# Cruel Mother Nature



## garhtr

Finally some duck weather scheduled to hit my area--- too little -- too late.
Can you remember the days of breaking ice to launch your boat and a stiff and crunchy ride to your blind in near 0 temperatures ? 
Remember hunting a point on a mostly frozen snow covered lake with only a strong wind to keep the remaining water open, a steamy mist curling from the rapidly freezing water that remained ? 
Remember the ice crusted rocks as lapping waves crash ashore and ice cycles hanging from rocking decoy beaks even before shooting time arrived ? 
I remember thinking this might be our last chance even though season would remain open for another week or maybe even two ?
I remember my feet being cold as I wiggle my toes constantly and I seem to remember my partners nose and cheeks being rosy red.
I can remember the smell our charcoal bucket burning as it warmed our lunch, I hear distant shots muffled by the strong cold wind and the sound of mittens being pounded together trying to keep fingers thawed as we wait.
I remember Gadwalls, Shovelers and Green-wings being long gone as the last of the Mallards and a few stray Blacks grace our spread. Goldeneyes, Buffleheads and maybe a few big Mergansers keep us entertained as we eat venison sausage and drink black coffee that cools rapidly.
Remember anything like that ? ? ?
Mother nature certainly is cruel. 
Maybe next year !
Good luck N Good hunting


----------



## ducknut141

WELL it's actually this year. LOL. You can't beat her you can just try to get along with her. I just pray the good lord gives me the health to do it again next SEASON lol


----------



## 21938

I remember every bit of it garhtr, and you said it well my friend. I remember the boat and decoys being so iced-up upon returning to the dock from spray, we wondered (jokingly) if it was even necessary to lash our gear down for the ride home. I recall many times late season where everything was completely iced over and the four of us would jump on the ice, break off large chunks, sink them and slide them under the existing ice to create a pothole. Though not large, maybe 50' in diameter, these proved to be a magnate for birds on many days. Nothing like the late season Mallards and Blacks, thick almost white breast skin, their feet real dark orange. Spent some real miserable days - but would love to have that gang back and do it all over again!


----------



## joekacz

Use to wear U.S.Navy deck bibs hunting the break wall back in the 70's and the spray would freeze the leggings solid like stove pipes! Would put them in the wash basin to thaw out for the next day and back out to hunt them divers. Man those were the days,for me anyway.


----------



## ducknut141

Like this?


----------



## joekacz

ducknut141 said:


> Like this?


EXACTAMUNDO! That was living!


----------



## joekacz

You and I have probably crossed paths in our lives of waterfowl hunting. Ya think?


----------



## garhtr

On the coldest days we would pull into the nearby U-Spray self serve car wash and clean a inch or more of ice off boat and decoys. Park in the garage with a salamander on low and the next morning everything would be warm and dry even the decoy lines and no puddles in the floor, haven't had to do that in years.
Good luck and good hunting


----------



## Bprice1031

I miss the HELL out of the late season hunts with snow and ice. The river hunts that we did were probably some the best that time of year.


----------



## Redheads

The days of breakwall hunting during the "black and white" season were some great times ,only to be replaced by the special bluebill season that was just as impressive.....Watching flock after flock pour over the wall were some of my fondest memories of late season hunting. 
We used to spend hours and hours breaking ice at the ramp just to be able to back the boat in and hours more breaking it just to be able to turn the boat around. All the guys that hunted the wall used to help each other out so we could all get out into the harbor and pound the ducks..............Taillights on the trailer forget it ,they were busted early on and rigged just to make it another day just to bust them up again the next morning.

Good times


garhtr, i also remember those days.........but it used to happen in November, not February

This was my 44th year having a hunting license but gone with my father years prior to carrying a gun myself......This was by far the worst waterfowl season i can remember....... or at least since last season. 
God willing ill be back for more


----------



## DeathFromAbove

Yep Redheads Back in the day the average date the Lake Erie marshes froze was November 10th, just something I remember from my youth. What is it now ? Late January ?
Not that I'm complainin' mind you.


