Fall Decoy Tune Up

This is the time to get your decoys spruced up if you haven't done so yet. Even though I have been out in the field with bow in hand chasing elk recently, I have been reminded that waterfowl season is less than a month away. Already I have heard and seen the first flights of White Fronted and Canada Geese heading for milder climates to the south. Sometimes I think I grabbed the wrong weapon before heading out the door. None the less I am giving the elk and myself a rest for a few days.

While I try not to go crazy worrying about missing a day of elk season I will look over all my decoys to check lines, weights and if they need a splash of paint. There are several retailers from which you can buy decoy paints and even kits per waterfowl species. Years ago I made a dozen wooden Canvasback decoys. I ordered glass eyes and paint from Cabela's and have really enjoyed being able to hunt over them. I use weighted keels secured to the bottom of the decoy to get them to float properly and not list to one side or the other. This was primarily due to the fact that they were hollow bodies. So if there wasn't the same amount of wood on either side than they had a tendency to lean to the heavier side. The lead keels solved this problem. The keels go way back to the days when all their were were wooden decoys. It was also important for the decoy to have the correct waterline, so to speak. Generally diving ducks sit lower in the water as compared to their dabbler relatives. Plastics had not been developed yet. If anyone is interested in making your own, send me an email and I'll be happy to get you started. There are few things in the waterfowl world as satisfying as watching your own handmade decoys bobbing in the waves, drawing in late season Divers. What a thrill!

Back to the tune up now. I set out all the decoys either on the lawn or in my living room depending on weather and how long I am going to spend doing this. If you haven't washed them off from last season then now is the time, best set'em outside for this. I use a soft plastic bristled brush to help remove marsh mud and muck without harming the paint. Then I let them dry and separate them into 3 groups:

1. A.O.K.
2. Light tough up
3. Major touch up

Also check the decoy lines for any fraying, poor knots, to many knots or lack of anchors. This is also the time to make changes to the lenght of lines and the weights. If hunting large open bodies of water longer lines and heavier weights are needed. Where as just the opposite is true for shallow marshes and flooded fields. I have been using large snap swivels on my decoy lines so I can make this switch depending on where the ducks are. I also have dedicated decoys for hunting the Klamath River as those are predominately diving ducks. Requiring long lines 15 to 20 feet and heavy weights. When hunting the flooded fields I have puddle duck decoys with short lines about 3 to 4 foot long and light weights.

All the above is also true for goose decoys. If you use shells it's important not to stack to many together and also to make sure they are sitting either upright or on their backs. This way the plastic will not become ill shaped from being stored improperly. I have seen it more than once and it's an expensive lesson to learn. With the goose decoys there are lots of new options to choose from. Such as to flock or not to flock? I have used both and as much as I like the realistic head flocking it is not easy to maintain. It does get bumped and brushed off eventually. I start with them flocked and realize that by the end of the season they will need some touching up. No big deal and it's just part of my fall prep anymore. Again you can get head flocking materials from Cabela's and most major waterfowl catalog companies.

When you finish getting your decoys all dialed in then it's time to go through your gear bag and make sure your waders don't leak and sew up any holes in your hunting vest. Buy new reeds for your calls if needed or maybe splurge and get that call that you've been dreaming of since last season. Just give all your gear a good once over. I bet you'll be checking the calendar again for how long til the opener and reminiscing about past hunts. Enjoy the entire experience. After all hunting season is short.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Interview With The Downeast Duck Hunter Pt. 1

After following you on your blog The Downeast Duck Hunter, I have learned your methods of hunting on the Atlantic flyway differ greatly from our Pacific Flyway. Considering this can you explain how you rig your decoys, types and number and how do you keep them in place? Also what type of vessels do you hunt from ?

99% percent of my hunting takes place on the Atlantic Ocean with the majority of ducks being the American common eider, Northern common eider, surf scoter, black scoter, white-wing scoter, old squaw (long-tailed duck), bufflehead, black duck, golden eye, and an occasional mallard or goose.

