11/09 Sea Ducks

[Missdemeanor]

Took out my buddies to the inside 40 ft area. Set up my usual spread, Squaws and Scoter....What a difference a few days are.....There was very little flying except the massive waves of migrating red Breasted Mergansers....If we were shooting Lawn darts , it would have been a slaughter. Saw very few Oldsquaws and only a few flocks of Scoters. We dumped a whole flock of 4 and two got away utilizing their Michael Phelps impression.....Great day on the lake.......Cold weather any day now! Shoot em in the fatch!

[Lund SSS]

For those that don't know much about these birds (Longtails, Oldsquaw) they have been caught in fishermen's nets at depths of greater than 180' if you don't kill dead you usually don't recover them. For those of you thinking about giving it a try KEEP shooting if they don't drop out of the sky ... LIMP

[Missdemeanor]

You know Lund, we don't shoot over thirty yards just because of that reason.....those freakin scoters can hold their breaths for 75 yrds.....last week we chased a cripple for half hour and 8 shots later we got him. The thing that sucks is , you have to make every reasonable effort to retrieve a cripple, but the DEC won't let you motor up on one and dispatch him quickly.

I'm pretty strict that all guns are unloaded and we will only shoot when the boat stops it's forward motion and the motor is off. By they those birds are usually under and swimming for Canada...

On a side note....Capt. Lucas was out with the new lake shore fire rescue vessel.....Boston whaler looked sweet....thanks for stopping by guys.....

[Lund SSS]

Matt I spent almost 20 minutes waiting for the 5th drake in the limit to surface I never saw him after he hit the water AND I put another round on him as he was falling because I knew he wasn't dead. The hen, #6.... bounced off the water and said see ya, again never saw her again.

[Make the Turn]

I watched my brother hit a Scooter with #4s. it drove the birds head down......tipped him upside down. he recovered shook his head and dove. never saw him again. I have those pics for you matt let me know if you want them to your phone, or email

[BLOCKHEAD]

dirty buggers. lost my first gun and a great canoe chasing cripples. double tap when in doubt. hell, they don't eat that well anyway.

[john1947]

I usualy dont bother with sea ducks unless it's realy slow.They dont decoy well into bluebill and redhead blocks.If you do shoot you lose your chance at the good ducks.

Could have had many days with limits of mercs and old squaw.

Many goldeye around .I usualy use just a few decoys for them.

My goal second half is all mallards then maybe a redhead and a bluebill with as many geese we can get.

There are alot of mallards on the fingerlakes now.

Good hunting Monday