----------



## Just Ducky

This was my 48th season. I remember many times were were frozen out during the split right around Thanksgiving. I also have a really fond memory about coming back to the ramp a week before Thanksgiving and the freezing spray built up on my coat so much that I stood my coat up in the bed of my truck under the cap for the ride home. We shot the snot out of ducks that day. We had 5 guns and if my old memory serves me we were 2 ducks short of a limit. We had to let mallards and black land in the decoys and just watch them swim around waiting for different species of ducks to finish off the limit. At one point we had over 50 mallards and blacks swimming in the decoys.


----------



## joekacz

How about 10pt. Bluebills!?? Layout shooting off the Gold Coast,3 boxes of shells and run out of shells with 2 short for the 2 man limit and reds and cans swimming in the spread. I know that a lot of the young guns don't believe it but you ole' salts know I'm telling the truth.


----------



## 21938

I'll bet this bunch could get together and share some great late season, nasty weather stories. Throw in a wood stove fire and a few belts of your favorite and what a way to spend a February afternoon. My heyday was the late '60's and 70's, didn't seem to be the number of ducker's as there are today and seemed there were more birds.


----------



## ducknut141

I have spent allot of money at the car wash on the way home. I did it this year. You do get some really funny looks with an ice covered boat during the winter at the car wash, The propane torpedo heater heats the garage up really good. The decoys come in the house. The bathtub works great. Good thing I'm single the decoys go to the living room next with a fan to dry out for the next day. I have even used a chain saw to open up the ice at the ramp.


----------



## garhtr

What has been the biggest change in hunting in your area? 
Other than the weather and resident geese (maybe hunting pressure) the increase in Gadwall and Shovelers is probably the biggest change I've seen in waterfowling, at least in the area I hunt.
We've been at it since mid 70's and I don't think I bagged a Gadwall or a Shoveler in my first 5 maybe 8 seasons. This season for the first time Gadwalls bagged have outnumbered our Mallard bag and we also killed nearly as many Shovelers as Mallards.
I'm sure some of it is (mild) weather related but Gadwall/Shovelers numbers have certainly increased dramatically in our harvest especially in the last several seasons.
Good luck and good hunting !


----------



## Bprice1031

I fell in love with the sport when I was in college back in the nineties. It took my first hunt, three days before the season ended to have me hooked for life. Watching the first flock of Mallards buzz the decoys was all it took. From that point on it was pretty much the only type of hunting I want to do. The days of meeting your party three hours before sunup at the spot to hunt was what it was all about. First light peaking over the trees and seeing the silhouettes buzz the decoys! Man does it get any better than that! 

The biggest change I've seen over the years is the amount of hunting pressure on waterfowl seasons now. The areas to hunt are becoming over pressured by the amount of hunters. The state rarely does morning draws at well known areas. It seems as though everyone and their brother is a duck hunter now. I'm not saying I'm the best at IDing ducks on the wing, but when people are asking "what kind of duck is this?" it really pi$$es me off. Don't get me wrong, I love the sport and I love to introduce people to it, but the "know it all duck hunters" are killing the sport for everyone. Guess I'll get off my soapbox now.


----------



## ducknut141

Thank you Duck Dynasty for bringing allot of people to our sport that have no clue about it.


----------



## 21938

Not too sure things can be narrowed down to one major change, even area specific, if a poll were taken. I'm sure the reasons would run the gamut, from too many hunters in a specific public area, to guys skybusting, thereby educating birds to go elsewhere, to seasons not in sync with waterfowl migrations (too early or too late). This always seemed to be an issue with us (Erie, Sandusky Bay crowd). We bitched alot, as we always liked a real late second half regardless of freeze-up or not. Sometimes our season just closed way, way too early for no reason.
I don't know why, but i can't believe Ohio duck hunters have ever harvested so many birds that have caused the feds to toy with our seasons the way that they have.
grhtr, not too many ducks as pretty as a male Shoveler.


----------



## ducknut141

I agree drake shovelers are very good looking ducks. Thats why both of these are now hanging on the wall.


----------



## garhtr

The hunting pressure certainly has increased in my area but I believe a couple of cold nasty winters back to back would thin the duck crowd substantially. 
I'm certainly not complaining about the numbers of Gadwall and Shovelers and both are certainly gorgeous birds--- but I'd rather hunt (and eat) Mallards and Blacks, throw in a substantial number of speedy G-wings and I'd be a happy hunter.
Good luck and good hunting !