The biggest challenge when hunting the Bay of Fundy in Maine is working with the tide, wind and temperature (not necessarily in any particular order). I've spent my entire life thinking and practicing strategies to best enhance the hunt and the above three variables become the pillars of success or failure. My blog entry “Working a Different Wind” is a fair assessment of how I anticipate the above listed variables.

http://thedowneastduckhunter.blogspot.com/2008/12/working-different-wind.html

Due to the nature of our tides, I use long lines of eider, scoter, and old squaws decoys attached to twenty-five pound mushrooms anchors. Typically, I run about 40 eiders, either on two separate lines or tied all together. Depending on the wind direction and tide, I may choose to let the line run on one anchor. Usually, I put one anchor on each end to assert the position of the deeks. For areas such as marshes, mud flats, or shorelines, I do use long lines for the black ducks, and also use individual anchors for some to give a more realistic presentation. I suppose that leads one to believe that some birds are a little more sharp than others. For me, one black duck is a more difficult duck to chase than one hundred eiders.

I do have shadow decoys (silhouette), but don't use them very often. Most of my gunning is over plastic decoys, but my father and I have on occasion used our own that we made during the off season.

In terms of my water fowling transportation, I hunt out of a variety of boats. Since I'm a lobsterman as well, most of my tending craft can also double as hunting vessels. All are painted in a camouflage pattern and are very reliable. If they are good enough for lobstering, worming, clamming and other work, then they are certainly dependable for duck hunting.



I have an 18 foot Lund Alaskan with a 40 horsepower Mercury. The motor was originally on my 16 foot aluminum, but my father and I found the Alaskan with a 25 horsepower Honda tiller. By swapping motors, we now have two very reliable watercraft. However, the 16 footer has been in moth ball so I recently picked up a Northern Flight boat blind in marsh grass for a little freshwater hunting.

In addition, I have several smaller tenders for those hunts that do not require one of the aluminum boats. They range from eight to twelve feet and are great for negotiating difficult areas. We typically use these around mussel beds and ledges in shallow water. For these boats, I have a 3.3 horsepower Mercury or the ever dependable oars.

I'm currently dying for the new Old Town Canoe Ambush model. It's a canoe/kayak hybrid with an 800 pound carrying capacity. If I can force myself to buy it I will, but it's hard to justify that purchase when I don't really need it.

What was the defining moment that cemented your passion for hunting and who was it that passed this tradition on to you and how has this impacted your life?

When you are the son of a local duck hunting legend, it's hard to not become the next generation. My father who has his own chapter in Ron Koch's “All Duck Hunters are Crazy” has spent his entire life hunting. When people come to our area and ask for old time duck hunters, he gets the referral. He laughs when he's thrown into the old timer category, but he also understands that his breed of hunter is a thing of the past. To better explain the previous statement, he lived in a time and place where ducks were a staple. There existed no bad shots, some hunters wouldn't shoot unless they knew they could get two in one shot. He used to sit in school as a youngster and listen to the hunters during the fall. With the number of hunters and how close the school was to the ocean, it's no wonder why he says he struggled in school.

I shot my first rabbit when I was five years old, it was with a 16 gauge Ithaca pump and I remember pointing at the white spot in the woods while my dad braced the shotgun. One shot later, and I was heading home to show my mother what her son had done. That was an important day.

However, the day that changed my standing as a passionate hunter was November 2, 1993. I had been skipping open gym basketball practice to go deer hunting and since I had been on the varsity squad the previous three years, getting in trouble wasn't going to happen.

My father and I went into the woods after school, set up in a tree stand and waited. It didn't take long for several does to work their regular path towards a bedding area. But this day was different, a gigantic buck crashed through the thicket and stormed towards the females. Shortly thereafter, my 7mm Remington Magnum Weatherby echoed a blast that dropped the magnificent animal where it stood. Ten points and two-hundred pounds later, I had taken the one that had eluded so many. Since then, I have taken around ten bucks ranging from eight points down to little spike horns. As I have gotten older and time runs short, you tend to capitalize on any opportunity. However, no deer has ever matched that one. And to be honest, I've never been the same since.

