2023 Waterfowl Thread
- Thread starter the spank
- Start date
finally did the online permit thing while i do like to talk and interfer with humane it was painless and got them very easily ...i cannot force people to do their jobs ...
the spank
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With a combination of getting older and not wanting to buy an enclosed trailer to haul my spread around I decided to sell off my full body spread with the exception of my snow geese and go to a silo spread for dark geese. Only took about a day and a half and had the entire dark goose(canadas and specklebellies) sold and all the fb ducks. I placed orders for new silos and everything arrived on friday. After some wheeling and dealing, horsetrading and ordering of new decoys I have a new silo spread consisting of 10 dozen Tanglefree Lesser Canadas, a dozen Big Als Cacklers, 14 Big Als X14 Giant Canadas, a 50 pack of Big Als Super Specks, a dozen Big Als SS2 Specks, 50 Big Als Snows and a buddy and I split a dozen pack of Big Als Cranes. Best part is it all fits in four silo bags on 2/3 of one shelf in my shed. Talk about space saving! I can fit the whole works in my pickup truck along with both of my A-Frame blinds and still have space for the dead bird pile at the end of the hunt. 
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They're printing some amazing looking silo's these days.
Yesterday I drove around to a few spots I wanted to check out, several seem promising. Also wanted to test out the stealth 1200. She floats and should do nicely. Over the next couple weeks will be checking out additional spots up north as well. With the staggered openings of goose and duck in northern, central and southern districts.. there are a few openers to look forward to.
Yesterday I drove around to a few spots I wanted to check out, several seem promising. Also wanted to test out the stealth 1200. She floats and should do nicely. Over the next couple weeks will be checking out additional spots up north as well. With the staggered openings of goose and duck in northern, central and southern districts.. there are a few openers to look forward to.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
- Location
- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
They're printing some amazing looking silo's these days.
Yesterday I drove around to a few spots I wanted to check out, several seem promising. Also wanted to test out the stealth 1200. She floats and should do nicely. Over the next couple weeks will be checking out additional spots up north as well. With the staggered openings of goose and duck in northern, central and southern districts.. there are a few openers to look forward to.
Nice looking spot. Hopefully it holds some birds for you to put on a plate next to the mashed potatoes and gravy!
So I am thinking of hitting the waterfowl a bit harder this season.
Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced camo pattern for southern sask sloughs?
I have primarily been pass shooting but in the area large flights fly overhead. I hunt an ~8m wide slough feeding into a large lake. Mallards, teals and some smaller fish ducks around. Also large high flying flocks of snow geese, occasionally a smaller group will fly lower over the creek
Is it worth throwing half a dozen mallard decoys in the slough while I sit on the bank? As is without them the action is good enough that everytime I consider moving something seems to fly by
Can anyone suggest a reasonably priced camo pattern for southern sask sloughs?
I have primarily been pass shooting but in the area large flights fly overhead. I hunt an ~8m wide slough feeding into a large lake. Mallards, teals and some smaller fish ducks around. Also large high flying flocks of snow geese, occasionally a smaller group will fly lower over the creek
Is it worth throwing half a dozen mallard decoys in the slough while I sit on the bank? As is without them the action is good enough that everytime I consider moving something seems to fly by
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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You don't need camo as much as you need to find good concealment, remain still and keep your face hidden from view(don't be staring up bald faced from cover, you'll stand out like a neon sign). You will usually draw birds into a small flock of decoys on a flight line as you've described but if you can find where they go to water(drink) before feeding you'll usually have more consistent close up action than pass shooting them between a roost and/or loafing spot and feed.
I think they may be drinking in the slough/ estuary where it joins the big lake.