----------



## ducknut141

I know the puddle ducks are the ones that people are after to put on the table. I am a diver hunter I like the crappy cold weather especially when I can lay on my back in the layout in the chop watching a bunch of bills or redheads zipping into the decoys. I make smokies or bologna out of most of mine anyway


----------



## garhtr

ducknut141 said:


> I am a diver hunter


I love a good diver hunt and smoking is normally the route I go when preparing them.
Unfortunately my area is hit or miss (most likely miss) as far as diver hunts go. I've never been fortunate enough to hunt out of a lay-out boat but I have fantasized about it often --- Maybe some day soon.
Good luck and good hunting !


----------



## joekacz

A good layout hunt is hard to beat. It's in your face action with call your own no excuse shots. Did it for years in the Bay,off the Gold Coast and at Mosquito,some very memeroable hunts.


----------



## Redheads

RR Pirate said:


> I'll bet this bunch could get together and share some great late season, nasty weather stories. Throw in a wood stove fire and a few belts of your favorite and what a way to spend a February afternoon. My heyday was the late '60's and 70's, didn't seem to be the number of ducker's as there are today and seemed there were more birds.


We have put on a wild game dinner for many years to do just that, unfortunately, most of the old-timers that i got the chance to spend time in the blind with are no longer with us.
Nothing better than sitting down eating, drinking and talking about the good old days with folks that share the same love of the outdoors.
This year will be what we believe will be our 27th year of doing this dinner.....in all reality its probably even longer


----------



## Redheads

joekacz said:


> A good layout hunt is hard to beat. It's in your face action with call your own no excuse shots. Did it for years in the Bay,off the Gold Coast and at Mosquito,some very memeroable hunts.


Ill never forget my first layout hunt.

The first group of divers that were low on the deck coming right into the pocket i sat up to get ready to shoot and they were still 60 yards out, i laid back down and by the time my head hit the back of the old pumpkinseed boat the birds were already past me. 
With nothing but waves and decoys in front of you, iit took me a few times before i could judge distance and timing.

The stories........between the birds, guns dropped in the drink while transferring to the tender i would never trade those days for anything


----------



## ducknut141

212 days till next season I can't wait. By the way I have never dropped a gun in. We leave ours in the box in floating cases along with our ammo so it's just the gunner who MUST WEAR A PFD IN MY BOAT doing the transfer.


----------



## Redheads

The Gold Coast, the corner, Bratanahl, the nook, the airport..................the memories


----------



## Muddy

Geese are finally on the move. I’ve seen fresh birds passing through the last couple of days.


----------



## sliprig

All this talk of the good old days! My illness started in 1977 in SW Ohio. After a couple of seasons of fumbling around a old river rat took pity on us and showed us the ropes. Big Al was his nickname and he was a old school waterfowler. He lived a stone's throw from the river and knew every inch. In his younger days it was nothing for him and blind mates to shoot 20-30 ducks each. Fed his family and a lot of others in the neighborhood. Somewhere along the way he saw the numbers dropping and reformed. "I would rather shoot a limit all season than a week of outlawing" Launched his own rig and ran the Ohio River until about 80. After that we would pick him up at the ramp near his house one or twice a week (he and a couple other's build in the 40's for access). He hunted until he was 87 and passed away the next year.


----------



## sliprig

That guy in the last picture is another tough old cuss. Jerry now 82 and still waterfowl hunts and can still climb into a tree stand. He did switch to a cross bow about 6-7 years ago. "Can't hold at compound at full draw for long now." Hope I'm still upright at his age. Notice no PFD, one day he fell in. Was hunting the flooded backwaters of the Ohio River, weekday no one else was around. A couple of guys we known were scouting for the following day when they noticed Jerry's empty boat tie off to a tree. Now it wasn't unusual for Jerry to go for a late morning walk to warm up. About 100 yards downriver it dawned on them that the boat's in 15ft of water. Turned around and worked their way threw the trees to find him clinging to the side. Fished him out and called 911, squad met them at the ramp. The whole time he is only worried about his boat, gun, and decoys. Wouldn't go to the hospital until Scott promised to retrieve his rig. True waterfowler! He guessed he was in the water about an hour plus. Jerry spent about 5-6 hrs in hospital and slept in his own bed that nite. I think he spent the night on the couch. His wife Jackie raised holy hell and now you never see him in the boat without one. We always joked that Jerry was gonna die on the river, little did we known how close to the truth that was.

