How tippy was the sportspal with the dog in it? They don't always sit still like a person might.
I have a raddison that I've been dreaming of using but, even though it's wide, I don't relish the thought of floating my gun case.

 

Saw some new ground tonight, exposed a buddy to Shia, had motor problems. Overall good time.

 

So when is it going to freeze up? Guy with two weeks off asking...

 

Gonna be a while yet.

 

I hope you're right, but there was ice in the zone I hunted this afternoon. With lows in the teens coming up I'd imagine most of it will be locked up sooner than later.

 

Made some ice at Harsens this A.M.

 

With lows in the teens, little sun, and highs barely seeing 30?

 

Ice up will be different this year. I couldn’t believe just how low the river was. So many great late season or even right now river areas are bone dry. Crazyness. That’s gonna put a ton of pressure on the woods and a couple other known good late season areas.

 

Good hunt on opening morning of gun season.

 

Spoonie for the win.

 

Not a bad afternoon.
5 mallards and 3 geese.

 

We didn't do half bad either. Five greenheads, a goose, and a bonus.

 

 

Forgot how much fun good neighbors are. Quarter to two have a pair of pinners locked up. They flare hard. Look up and here comes a boat, motor trimmed up, walking pace, all the way down the strip. No need to go around the field in the canal. Then had a goose working nicely only to have them take an easily eighty yard shot on it. Thanks. I just passed one at forty five so the guys behind me could land it jump it and miss it. After that the 3.5" ones came out and I pass shot a mallard and goose whereas everything before that was thirty or less.

So it should not surprise me that these guys had no nav lights or trailer lights. Kind of amazed they slowed down for me.


One guy did offer to help me unload the kayak and the guys behind me let the birds work. Guys north of them though...

 

Forgot how much fun good neighbors are. Quarter to two have a pair of pinners locked up. They flare hard. Look up and here comes a boat, motor trimmed up, walking pace, all the way down the strip. No need to go around the field in the canal. Then had a goose working nicely only to have them take an easily eighty yard shot on it. Thanks. I just passed one at forty five so the guys behind me could land it jump it and miss it. After that the 3.5" ones came out and I pass shot a mallard and goose whereas everything before that was thirty or less.

So it should not surprise me that these guys had no nav lights or trailer lights. Kind of amazed they slowed down for me.


One guy did offer to help me unload the kayak and the guys behind me let the birds work. Guys north of them though...

yup, win some, lose some. It is great when everyone lets the birds work and most of the time everyone wins.

 

Guys on the other side of me roll in at two, don't think they ever shot, left by four. Go to pick up decoys and there's fifty birds in their zone.

 

everyone gets too worked up about where people motor. i'd rather you motor right threw my spread and get out of the field as quickly as possible. just use some tact with timing (not the last 15 minutes) and avoid running my decoys over.

icould motor on plane right thru you and bother u for 10 seconds or i can motor behind or out and around you and take 5 minutes......its yer choice...but i know the method i would prefer

 

We always tried to pick up and get the hell outta the way asap. One thing my friend taught me was to just toss the dekes in the boat instead of bagging them, and wait until you're out at the pullover to bag them. Makes your pickup time less, and your disturbance to others less

 

We don't bag too many decoys any more. We mostly use texas rigged decoys when marsh or bingo hunting. Clip a carabiner to a D-ring on your waders and then just grab the decoys and clip them onto the carabiner as you walk around picking them up. We typically keep a dozen decoys per carabiner/bundle. One guy can pick up a couple dozen decoys, pretty quickly. Just keep a bundle on your left and one on your right as you walk around. That seems to be the fastest method of pickup for us.
We also have a couple eye bolts mounted in the boat, so once the bundle of decoys is together, we clip the carabiner to the eye bolt to keep everything untangled.
We add or take out bundles of decoys (dozen at a time) depending on the hunt. Sometimes we only use 1 bundle of decoys, sometimes we use 4 bundles...
Only things that get stored in bags anymore are the electronic decoys like mojos or quivering/squirting butts or fully flocked decoys and such, when/if using them.

Typically, one guy goes to get the boat that is hidden a ways away and the other guys starts picking up the decoys. By the time the other guy gets back with the boat, all the decoys are bundled on carabiners and ready to just be loaded and clipped onto the boat. Quick and easy.

 

I am the cooler when it comes to Shiawassee in December. Two trips. Card of shame both times. This trip we never even took the safeties off. One shot for our entire field.

OG taught us how to mouth call swans which we landed just outside of our spread and used as live confidence decoys. Channel your inner sorority girl. Wo woo wo wooooo wo wooo.

And FBD landed a goose after hours with no decoys out while standing in the decoy strip.

Made a new friend. Told stories. Laughed. Was able to see a new to me area of the Flats. Put the Michicraft to use again.

And I didn't forget my marsh stool!!!

 

I am the cooler when it comes to Shiawassee in December. Two trips. Card of shame both times. This trip we never even took the safeties off. One shot for our entire field.

OG taught us how to mouth call swans which we landed just outside of our spread and used as live confidence decoys. Channel your inner sorority girl. Wo woo wo wooooo wo wooo.
View attachment 870145

And FBD landed a goose after hours with no decoys out while standing in the decoy strip.
View attachment 870146

Made a new friend. Told stories. Laughed. Was able to see a new to me area of the Flats. Put the Michicraft to use again.

And I didn't forget my marsh stool!!!

Did the south end at least shoot? I would assume at least the south end would shoot as they normally do this time of year.

 

still birds to be had. not crazy good or really bad....few here and there. if we can keep from icing up completely should be strong finish.

 

Wednesday lights out, it was an incredible experience being in the field.
The last 3 days, haven't touched my gun.
However it's still a fun learning experience out there.

 

Yeah Wednesday was amazing, was wishing I had more people me, birds kept piling in, was able to just pick all drakes and my 3rd bird the duck gods graced me with a band….landed over a dozen on my decoys hoping for some bonus ducks but it was all mallards, which I was not complaining! It was an amazing show to watch….

 

It is important to note while calling is swans it helps to place one's palms horizontally then pump your arms up and down while yelling woo woo woo.

Solo trip to the flats no opportunity on a good draw I'd been in full out rage. Trip with OG and BRX I'm still laughing.

 

Not sure how many more trips we are going to make this year. maybe two more at most...
The sits are getting harder and harder with it getting colder and less birds seem to be working. We maximized on our chances and only killed 2 hens last time out.

 

Is there ice at Shiawassee? I am heading up that way for the weekend. Around me, a couple hours south, most water is open but some spots are ice. Thanks!

 

currently its pretty open. can't vouch for it after friday tho. storm incoming