Anyone here enjoy classic duck hunts?

[fethrduster]

I'm in my 40's and have gotten to the point where the best duck hunt I can envision would be the back end of marshy bay in my layout boat, a nice thermos of coffee, a dozen or two dekes(perhaps even hand carved), a nice classic sxs double, maybe even a beautiful old damascus hammer gun with 2.5" loads of #4 ITX or Nice shot, and a few selected birds called in and brought to bag, with many not even shot at, and just enjoyed as they pour into the dekes right on top of me.  

I can't imagine anything better than that.  Does anyone here share this sensibility, or is it all 3 1/2" plastic magnums and anything less than a limit is a failure?  I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I am genuinely curious if anyone else sees the world this way.   Thanks for your time.

[singleshot12]

Yeah I think or at least I hope most people in their 40's cherish a traditional quality hunt rather than a quantity hunt, I know I do. I know my dog wouldn't agree though,lol..    It really is much more relaxing and enjoyable when your not competing and worrying about killing a limit when the main goal is to just be out there.

[sakoshooter]

I can understand what you're trying to say. I can appreciate a 'quality' hunt over a 'quantity' hunt any day.

[rtspring]

After two fights this year duck hunting I think I may choose to never hunt ducks again.....

[The Weazle]

I try to make every waterfowl outing a quality hunt.  Bag limits just make it a bonus.  There are so many slob hunters here on the west side its really hard to have a quality outing anymore though.

[h2ofowlr]

Just like paying for a nice vacation that's where a leased or private spot can take you.  It can be well worth the expense to get those quality hunts.  A boat can also help get you to some of those spots as well.  I enjoy those hunts, but to often on public spots, you get over crowding, skybusting and constant over calling.  I don't enjoy that. 
The dog and I sitting in a private spot check out and watching the birds work and picking the ducks you want to shoot.   

[Idahocougar]

I'd rather shoot fewer ducks and have a quality hunt than have to fight for a quantity hunt. Just takes the fun out of it when your have to get to your spot at 3am and there is a hunter every 200 yards or so.

[fast60eddie]

After two fights this year duck hunting I think I may choose to never hunt ducks again.....

Tell the story about the two fights. I had one when I was 35 years old. Some clown approached my son 12 yrs old and myself. We had no idea who he was he asked to see our licenses. I asked who he was while opening my wallet. Bam as soon as he saw what he wanted he grabbed it spun around got my sons and started to leave. He shouted something about picking them up at the local sheriff office. Man was I shocked I looked at Eric and could that I was not the hero in his life anymore. I yelled at the guy and he just kept going another look at Eric and I really felt dumb. So I told the Bum that what he did was like stealing a woman's purse and that I could let him leave. I was scared cause he was taller and aggressive. But oh boy when the medics showed up this crumb earned a full turban head dress a good tight wrapping around his ribcage and they tied hisarm to his body with his hand sticking up wrapped in gaze with Popsicle sticks poking out. The dumb SOB took a pretty good beating. I was lucky that when I was fishing through his pockets I did find our license's when the police showed up they were in his favor and we nervous but King county Sheriff arrived and took over. They asked where the license's were and he the crumb dug them out of his pocket with good  hand and bam again She said what are you doing with their property and how did you get it he looked like I punched him in the ribs again. Fun to tell this story but the fact is I was pretty uncomfortable at the time and felt bad for my son.

[Curly]

I miss the old days of hunting ducks with my 20ga and 2 3/4 inch shells with 1oz of 6's.  May have to get get some 20 ga duck shells again and go give it a try with the old gear.

Fasteddie, good for you........I like to hear good endings to a story like that.  Way to go.

[BigGoonTuna]

i just like to see the birds flying and coming into the decoys.  taking a couple home is A-ok in my book.  you won't find any $1500 3 1/2" guns or $150 duck calls on any of the guys i hunt with.

[Tealer]

For this reason I have really begun to love diver hunting. Seems no be less people after them and every time I get in the UFO I kinda fell at peace. Sounds strange but when the tender pulls away, it's just you and the ducks. This also has me pondering a private club. I just hate paying to hunt, seems morally wrong.

[Special T]

I started hunting with a 20 ga and lead # 4 shot on a piece of private ground we could not start shooting till 8am!  Always limited out, and got me hooked hunting with my father... I always look back at those days as the highlight of my hunting days... i have better gear and a good hunting dog now but i always think back to the days when i was 10 and hunting with my father....