I remember getting the call at work, "they just fished Jerry out of the river". I thought he was a goner.
Jerry and Al's favorite saying was "you gotta suffer to kill ducks". Cold, ice, floods, it only made the hunting better. Don't make em like that anymore.


----------



## FOWL BRAWL

I come to believe the birds dont stick around here as long as they did due to improved harvesting farming equipment and other farming practices. With less grain being left in a field after harvest and brush hodding the stalks to where it doesn't even look like a picked cornfield so they could use the no till .


----------



## Bprice1031

I remember on one of the best hunts we ever did was back around January of 2005 on Sandy Creek outside of Magnolia, Ohio. My hunting buddy at the time did a lot of traveling for his job and would drive the back roads home looking for places for us to hunt. He found one called me and I meet him and we went to talk to the land owner. He gave us permission to hunt and told us another group of hunters had already asked and that they would be there in the morning as well. The next morning came around and we met the other hunters and talked a while so that we could do what we all thought was best for everyone to have a good hunt. We helped them launch their boat using S.R. 542 as the ramp. They were going to hunt the flood timber and we were going to hunt the flooded corn field. There was about 1000 yards between us. We got our decoys set and waited for sunup. While laying there in the dark we could here ducks flying above our heads. Finally shooting time and nothing was moving. Then about 45 minutes into the day the birds started to fly. We spent the better part of 8 hours laying out there in that field and taking my buddies small john boat into the trees on the other side of the field. We didn't shoot a single duck that day. However that day we saw more species of ducks to shoot at than me or my two friends had ever seen before. I was the only hunt I've been on and shot at a drake Pintail, and Redhead. No birds and I'd do it again tomorrow if I could.


----------



## garhtr

Bprice1031 said:


> I remember on one of the best hunts we ever did


You're right, The best hunts aren't always the ones when you shoot the most birds.
I always enjoyed the Thanksgiving day hunts until they changed the dates in the South Zone. We would only hunt until noon and rush home for dinner ----no matter how good the shooting was or how many ducks were flying we would pack up and go, often it was tough to leave with birds dropping in.
I've also made some great memories hunting with my brother.
Back in the day we had raccoon dogs and would often raccoon hunt until 2-3 a.m. head home grab the boat and duck hunt most of the day. Making strong coffee in or behind the blind was the only thing that kept us awake. Plenty of ducks were able to sneak by or surprise us, luckily there were a lot of birds.
I'm getting up there in age and I know the end of ducking is in sight-- just not sure I'll ever be able to give it up.
Good luck and good hunting


----------



## ducknut141

Most of my best hunts I come home empty handed or close to it. The best hunts are when you are with good people good dogs and don't have issues with anything especially other hunters. I like to SEE ducks and geese I absolutely love to watch waterfowl of all kinds yes even mergansers come into the decoys. The killing of those birds is just the period at the end of the sentence. I have enjoyed many flocks of ducks come into the decoys without shooting because it was so beautiful. One thing I taught my son was a shot not taken is a shot not regretted. If they are marginal IN MY CASE over 20 yards I don't shoot I enjoy.


----------



## Bprice1031

When I'm waterfowl hunting I consider it a successful hunt if I have birds pay attention to or commit to my decoy spread. I know I suck at calling ducks so I approach it with a less is more attitude. Geese on the other hand I can call a little better but, still not great and I'll answer them as they are talking. Shooting the birds is great, but the best part for me is watching them swing out and around and right back into the sweet spot you set for them! I know I've been out on some hunts and didn't even pull the trigger just because I already won the hunt in my mind.


----------



## garhtr

sliprig said:


> Big Al was his nickname and he was a old school waterfowler


I was fortunate enough to run into a couple of guys like your friend Al, they took me under their wing and showed me the ropes. Hunting a season or even just a few days with some knowledgeable old timers sure will shorten the learning curve and probably keep a new hunter from making a dangerous or stupid mistake. They had some great stories to tell and I never tired of listening to them tell them.
We sold our rig this season and it was sad to see her go.








