Hunting Washington Forum

Other Hunting => Waterfowl => Topic started by: mattaylor81 on November 06, 2009, 02:43:00 PM

Title: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: mattaylor81 on November 06, 2009, 02:43:00 PM
Anyone have any luck today?  A buddy and I got skunked today.  There were a bunch of ducks flying at daybreak but they were to high and dead set on getting out of town.  Shot at a few but wasn't able to connect today. 
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: General Disarray on November 06, 2009, 06:30:36 PM
been a good week so far.  Limits sat and sun, again on Wednesday, 5 yesterday and another limit this morning.  Can't wait til the birds get here! :hello:
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: AKBowman on November 06, 2009, 07:27:01 PM
been a good week so far.  Limits sat and sun, again on Wednesday, 5 yesterday and another limit this morning.  Can't wait til the birds get here! :hello:

You hunting private or public
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: General Disarray on November 06, 2009, 09:23:19 PM
extremely public
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: pjb3 on November 07, 2009, 01:58:34 PM
I can guarantee limits, U hunt the salts?
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: h2ofowlr on November 07, 2009, 05:56:58 PM
Took 3 guys out this morning.  We were limited by 9:00.  The wind and rain helped.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: Thenewguy on November 07, 2009, 06:02:49 PM
I haven't gone out yet, the migrators coming in?
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: h2ofowlr on November 07, 2009, 06:04:55 PM
Yes, we got into the bright footed mallards today.  Starting to see the larger flocks of ducks as well.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: pjb3 on November 07, 2009, 06:13:23 PM
Guess you talking puddlers :P
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: AKBowman on November 07, 2009, 07:06:56 PM
I can guarantee limits, U hunt the salts?

I've been hunting Skagit this year. I dont have a boat so I've been walking in. Most areas are pretty limited to how far I can walk to get away from people b/c of tide guts. Any other general areas for getting down to the salt and killing some widgeon? I'm buying a boat next year.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: nwlynx22 on November 07, 2009, 08:45:18 PM
Well we didn' have much for weather friday but today was good shoot 5. Looking forward to wed. hunt.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: RailRob on November 07, 2009, 11:56:48 PM
wish i have been hunting this year so far..last couple of days on the eastside have been goregous!!!
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: mattaylor81 on November 08, 2009, 10:44:16 AM
Well we didn' have much for weather friday but today was good shoot 5. Looking forward to wed. hunt.
I should have went with you again.  I didn't know you were going by yourself.  Definitly looking forward to wed. though.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: mattaylor81 on November 08, 2009, 10:45:35 AM
Well we didn' have much for weather friday but today was good shoot 5. Looking forward to wed. hunt.
You should throw your pics up on here.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: Dustin07 on November 08, 2009, 11:36:51 AM
For those of you who are hunting public land and getting limits, two questions:

are you mostly pass shooting, or are these ducks wingset?
are your decoy spreads huge, or do you rely on small, yet more realistic deeks?


Reason I ask is because I usually hunt my folks fields and do OK, this year I've tried a couple public spots and the birds are a mile high, even in weather. seems like a bigger spread might be the ticket. (they tend to give me a look, but nothing serious, and with 4 or 5 blinds all within earshot calling i'm trying to figure out how to set myself apart)
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: General Disarray on November 08, 2009, 02:48:15 PM
I hunt 99% east side public.  All birds are working our spread and not considered "pass shooting".

I usually hunt over 2 dozen GHG lifesize decoys.  if there's more than just me, we will usually cary a couple of dozen a piece, up to a reasonable amount.  We're also using a Flutterwing and sometimes 2.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: nwlynx22 on November 09, 2009, 01:19:22 AM
Out here in the skagit I use 3-5 dozens ghg with a wind-duk. Not alot of pass shooting took 5 birds Sat. all in the spread. All on public land where it can be super tough. I also use a marsh  rat layout from time to time.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: Dustin07 on November 09, 2009, 09:08:41 AM
thanks for the feedback guys. 

How much of a role do you think calling makes? where I was, I could hear at least 3-4 different blinds calling at flocks, so I had three ideas... call louder than them, call less than them, or call differently than them. I didnt' see any luck with less calling, but got flocks to turn with louder calling, and when I switched over to different calls. everyone was calling ducks, so I tried geese and had a little luck turning flocks.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: jordano on November 09, 2009, 10:52:32 AM
thanks for the feedback guys. 

How much of a role do you think calling makes? where I was, I could hear at least 3-4 different blinds calling at flocks, so I had three ideas... call louder than them, call less than them, or call differently than them. I didnt' see any luck with less calling, but got flocks to turn with louder calling, and when I switched over to different calls. everyone was calling ducks, so I tried geese and had a little luck turning flocks.

I think it totally depends on the day and how the birds are acting. Sometimes if you call louder they pile in and other days as soon as you make a quack they flare. Other days you dont call at all and they pile in... It just depends on how shy the birds are and I think weather plays a part in that too. So it varies from day to day.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: Dustin07 on November 09, 2009, 11:23:12 AM
i'm going to try to go again friday on some public land. I might be hunting solo, but even if i have to make 4 trips back and forth to the boat or truck, i'll pack a lot of deeks.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: nwlynx22 on November 10, 2009, 12:58:38 AM
Sometimes a ton of decoys is  not the answer as we wait on migrators these birds get wiser everyday. I think one of the most under used techs is a smaller spread set at random.
Title: Re: Got skunked but not for lack of trying...
Post by: Dustin07 on November 10, 2009, 08:42:37 AM
Sometimes a ton of decoys is  not the answer as we wait on migrators these birds get wiser everyday. I think one of the most under used techs is a smaller spread set at random.

I've heard that from lots of people, and read it many times as well... and typically I hunt private land surrounded by more private land, so the birds are probably not as abused... but... it always seems like the more deeks i put out, the more birds I get. Even if it's just more singles and doubles dropping in, there are more of them.

I know these public land birds do get worked hard though and I could tell they were call shy already because they kept circling over 4 different blinds not wanting to drop in on those duck calls they heard, and when I started up on a random goose call they started turning as if "hey that's different, maybe it wont' shoot at us!"...
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