[snydedawg]

Well guys it's getting down to the wire!!

Any special late season strategies that you want to share???

I've scaled down to only 6 field dekes and three inflatable floaters in the bean field I hunt in.

Not sure that it is the "save all-end all" but it has seemed to make a difference. I'm killing more ducks and they are literally "in yo' face" shots!!

I also got mobile. Instead of trying to coax ducks to swing in where they didn't want to be with a large decoy spread... I started hunting out of my "Gooseview Seat" sans the goose and I can't be any happier.

Well, that's not completely true....If the limit was greater on sprigs, I'd be happier!!! I can not seem to keep the pins off of me!! All season long I've struggled just to get them to give me passing glance, and now....they just keep wanting to light right on top of me!!!

I've had to move and re-set up several times over the last two weeks to get on the "X", but with the smaller spread and laying in the water in the sling seat things have gotten interesting!!! I did lose a seat in the water off of the 4-wheeler that I'll have to find when we pull the boards (I bought a replacement today... $50!!! Not a happy camper... but if I can squeeze out a few more ducks then so be it) but I hope to keep bouncing around on the field and shooting ducks!!

As far as calling goes, I've just about stopped altogether. I watched ducks flare off of a loud bawdy hen yesterday and she was sitting with about a dozen other ducks!!!! I've been hitting a contented quack now and then but that's about it. That and kicking water as hard and high as I can kick it!!

Now.... I've shared what little bit of strategy I have. Anyone else care to help a brother out????

 

[sprtsmn001]

Snyde,
Why dont you send some of those pintails down my way.......:biggrin: I've never shot one and chomping at the bit to get a mature sprig. What I'd give to have your problem.....:smack:

 

[cuppinducks]

As it gets later in the season, we are still killing them on the saline since the first day of the season. All we do toward the end is crawl a little bit slower and go a little bit later in the morning instead of beating them to the spot.

 

[duckandbuck]

i know what you mean about laying back on the calling contented hen and a soft chatter is all we do and chatter is what seems to be the best and not even quacking any. where do you guys put i to hunt the saline i use to live in hot springs village just curious

 

[HANDGUNNER]

i know what you mean about laying back on the calling contented hen and a soft chatter is all we do and chatter is what seems to be the best and not even quacking any. where do you guys put i to hunt the saline i use to live in hot springs village just curious

There ought to be some green over there in the Delta......one field off the Gould road, off Hwy 1, north of Baxter land/Kelso gin was slap full last weekend, on some of Mrs Rosealee's land, when I left Camp...between The League and Watson Hunting club............We've got one pothole, where we just throw out a few deke's and find a log...no calling necessary:biggrin:

 

[Averyhntr]

Hope to close it out in good fashion. Spent last weekend in East AR around the Holly Grove area with a good friend and we killed 54 out of his camp in 3 days. Sunday was the best with 42 taken. Mostly mallards with a good add of green wings and gadwall. Did manage to kill two pintails on Monday morning before coming home. Hope the closer is good as well good luck to all.

Averyhntr

Call softly feed chatter and some content quacks. Bout all we did all weekend other than when the birds were 75 yards+ up wind of the set up and then just a quick come back.

Use smaller decoys spreads and DO and I mean DO use full body mallards. They seem to really be the selling point. Pair up your hens and drakes now as the birds are doing the same.

Go to all means you can to be concealed they are really looking for something out of the ordinary.

 

[snydedawg]

It's funny you mention pairing the dekes. I watched pair after pair last weekend. Though they would eventually "flock up", but most of the ducks I watched would glide in away from the rest in pairs then eventually ease over to the rest.

I plan to only use pairs, spaced several yards apart; the rest of the weekend. I've got a couple of places to go in the morning just to pull dekes out, but I'm going to leave a couple of pairs at each spot just in case I need to switch places.

With the locked up fields, the resevior is where I'll likely start out. There have been a good number of mixed ducks, spoons, greys and mallards and a good deal of Canadians there by mid-day. But they don't want anywhere close to the blind. So, I'll slip in the timbers in my slough boat with a few dekes paired up and see what happens.

If it warms like it is forecast to do by Saturday, then back to the field with the full bodies and see if I can squeak out a few more mallards. I'd really like to drop a few more greenheads!! For me '07-'08 has been a season full of greys and teal. Which that ain't all bad, but a few more big fat mallard drakes and a goose or two would sure be nice to round out the season!! Using the "goose seats" I've had to mud in everything to stay hidden. Waders, coats, gun, everything but my hat and face mask. And if I could figure out a way to do that and still be dry and warm enough; I'd mud them in too!!! The combine ruts are where I've been setting up, just to help break up my outline and to blend in.

Good luck guys and enjoy what's left. It's a damned long way 'til the September teal hunt!!!!

Thank the good Lord for crappie, turkey and trout!!!!!!

 

[snydedawg]

Well things went better than expected!!!

Me and the FIL rounded out a limit. Two greenheads and the rest were Gadwall. The "lake" was partially froze over and we had open water right in front of the blind... the shooting was like it is supposed to be, "In yo face!!"

Headed back about mid-morning to see what we can do then.