1959 crestliner served us well since 1977. Probably end my Ohio river and reservoir hunts, gonna miss her.
Good luck and good hunting


----------



## sliprig

Now that's a duck rig. Used to be a guy converted a old boat into a duckboat. Now the wanta be's have all the last gadgets and equipment. Most of us ran a deep vee because of the big river, hand painted camo of course. Al's decoys were hand carved in cork. Paint was touched up about mid season when the birds were in full plumage. Each decoy was set by hand in the spread. Charcoal bucket in the late season. The list goes on.........


----------



## Deadeyedeek

DN, you nailed it! A good hunt is being able to get up(alive0 AND HUNT WITH FRIENDS AND GET BACK SAELY AND lAUGH


----------



## joekacz

I know that we did some pretty hairy hunts years back on the break wall that today being 69 , I would have to second guess my sanity before doing it under those conditions.


----------



## garhtr

sliprig said:


> Charcoal bucket in the late season.


I probably miss the charcoal bucket more than anything else , hasn't been cold enough to drag it out for a while down here. On a cold day there's nothing better than a couple warm hot dogs n toasted buns about 10 a.m. 
I bought a Coleman infrared propane heater but it did compare to the old metal bucket.
Good luck and good hunting


----------



## Bprice1031

joekacz said:


> I know that we did some pretty hairy hunts years back on the break wall that today being 69 , I would have to second guess my sanity before doing it under those conditions.


Anyone that is a seasoned duck can make that statement!


----------



## sliprig

"I know that we did some pretty hairy hunts years back on the break wall that today being 69 , I would have to second guess my sanity before doing it under those conditions. "

If you have not feared for your life at some time, your not a true waterfowler.


----------



## ducknut141

I'm not a waterfowler I'm a duck hunter. 46 seasons all on Lake Erie and I have NEVER FEARED for my life but I do respect the lady. If you don't know her don't go on her or you will have that fear. I have hunted in boats as small as 12 feet and never feared for my life. I have even lowered two boats down a 120 foot cliff to get to open water in sub zero weather (ranks up there in the stupid class) but we had a great time. I have fallen in streams, inland lakes and through the ice on Lake Erie but I was prepared for it.


----------



## sliprig

Ducknut,
Sounds like you were to young or fired up, but it appears like you have been in some hairy places. Never hunted the lake being in the SW part of Ohio. (Ohio River) I do have a healthy respect for Mother Nature. Anybody who hasn't been scared at some time is a damn fool. I mainly hunt ducks but never pass on geese. That's what makes me a waterfowler. Decoys, pass shoot or both? I like to decoy myself, have done some pass shooting on a South Dakota trip. Lake locked up tight.
Been to Erie for walleye. You have hunted the break walls in a 12ft boat? Bigger set than me my friend. "Ooh Rah"


----------



## ducknut141

Trust me I'm NO FOOL but I also know when to go home because their is no duck worth it. I Have been on Erie 26 miles out in 12-14 foot sea's in a 24 foot boat I had some thoughts of why did i run on charter boats. I have been 20+ miles out with my 16 foot boat in 4-6 foot seas. If you don't know that lady and what cruel things mother nature can do to her and what your equipment is capable of doing you are asking for trouble. Trust me I don't ask. I have done some crazy things to duck hunt or goose hunt. People also have called me crazy for going into burning buildings and putting myself in places I have to rescue people. Yes I hunted breakwalls in a 12 foot boat. Not a bigger set knowing what it will do and what I can do. I still have a 14 footer I use.


----------



## ducknut141

By the way it's a joke between what was our little group waterfowlers only shoot puddle ducks. Duck hunters shoot whatever comes in. Both shoot geese


----------



## sliprig

Same here, divers get a pass. Unless it has been a slow season and a bluebill makes a pass in range. Hey the dog gets bored! My dad, father in law , two cousins were firefighters (Cincinnati). Great job. Affirmative action was in full swing when I was looking for a career. Then the NAACP lawsuits started and I when a different direction. Cousin Steve got in by the skin of his teeth, and retired a district chief. It's not the same department they knew.


----------

