot a duck. The river at times like that where there are numbers of birds working an area is a soul moving experience!!! You know its one thing to drive up and down the river during the migration, but to be in the middle of it is really indescribable. I along with many guys on this site have had nights where we are picking up decoys and got mallards or woodies by the hundreds piling in on top of you. It really is the best part of duck hunting, IMHO!!! Glad to hear your hunt was successful!!!

Mark

You sure that’s two pins?? That one looks like a Wigeon…..hard to tell for sure in the picture….
Looks like you had a fun time anyway!!!!!!
Whatsa

You sure that’s two pins?? That one looks like a Wigeon…..hard to tell for sure in the picture….
Looks like you had a fun time anyway!!!!!!
Whatsa

That’s awesome guys. I have shot a few ducks this year, but have yet to have a stellar day.

I experience a delicious recipe that I have to share. Sorry Tim D. if it was suppose to be a secret, but I can’t hold back any longer.

Try this and you’ll want to be hammering everyday.

marinade:
1/2 bottle of cheap merlot
Strong cup of brown suger
1 garlic minced
Favorite steak seasoning.

Let marinade for about 24 hours and BBQ to medium rare. I tried some last weekend and it was honestly the best fowl I have ever eaten. It tastes like it came from a fancy restraunt.

Good shooting.

That’s awesome guys. I have shot a few ducks this year, but have yet to have a stellar day.

I experience a delicious recipe that I have to share. Sorry Tim D. if it was suppose to be a secret, but I can’t hold back any longer.

Try this and you’ll want to be hammering everyday.

marinade:
1/2 bottle of cheap merlot
Strong cup of brown suger
1 garlic minced
Favorite steak seasoning.

Let marinade for about 24 hours and BBQ to medium rare. I tried some last weekend and it was honestly the best fowl I have ever eaten. It tastes like it came from a fancy restraunt.

Good shooting.

So that’s what I’m doing wrong. I need to start working the river! Glad to hear you had a good day out. I’m aiming for one of those in the next week or so.

So that’s what I’m doing wrong. I need to start working the river! Glad to hear you had a good day out. I’m aiming for one of those in the next week or so.

Whatsa
We had two different guys look at the Pintails because I was not for sure. The drake did not have the long pin feathers, so everyone said they thought it was a young bird.

Jeremy

Whatsa
We had two different guys look at the Pintails because I was not for sure. The drake did not have the long pin feathers, so everyone said they thought it was a young bird.

Jeremy

Its not all the rivers around here that are producing. I have a blind on the Rock River and have hunted it 8 times and we have only killed two Gadwalls. A good day on the Rock is seeing 20 birds, and getting a shot at maybe one group.

Jeremy

Its not all the rivers around here that are producing. I have a blind on the Rock River and have hunted it 8 times and we have only killed two Gadwalls. A good day on the Rock is seeing 20 birds, and getting a shot at maybe one group.

Jeremy

A closer look at the birds

A closer look at the birds

Nice Pintail! I forgot what they looked like in MN

Nice Pintail! I forgot what they looked like in MN

No doubt about that being a widgeon
Great story too
I stopper down at Fort Snelling park last Thursday to glass the waters for new birds.
There was a flock of about 80 widgeon, many in full dress
Good luck
cheers

No doubt about that being a widgeon
Great story too
I stopper down at Fort Snelling park last Thursday to glass the waters for new birds.
There was a flock of about 80 widgeon, many in full dress
Good luck
cheers