Success

[duckmen1]

Two trips and limits on both. 2 of us per day. Traveling to make it happen but the freeze helped. Need to find more areas but this was a good two days. And some extra shooting on some of them there black chickens
1st day was a mixed shoot
2nd day was a quality teal with few bonus mallard shoot
Total of 40 ducks on the year for me
And 11 black chickens

[Fowlweather25]

You like coots?

[gaddy]

doesn't everybody??

[Fowlweather25]

Haha i must have missed that boat. nice haul though!

[duckmen1]

It was a group at the end and couldn't resist. I soak all the meat over night which drains a lot of the game flavor from all my birds and then turn it all into summer sausage. You would never know. 50% ground elk and 50% waterfowl = good sandwhiches.
Everyone I go with say my sandwiches are awesome. None of them no there's coot in there. You'd be surprised what prepping meat does.

[wadu1]

Nice bag of Smiling Mallards, Soup Lips AKA spoonies

[duckmen1]

I love shooting soup lips. They are just a fun bird to work the decoys. This year I've seen more than usual too.

[duckmen1]

Another limit today. Plus a bonus snipe. 8 shots= 8 birds should have limited on all teal but screwed up an opportunity on a flock of eight teal  and only got a double. Had them sitting right in front of me in a pile so tight I could have probably limited in one shot but wanted to shoot them flying. It was a fun day though. Saw a few swans fly in. Can't believe how big they are. Sorry for the cement pics. Cam is broken so only have the iPad to take pics back home. Ice still limiting areas to go but few birds are around.

[MLBowhunting]

Cool

[seth30]

Great job on the hunting

[Kola16]

I think this is the first time I have seen someone post a picture of a snipe they got Good for you

[Bullkllr]

Good job man!

I keep telling people coot is good- they never believe me. They eat an all vegetable diet. Nice meaty breasts.
Them merganser though-kinda like fish with feathers- think I'll pass unless its some real spicey sausage

[duckmen1]

I know a farm field that's loaded with snipe. Unfortunately it's in a no shooting zone which makes them safe from me. But where I went today saw maybe a dozen. But don't want to stir the ducks up for them little guys. This one came in with a teal and shot both the teal and snipe in one shot. Worked out well. As far as the fish eaters go they will mix into the sausage with all the other meat and as long as I don't shoot many you won't know there in there.
It was fun though. Hoping to get out once or twice again this week. Not sure yet.

[duckmen1]

Another trip with another limit. If I would have shot better I would have brought more mallards and ringnecks home and wouldn't have shot the buffles but I was getting used to using a layout boat with pop open blind. Still managed a couple nice greenheads and otters were out playing in full force today. Missed a few opportunities on mallards just from lack of paying attention. One mallard had six curls. Never seen that before. All in all fun day.
2 mallard drakes
4 buffleheads, 2 drakes 2 hens
Ringneck hen

[duckmen1]

The limit pic

[Widgeondeke]

You definitely don't discriminate against any type of fowl.
 

[duckmen1]

The modo once said if it flies it dies .  It's all fun as long as I'm getting out. Total of 54 ducks, 11 coot, 1 snipe on the year. Prefer puddlers but got to take what I can get.

[LeftCoastLoren]

You definitely don't discriminate against any type of fowl.
 

Sent from my SCH-I545 using Tapatalk

[duckmen1]

More ducks from 2.5 weeks ago. 14 for 3 people. Not bad. The next trip we took we got I think 18 between 3 people. But don't have pics of the trip with 18 yet. Buddy took those pics.

[duckmen1]

Another trip from the other day. Travelled to an area I hunt usually once a year and it was awesome. First light had 60 teal and a few mallards and shovelers around us. Due to the position we were in we were trying to be patient and thought they all were gonna get within 15 yards. While the big pile held up about 50 yards had 10 at 20 yards. This is the one time of the year I didn't even shoot. Had a great time just watching. After a bit they all flew of. Kind of kicking myself for not shooting at the ten in range. But it was cool. This is what we came up with. This trip there were two of us.

[duckmen1]

Had opportunities at other birds just weren't paying attention but it was a good day.

[duckmen1]

Another trip from a week ago. Did pretty decent but had to deal with an anti hunter parking it in front of my decoys at first light. Followed me to my spot and sat in front of me. A little upset I kept my cool observing were all the birds were working and new my spot wasn't any good anyways so I packed up like I was going home and fooled the clown and he left. Repositioned and laid out 6. Couldn't keep the bluebills away and already limited on those so had to watch bluebill after bluebill fly by, swim by, etc.

[duckmen1]

And today's trip with a quick limit. Should have passed on the bufflehead and limited with all puddlers but got a bit trigger happy. 7 birds flew in 7 died. Puts me up to 84 on the year. Between shells and gas I'm going broke.

[duckmen1]

And another trip from right before Christmas. Layout boat did the trick. Wish I had positioned a bit different because mallards galore piled into another spot. But I tricked 4 into coming my way.

There's been other trips to but didn't take time to get pics.

[McCRIZZLEY]

Man you're killing it!

[pd]

Great job: "Between shells and gas I'm going broke."

Over at Elk Nut, Paul goes by the handle ElkNut1.  Judging by the successful photographs, I guess you really are DuckMan1.

[NinePiner]

Man, the mass on those spoon bills is impressive.   Must have been a good spring for bill growth

They are fun decoying birds....!  Good shootin' too.  Sheesh.