I usually sit in a brownish gorka on the 10 degree slope where it meets the level cattails on the "shore" with a camo hat and hood up with the sun in the ducks eyes. Most shots are ~20 m
Maybe I should get a layout blind, not sure how that would work for seeing flocks heading down the length of the slough
I usually sit in a brownish gorka on the 10 degree slope where it meets the level cattails on the "shore" with a camo hat and hood up with the sun in the ducks eyes. Most shots are ~20 m
Maybe I should get a layout blind, not sure how that would work for seeing flocks heading down the length of the slough
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the spank
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Sounds like you're already getting shooting the way you are set up. Layout blinds are not the most comfortable at the best of times never mind on sloping ground where you tend to slide off the backrest. If anything I'd be inclined to pick up a Tanglefree Solo Blind, grass it good and get a Blackout Chair from Cabelas with adjustable length legs to set it level to sit on comfortably. Shooting from a seated position of a layout blind can be tough, especially on passing birds. Your swing is severely limited. As a right handed shooter you virtually have no swing to your right. You can only comfortably and smoothly swing about 80 degrees from straight in front to your left and vice versa for lefties from a layout blind where on a regular chair and upright blind you can stand to shoot and your ability to cover more swing area is more than double the area. The Solo blinds are awesome. Once you have it grassed up you can leave it like that for the season. It folds down to a super compact size you can easily carry. It folds out and you just set it in the ground and close it around yourself. Takes 30 seconds to set up and you are hunting. If mobility is the issue put the blind, chair and decoys in a plastic ice fishing sleigh and haul it behind you. If you do decide you'd rather a layout blind if they are still being made I'd suggest an X-Lander as they are built to backpack, have a built in gun scabbard and you can put a small bunch of decoys inside them for transporting as well. I used to carry 4 dozen goose silhouettes in mine.
Thanks for the advice, I appreciate you taking the time to write that out.
Last season I was using a single shot Henry for some damn fool reason and would only get a second shot rarely. I think improving my shooting abilities would probably be the best way to spend money, I certainly won't be taking home any trophies any time soon.
I did notice that it was very difficult to shoot from sitting, the smaller groups are usually heading to my right hand side and I am right handed so it is good to know about the limitations of the layout blind.
Last season I was using a single shot Henry for some damn fool reason and would only get a second shot rarely. I think improving my shooting abilities would probably be the best way to spend money, I certainly won't be taking home any trophies any time soon.
I did notice that it was very difficult to shoot from sitting, the smaller groups are usually heading to my right hand side and I am right handed so it is good to know about the limitations of the layout blind.
I always liked sitting on a sloped slough bank for shooting ducks. You didn't have to sit up as in a layout blind, just lift your gun.
As Spank says, concealment is the key. Our "honey hole" as we call it , allowed us to be hidden quite well as the ducks tended to fly up the slough and as we were just around a curve, we were hidden but we could still see them coming.
As Spank says, concealment is the key. Our "honey hole" as we call it , allowed us to be hidden quite well as the ducks tended to fly up the slough and as we were just around a curve, we were hidden but we could still see them coming.
6 more sleeps but who is counting?
you re not alone since yesterday one less ... but only few local ducks the big parties are not there yet and i do not know how the fires will affect them as well for the geese.
Our sloughs and ditches are almost all dry, so very few ducks around my area.
I did see 30 geese on a sandbar the other day but none in the grass fields.
Corn is just starting to be harvested. Ours will come off Monday, so there will soon be stubble fields for the geese.
I did see 30 geese on a sandbar the other day but none in the grass fields.
Corn is just starting to be harvested. Ours will come off Monday, so there will soon be stubble fields for the geese.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
Blind is grassed, decoys are loaded in the truck. Come morning I'll throw in the gun, shell bag and drinks then pick up the neighbours kid who asked to tag along and get after them...good luck to all those heading out for opener!
good luck and have a good time and stay safe.
the spank
CGN Ultra frequent flyer
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- Planet Earth Wearing My Tinfoil Hat
The lucky duck remote battery died right after setting up so I pulled the decoy into the blind, shot my geese first. Had my limit on the ground by 07:15. Put the lucky duck out on continuous mode and shot my ducks. It was all over by 07:25. My apprentice had a great time.
