I went duck hunting once last year and once the year before. I was invited by a co-worker to take a seat in a floating blind on those two days and I had a blast! I got one mallard hen the first time and two bufflehead divers the second day.
I was hooked!
So I bought a Mossberg 935 in camp because it was on sale at Cabelas and I had $150 in gift certificates and a 20% off coupon. I wanted a Mossberg 930 but they were out of stock and the 935 was on sale for $100 off. In combo with my other deals, I snapped it up!
My best friend from high school has family land in Boone County, Illinois with a small man made pond. I checked it out and figured it should work.
We drove three rods of rebar into the ground and used spring clips to attach a 12' x 4 1/2' length of camo burlap (Cabelas again) underneath a pine tree that afforded up a perfect 20-25 yard distance to the center of the pond.
I bought a dozen mallard decoys, line, and weights and we used a canoe to set them. The wind mostly comes from the northwest (to our left from the blind) so we should be good most of the time. The pond is spring fed and doesn't freeze too early. If we're lucky, it shouldn't freeze until December.
Here's a photo of the blind from across the pond with my decoys set:
The view from behind the blind:
The view when we stand up from our lawn chairs:
I sit to the left of the pine tree with my Mossberg leaning against it. My buddy Karl sits to the right with his 930 SPX fitted with a 930 camo waterfowl barrel leaning against his side of the tree:
We were ready to go a half hour before sunrise on opening day. But there was nothing flying in the air. No ducks, no geese. The area is the flatlands of northern Illinois and we can see for miles and miles 360 degrees all around. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds and pleasantly warm around 50 degrees.
Nothing.
Two hours in, I was reading out loud from the duck hunting book I bought at the local used bookstore when I caught movement right above the decoys. I was shocked to look up and see a big mallard drake drop right into the the spot among my decoys that the book said he would!
I whispered, "Duck! Duck! Duck!" and stood up and grabbed my Mossberg. I pushed the safety off just as the green head saw me and took off again to my right. I shot him out of the sky!
We didn't see or here anything before he arrived. We didn't see any more ducks with him. We have no idea where he came from!
We didn't see any other ducks the next day or three days later (today as I type this), but I know that the location, the blind, and the decoys do, in fact, work!
We just need to have some more ducks in the sky flying around so we can call them into the decoys and get some more steel down my Mossberg's barrel!
When I arrived home, I cut up the duck breasts into cubes and marinated them for several hours in Island Teriyaki sauce. Then I wrapped them in bacon and skewered them for the grill (along with the burgers my wife had already planned on for dinner).
It was delicious!
I was hooked!
So I bought a Mossberg 935 in camp because it was on sale at Cabelas and I had $150 in gift certificates and a 20% off coupon. I wanted a Mossberg 930 but they were out of stock and the 935 was on sale for $100 off. In combo with my other deals, I snapped it up!
My best friend from high school has family land in Boone County, Illinois with a small man made pond. I checked it out and figured it should work.
We drove three rods of rebar into the ground and used spring clips to attach a 12' x 4 1/2' length of camo burlap (Cabelas again) underneath a pine tree that afforded up a perfect 20-25 yard distance to the center of the pond.
I bought a dozen mallard decoys, line, and weights and we used a canoe to set them. The wind mostly comes from the northwest (to our left from the blind) so we should be good most of the time. The pond is spring fed and doesn't freeze too early. If we're lucky, it shouldn't freeze until December.
Here's a photo of the blind from across the pond with my decoys set:
The view from behind the blind:
The view when we stand up from our lawn chairs:
I sit to the left of the pine tree with my Mossberg leaning against it. My buddy Karl sits to the right with his 930 SPX fitted with a 930 camo waterfowl barrel leaning against his side of the tree:
We were ready to go a half hour before sunrise on opening day. But there was nothing flying in the air. No ducks, no geese. The area is the flatlands of northern Illinois and we can see for miles and miles 360 degrees all around. It was a clear blue sky with no clouds and pleasantly warm around 50 degrees.
Nothing.
Two hours in, I was reading out loud from the duck hunting book I bought at the local used bookstore when I caught movement right above the decoys. I was shocked to look up and see a big mallard drake drop right into the the spot among my decoys that the book said he would!
I whispered, "Duck! Duck! Duck!" and stood up and grabbed my Mossberg. I pushed the safety off just as the green head saw me and took off again to my right. I shot him out of the sky!
We didn't see or here anything before he arrived. We didn't see any more ducks with him. We have no idea where he came from!
We didn't see any other ducks the next day or three days later (today as I type this), but I know that the location, the blind, and the decoys do, in fact, work!
We just need to have some more ducks in the sky flying around so we can call them into the decoys and get some more steel down my Mossberg's barrel!
When I arrived home, I cut up the duck breasts into cubes and marinated them for several hours in Island Teriyaki sauce. Then I wrapped them in bacon and skewered them for the grill (along with the burgers my wife had already planned on for dinner).
It was delicious!