[duckmen1]

Ya hoping to hit at least 100 this season. Should be able to do it no problem if it keeps it up. Gonna take a few days off and then hit it up again.
Last year I finished with 96.
Got a spot I want to hit possibly Tuesday that is a private field that I will take my bow and see if I can get it done. Might only get a shot or two but worth a shot since I will be there anyways. Might set up the spot tomorrow. This rain should make it good there. Shots expect to be around 15 to 20 yards. That would be cool to get some with the stick and string.

[lokidog]

Good job man!

I keep telling people coot is good- they never believe me. They eat an all vegetable diet. Nice meaty breasts.
Them merganser though-kinda like fish with feathers- think I'll pass unless its some real spicey sausage

I used to fry the coot breasts up like a steak, and if you are a gizzard lover, man oh man, largest gizzard to weight ratio of anything we can shoot.   

Nice job Duckmen!

[hntrspud]

Outstanding hunts! Certainly looks like you have been able to get on birds this year fairly well. Looks like a lot of fun! Any drake spoonies this year?

[duckmen1]

About a quarter of the spoonies we've  got have been drakes but there not colored up yet. Just a faint bit of coloring starting to show on chest, beak, and head. In the pics you couldn't see that's how immature they are. Only seen a half dozen or so that are actually able to tell when they are out feeding on the water this year. I noticed these birds don't get full plumage in my area till the end of the season. Then after season in February/march they are in full plumage.

[duckmen1]

Took a look at the farm field today that I want to bring the bow to and the water is rising a bit but not enough yet. And didn't see any birds in the spot. So hoping to notice some Tuesday while I'm out and about to see about dropping a nice greenhead with a bow.

[duckmen1]

Another day. 3 birds. Would have done good but another group of 7 decided to screw my hunt today. 6 were hunting there setup while the boatman kept driving the boat toward my end of lake flushing all the ducks toward there group. Shooting extremely far from what the other hunters told me. All morning long here came the boat up and down the lake. Other hunters made it known that they were annoyed too. They then started plucking feathers in the parking area leaving a mess. And that is after I let them have the spot I was gonna hunt. I could keep going on about them but it won't change. So I'm done with that.
Anyways 87 on the year
Saw mostly divers today

[sakoshooter]

Another day. 3 birds. Would have done good but another group of 7 decided to screw my hunt today. 6 were hunting there setup while the boatman kept driving the boat toward my end of lake flushing all the ducks toward there group. Shooting extremely far from what the other hunters told me. All morning long here came the boat up and down the lake. Other hunters made it known that they were annoyed too. They then started plucking feathers in the parking area leaving a mess. And that is after I let them have the spot I was gonna hunt. I could keep going on about them but it won't change. So I'm done with that.
Anyways 87 on the year
Saw mostly divers today

What they were doing is against the law. Did you call anyone? Sounds like as long as it was going on that a game warden would have had time to get there possibly. I'd love to see these type of hunters get ticketed so they're not out there next time.

[duckmen1]

Ya I figured it would be considered harassment to wildlife. No I did not call it in couldn't remember the number to call but I will be putting the number in the phone and if I see them again I will have there license plate and info all ready before the hunt to call right away. I am pretty sure it was the same group that left about 75 shells in that spot two weeks prior. They probably left shells again.

[GrampasGuns]

To report game violations dial 911. That is what every single warden has ever told me. Calling a wdfw # will get you almost no where, especially on the weekend.

[duckmen1]

I heard that you call 911 but it seems 911 would have more important calls that a guy running his boat at ducks. I heard they get a little upset with calls about such.

[duckmen1]

This was the other day. Hardly saw a thing in the fog. Got the two that came in range.
Teal and ruddy

[duckmen1]

Another foggy day the other day and did a bit better. Would have limited but still struggling out of the layout boat. But having a blast.

[duckmen1]

Today was a great day. We shot 9 ducks and 4 geese between the two of us. We tore up the birds that got within range.

[duckmen1]

Puts me over my goal for the year. I went into triple digets on ducks. Have 101 ducks, 1 snipe, a few geese, and around 15 or so coot. I might just wrap up the season with that after today's hunt. Great year. Very different with birds than years past but was able to make it a great season.

[wadu1]

Good for you, this has been my worst season ever. I only get to hunt weekends, I have only missed 4 days this year and up to a grand total of 23 ducks and no geese. Did the Brant thing today up north and never popped a cap. I'm glad I got the two cases of shells, I'm saving them for next year.

[jason stevens]

Congradulations I only hunted birds a few years got lots of greenheads but never put a goose down very nice!

[duckmen1]

A 100 duck goal haunted me since last season had 96 and then the last two weeks never made it out. So I figured I would go for it this year and had my ups and downs but it stayed steady and was able to get it done. Got the old mossberg 935 functioning great now after almost two years of trying to figure it out. Now that I fixed a problem on it it has performed flawless the past two trips out. And it is one waterfowl killing machine with the pattern it throws.great season but definably put the time and effort into making my success what it was.
And those geese were the first geese My buddy and I have gotten in two years.So I was thrilled.

[Tealer]

doesn't everybody??

Yep

[h2ofowlr]

You guys have been hammering the smiling mallards.  Running cleanup on the duck grounds.   

[lokidog]

doesn't everybody??

Yep

   That's a lot of cleaning!

[LeftCoastLoren]

You guys have been hammering the smiling mallards.  Running cleanup on the duck grounds.   

[duckmen1]

Had a few minutes in the evening so took one last trip and tried to jump shoot. Got one goose. Nocked feathers off another but it kept flying. And shot and missed a teal. Still last bird of season a nice goose. Can't beat it.