I took my first duck at age 11. A white-wing scoter cupped towards the decoys and I dropped it with my new Remington 870 Express. Having my father be so proud of me just made me want to keep doing well. He's my biggest fan and best mentor, although I've taken my craft to a different level with technology, education, and research, I still bounce every idea of off him.

On a side note, my duck hunting has been greatly enhanced by reconnecting with an old friend, the Rabid Outdoorsman, and his younger brother who is frequently on my blog. Since then, we have formed a duck hunting club that never has a dull moment. I discussed the story in
“Duckpower- God love it!!!” http://thedowneastduckhunter.blogspot.com/2008/05/duckpower-god-love-it_23.html


That concludes part 1 of my interview with Tony, The Downeast Duck Hunter. Look for part 2 later this week. In the meanwhile go check out his blog and the wonderful videos.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Overlapping Passions

Well I thought I'd take a few minutes and tell you a bit more about myself and how I spend my time. If you've looked at my Gunning Boxes and read some of my blog than you are beginning to understand my preoccupation with attention to detail and the little things. Having invested a great portion of my life in hand built furniture (which I design) I know something about "those little things". Otherwise why spend the time and energy doing such work? Just as I spend countless hours laying in the field looking at my decoys and trying to figure out how to outwit the real birds. I am asking myself if my "set" looks realistic?...that is to whatever type of waterfowl I am trying to lull in. Maybe there's one, or a few decoys that aren't quite right and that can make all the difference. To some extent this is a judgement call that not will hold true 100% of the time. I look at them(the decoys) from several angles and try to determine if they look "natural" and not to orderly. Often it's best to not mix Canada and Spec decoys, but to keep them in like groupings for optimal results. Just as there are some basic "do's and don'ts" when it comes to woodworking and furniture design. The same is true in setting decoys, be it goose shells, floating geese and the likes for ducks. Not to mention dabblers and divers and their tendencies, and weather too. Learning to make those adjustments with your decoys may be just the trick to getting them cupped and committed. So the next time you see a group of live birds in a field, take some mental pictures of them and put that to use the next time you make your decoy set.
We all put alot of time and energy into our hunting(not to mention cost) so why not try to maximize your efforts. Don't be afraid to try something new, you might just be pleasantly surprised!

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

What To Do When It All Freezes?

Have you ever thought about how to create the illusion of open water when the river, pond or flooded field that you're hunting is solid ice and you can't seem to even buy a shot at a duck or goose? Well you guessed it....I too have thought about that as well as snow covered fields. Anyway to add a little greenery without so called "baiting"? First I tried a large 20x40 piece of visqueen over ice on the Klamath River and set some of my G and H goose shells on it and waited with cautious optimism. Zip, zilch, nada and still I quander the solution if there is such. As for the snow covered fields, I tried a green tarp and had about as much success. So if any of you die hards out there have the answer, send me a clue. Otherwise I will continue to ponder the options. AstroTurf? any takers?

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt

Decoys

If you hunt Canada Geese with shell decoys you no doubt have noticed their big bright white cheek patches diminish with use. This is par for the course, considering the harsh weather, rough handling and just bouncing around in their respective bags. There is no time like summer time to get yourself a can of white exterior latex paint and a couple of small brushes and spruce up their white cheek patches. It doesn't take very long and the payoff is well worth it. I did this with my G and H 747 shells and wow what a difference. The other thing I do for my decoy heads is to put them in old socks, this really saves on wear and tear. I found all I needed at my local Goodwill store. I like the big heavy winter socks best. They offer a bit of padding and will last for many years. May seem like a bit much, although all that bouncing around is just paint rubbing off and that's not good. Stay tuned for more tips and tactics.

Women's Hunting Journal Integrity For The Hunt