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How would you hunt this?(update) #5390187 10/31/14 04:13 AM
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BradyBuck Offline OP
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Saturday morning three of us and two dogs will be hunting a lake about 30-40 acres. The birds are wanting to be on the north east corner.

The east bank is the dam and is very steep the north bank where the ducks are wanting to be there is not much cover. About 100+ yards down that north bank there are some big trees that would be great for cover. Wind should be 5-10 mph ENE

Should we set our spread, layouts and dog blinds on the bank where the ducks are wanting to be or should we just set our spread out where we have the better cover.

Another twist is that most of the ducks coming in the morning are just landing in with the large number of coots roosting on the lake. I'm sure we will just push them to another spot on the lake and be competeing with them all morning.

Last edited by BradyBuck; 10/31/14 07:16 PM.

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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390200 10/31/14 04:25 AM
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I'd really want to scout again Friday AM. What do you mean not much cover? Is it cattle trampled grass or is it spotty weeds and small bushes.

The coots will give you some trouble especially on a body of water that size. Best bet you be to have a sizable spread set up where the birds want to be and hide the best you can in layouts


Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390207 10/31/14 04:30 AM
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BradyBuck Offline OP
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We are planning on putting out a large spread. Yes, cattle trampled grass some spotty weeds

Last edited by BradyBuck; 10/31/14 04:31 AM.

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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390213 10/31/14 04:40 AM
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I would set up on the north bank where the ducks want to be using my lowest profile layouts and take extra time to dig them in and or mud and or grass them to match the terrain as much as possible. If the ducks are already regularly using that spot on the pond anyway, I would cut my number of decoys way back and only use my best ones and include a couple jerk strings. If something don't work right with that setup or you find the X you scouted is no longer the X for whatever reason, by not using many decoys initially, it would only take a few minutes to make a move if you see the ducks doing something different that morning. On a small private lake or pond like that if I am seeing ducks land in the same spot every day, not wanting to do anything to make it look different, I have been known to hunt that spot with no decoys before. I have been known to put a large spread of mixed decoys on the opposite bank and none on the bank I am hunting if the ducks have had a lot of pressure, but I doubt that would be an issue on opening weekend.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: Sniper John] #5390348 10/31/14 10:49 AM
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Set up where ducks want to be with layout blind. Most of your shooting will probably be first 15 to 30 minutes of legal on ponds, so a lot of cover not realy needed. Late morning shooting requires more cover. In layout blind first 15 minutes I normally do not even shut my layout blind doors.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390388 10/31/14 11:45 AM
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I'm on board with sniper and guy.


Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390389 10/31/14 11:45 AM
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Rule number 1- hunt where the ducks want to be.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: mohunter] #5390468 10/31/14 12:44 PM
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Originally Posted By: mohunter
Rule number 1- hunt where the ducks want to be.

This, & what the other guy said about early am hunting. I wouldn't even bother with the layout in the early am. I would just lay on shore with my spread where they wanna be. Set out enough dekes so that it draws their attention away from the coots. After the first light shoot, I'd move my spread to a spot that offers more concealment.


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390478 10/31/14 12:51 PM
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If it's your lake you should already have your lay outs on the X so they are youst to them being there! Lay them out today ! And get in early stay still as a mofo! And zap those dogs if they flinch!!!!


Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: mohunter] #5390666 10/31/14 02:21 PM
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Originally Posted By: mohunter
Rule number 1- hunt where the ducks want to be.


A must! Or be frustrated all morning long. We have similar a place and the ducks always want to be in one general area. Unfortunately, they pick the middle as the season goes on. bang hammer bang

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390705 10/31/14 02:37 PM
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Sounds like you might need to recruit a pair of THF'ers to set up on the other side and keep them moving

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5390754 10/31/14 03:03 PM
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Thanks guys! The plan was to do as most of y'all said and use the layouts where we've been seeing the ducks land. I just started to over think it.


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391135 10/31/14 07:07 PM
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Scouted this morning and the coots have moved out and I've got about twice as many big ducks including about a dozen canvasbacks. I am so pumped right now!

They were spread out all down the north bank and right in front of the big trees Id like to set up under and up on the bank and in the water. Im guessing 500+ ducks.

It's hard to see in the pic but if you zoom in you can see them. This is just about 1/4 of them. The big trees are just outside the photo to the left.





Sorry for pic quality. Taken with iPhone through binos.






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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391156 10/31/14 07:22 PM
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Good luck!


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391165 10/31/14 07:28 PM
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That's an awesome looking place you got there. Good luck in the morning.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: Gdogg] #5391170 10/31/14 07:31 PM
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Originally Posted By: Gdogg
That's an awesome looking place you got there. Good luck in the morning.


I'm fortunate to have awesome friends and a very generous land owner.


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391186 10/31/14 07:45 PM
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Dang it I have to work in the morning. Just had to get on here and rub it in my face! (too bad your going without this awesome friend haha) Hope ya'll wear them out in the morning!

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: cdoz35] #5391204 10/31/14 07:53 PM
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Originally Posted By: cdoz35
Dang it I have to work in the morning. Just had to get on here and rub it in my face! (too bad your going without this awesome friend haha) Hope ya'll wear them out in the morning!


Haha. Yeah hate to rub salt in the wound buddy but I'm sure you'll hammer them sometime this year when I can't go.


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391213 10/31/14 07:58 PM
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Looks great but as you said also looks tough to hunt. I'd give it my best go to stay low and stay as near as possible to the majority of the birds. Hope it goes well. Get some better pictures of the take in the AM. I will be working.


Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: Gdogg] #5391295 10/31/14 08:54 PM
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Originally Posted By: Gdogg
That's an awesome looking place you got there. Good luck in the morning.


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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5391638 11/01/14 01:46 AM
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A great place for a camo kayak.....otherwise known as a floating layout blind.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5392473 11/01/14 07:03 PM
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Tons of ducks but they all wanted to land right out in the middle. It was tough competing with that huge live spread. We did manage to work a few in to our spread. I learned a lot though on how we need to hunt it.




Last edited by BradyBuck; 11/01/14 07:04 PM.

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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5392506 11/01/14 07:52 PM
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Wehunt several large soil conservation lakes that hold a lot of coots. We have found that once you start shooting the coots go to the other end and you can forget decoying birds. These lakes are actually big enough in 40-80 acres that we will park a truck right against the water on the opposite end of the lake to keep the coots from swimming to the other corner. It does seem to help but doesn't completely eliminate the problem.

Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: brazosboyt] #5392645 11/01/14 10:25 PM
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Originally Posted By: brazosboyt
Wehunt several large soil conservation lakes that hold a lot of coots. We have found that once you start shooting the coots go to the other end and you can forget decoying birds. These lakes are actually big enough in 40-80 acres that we will park a truck right against the water on the opposite end of the lake to keep the coots from swimming to the other corner. It does seem to help but doesn't completely eliminate the problem.


^^^^so much this


rafting coots are da debil on large soil lakes..fight that muself from time to time..little bastages wife



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Re: How would you hunt this? [Re: BradyBuck] #5392868 11/02/14 01:21 AM
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Get a Muskrat Hut.
http://cuppedupoutdoors.com/
Spray paint the grass that comes with it a darker brown/gray. You can literally sit right in the middle of the lake & they'll come right to your spread without batting an eye. Plus, if the birds start congregating on the other shore, just slowly swim your way over there


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