Yak Attack; the Waterfowl Edition (part 1...'cause I'll be out again)

[King Joe]

Hole shot in the work schedule....loaded the yak and headed for a morning hunt at Hullet Marsh. Loaded (guns, cloths, shells, deke bag...me) and heading out the channel to open water way before first light. Wind blowing from the west and predicted to increase through the morning. At stake, chucked dekes and waited. Pretty much into early shooting light, a group of hunters close to me begins calling...followed by a barrage of shots. To my west, I can see small groups of ducks moving. I throw a few calls out...and a group...WAAaaayyy away turns....slowly.....working towards my spread. After a bit of coaxing, the cup and land...at about 80 yards out. HAH.

Soon, after an interesting conversation with a pair of black ducks, this nice couple decide to check me out...and cup at about 50......I fire....second shot drops one. Gotta recalculate the spread and where I am located as 2 groups wanted to land away from the spread. Fortunately, I am able to relocate my shooting position to shorten the distance. Meanwhile, the group behind me has fired a few more times.

Not a lot of birds flying...but what I can see....react great to calls. Not all present opportunities, but I was pulling birds in from a long way for at least a look. Wind did pick up...and effectively blew through my area negating the chances of attracting ducks to come stay. Ended the day with 3; 1 black and 2 drake mallards.

One near miss I did have. I had my yak into the weeds/brush away from where I was standing....in a narrow strip of flooded brush with open water on both sides. Some time in the morning, I went to the yak to get a snack....and it had blown out of hiding...and fortunately, was on my side of the brush...in calmer water. IF it had gone to the other side...it would have blown away and it would have been a long walk to try get it...if I could. PHEW!

That's it, that's all.

King Joe Outa Here!

 

[King Joe]

Well, after the big blow Sunday night....put off heading into Hullett until later in the day. Still a bit windy but not bad. At stake but about 1:30 and able to set up in a sheltered bay. Last attack, I had lots of birds interested but since I had set up earlier, the wind shifted and that location was no longer 'welcoming'. Today, hoped for a better reception.

Big groups of birds moving out early....all heading east. I had set up only my duck dekes....when I hear a lone goose. I start to call....and its interested....but not seeing 'friends', he waves me off and continues along the marsh honking for friends. CRAP, quickly...I set up my geese dekes.

Long eventless afternoon....big groups of birds heading either in or out of marsh...but all east. Unlike last attack where birds were very susceptible to calling, no birds (apart from the earlier lone goose) showed an interest in calling. Not a hint of interest. I hoped with all the traffic, evening may prove good.

Nope!

Apart from a group of 4 geese that feigned interest for a short time.....nothing panned, cupped, buzzed or even hinted at turning towards me. Even the usual...'go pick up dekes and get buzzed'...didn't happen.

Still, happy to get out. Surprised at the amount of birds....so, hoping the fast freeze that can happen at Hullett doesn't happen for a while...and I'll get out again.

King Joe Outa Here!

 

[mick]

Hey King Joe thanks alot for sharing your Hullet duck hunts...
Ya your skills calling in speak experience..
congrats on that action and scoring a black & mallards
ya the black duck to me and others are trophys..the last 3 seasons we seen just a few black ducks..they are wary...I remember 4 big drakes landing way to far from our spread..the last black duck I killed was a loner drake and big .. to many years ago..rondeau bay...

Ya we hunted hullet..when there was water.. we hammered the early season resident green & blue wing teal and a few mallards
later season mallards..wow some good days.. when the corn was off feeding and then come into roost..
buddy hunts hullet with his canoe..he goes up and scouts if and where the ducks are roosting before dusk ..if its worth it..then goes back the next day and hunts it..
ya you earn your birds at hullet..the sport is great..

 

[nutsmith]

Hullett's been brutal this season. Great times last year esp with mallards. This year, four outings, and it's been sliiiiim pickings. Not sure if there's fewer of them or they're wiser or it's the water levels (low) or just bad luck with weather or my own mistakes (of which I'm sure there have been a ton). But hoping next season's better there. Thanks for the report, Joe.

 

[King Joe]

Hey Nutsmith,
I hear ya. I have been out 3 more times...didn't think..."Ya, got skunked again" should be a repeat theme here.

Lots of birds in sanctuary....same trend....huge flocks leave and go straight up...and east. Not too long afterwards, huge flocks come back from the east, HIGH...then drop into the sanctuary. They are educated locals. Hoping for northerns to come down.

Was out last friday morning. Had a bluebill buzz me right after setting up...followed by a silent lone goose that honked just as he went past me (low light conditions). Then, nothing for the morning. Same, flocks going east. Later in morning...near lunch...finally had small groups coming from south. Some cupped to me but usually settled far out in the lake. Did get one gadwell.

Still hoping to get out again...but the big snow happening today may kill hullett; it freezes so fast. Here's hoping. It may be back to yak attack fishing for river steels soon.

King Joe Outa Here!