[fast60eddie]

I got started the wrong way sneaking and cheating with a young kid. To this and for ever I'll be grateful for his path crossing mine. While he was a hard working great shot cheating and everything else young man. He showed me how ducks will return to a call. I went my own way to avoid troubles and have enjoyed 18 seasons with being a bad guy. I to this day still find it to be euphoric when birds respond to the call. I don't even have to carry box of now I just like to see what happens. Another 18 seasons like the this last would suit me right well. Cory' It is my hope that you have sown your Oates and have become a responsible productive member of society and thank for that first two weeks of hunting.

[fethrduster]

Great comments all.  Thank you.

[ducksdogsdownriggers]

I'm in my 40's and have gotten to the point where the best duck hunt I can envision would be the back end of marshy bay in my layout boat, a nice thermos of coffee, a dozen or two dekes(perhaps even hand carved), a nice classic sxs double, maybe even a beautiful old damascus hammer gun with 2.5" loads of #4 ITX or Nice shot, and a few selected birds called in and brought to bag, with many not even shot at, and just enjoyed as they pour into the dekes right on top of me.  

I can't imagine anything better than that.  Does anyone here share this sensibility, or is it all 3 1/2" plastic magnums and anything less than a limit is a failure?  I hope I'm not offending anyone, but I am genuinely curious if anyone else sees the world this way.   Thanks for your time.

You are on the top of the 5 Stages of a Hunter-a true sportsman.   Link to the 5 stages of hunter development: http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/hunter-stages.php
I am somewhere between the Trophy stage and the Method stage. 

[Stilly bay]

they left out the 6th stage... pretentious snob hunter.

Im not sure where Im at. I use plastic, camo-coated, 3 &1/2" belching, single barreled-semi autos... and gortex - probably because I like to stay dry, I don't like watching my gun encrusted in rust, and I want kill swat a crippled using only one shell.

I will save my oiled cloth, and my spanish doubles, and my setters for the grouse woods and pheasant fields.

this duck season I found my self at a particular spot more often than chasing the X. this spot is mainly a pass shooting/ambush deal -which takes patience and restraint. I have shot limits there but day in day out its good for about three or four ducks. what I love about it is that I can see for miles in every direction. I can watch how the ducks travel, and how the sandpipers play the wind in enormous flocks of tiny birds, and how long it takes for you to hear a distant flock of snows take flight after you actually see them do it.

maybe I will be hardcore again next year.

[Maverick]

I just enjoy getting out in the great outdoors!

[Stickerbush]

how about traditional waterfowling? carve your own decoys, make your own calls etc. maybe even load your own shells. I dont hardly limit but if I'm seeing a good amount of birds and drop a few I'm pretty much happy.

who knows what stage I'm in, depends on the species I'm hunting

[CP]

I used to carve my own decoys back before I could afford to buy them.  That was kind of cool but more than anything from the “good ole days” that I miss is genuine lead shot shells.  Good ole nasty, toxic lead that would crush a duck or goose stone dead at unbelievable ranges.  Cheap, effective lead, yes, those were the good ole days.

[carver52]

Over the past few years I've been using a couple of piroques/canoes I built out of plywood that get me to many more places on public waters than I'd ever be able to hike into.  They carry all the carved cork decoys I want to use that day.  My lab I train myself so with those three things, I get to extend my season all year.    Also, the past two seasons I've been able to enjoy the 13 foot sneak boat I also built.  With a electric motor I can get out and either sneak with it or use it as a layout boat. 

But, I do use an 11-87 semi auto, use factory shells and also gortex and modern waders.  My thermos is new and serves up some real hot coffee or tea.  While the public areas on weekends can be a real zoo, hunting during the week can provide near perfect hunts and sometimes no one else is even in hearing distance.  This past season hunting in the mid Columbia basin I even took my first snow goose, on the river in a popular public area.  But it was during the work week.  And since I've been waterfowling for over 30 years now, that was surprising.

Hope everyone can find their perfect hunts this next season.

[fethrduster]

You are on the top of the 5 Stages of a Hunter-a true sportsman.   Link to the 5 stages of hunter development: http://www.nodakoutdoors.com/hunter-stages.php
I am somewhere between the Trophy stage and the Method stage.  

Thanks for the link to this great article.  I do think it is spot on.  I have gone through all those stages in my life, although, to be truthful, I've always been a purist at heart, even when young, preferring flyfishing and tying my own flies, shooting a longbow instead of a compound, and yes, I have a setter and belong to a pointing dog club (I'm mostly an upland hunter now).  That said, we're all different, and I think that's a great thing.