Hunting the River for Ducks

I have always enjoyed duck hunting, but every year I convince myself that it takes too much time to set up and requires way too much equipment. Between the decoys, blinds, boats or ATV’s, it can become quite an expensive hobby. Not to mention, when I moved out west, I was much more interested in chasing things with antlers and horns then I was shooting greenheads.

I have, however, recently had the opportunity to go on a couple of waterfowl hunts and I have to say, there were several occasions my hands were trembling with excitement while I was blowing the call and the ducks were lighting in the decoys. The terrible memories of waking up and rushing to 2:30 AM poor lines and trudging through public land mudholes were a thing of the past. I will say that I am a huge fan of all public land and public land hunting opportunities, but in the case of waterfowl hunting, they can be quite exhausting to navigate.

Hunting the River for Ducks

I am simply saying that when it comes to waterfowl, it always helps to have a buddy with an “in”. On a recent trip to Nebraska, I had the fortunate opportunity to have a friend that had one of those opportunities. I drove out to Nebraska for an impromptu deer hunt, which didn’t pan out how I had planned. But while I was busy commiserating about the big giant buck I wouldn’t get to shoot, my buddy got a call from his friend and asked if we wanted to hunt a pit he had on the Platte River.

I really didn’t want to abandon the deer hunting opportunity, but I also didn’t want to be the guy to go against the flow of the group. So, we piled in the truck and headed to the river. The same issue that we were running into deer hunting seemed to be hindering the duck hunting. It was bitterly cold overnight, but the daytime temperatures were hitting the mid 40’s. This kind of weather is great for being in the fields, but it allows the animals to sit all day.

Hunting the River for Ducks

The action was slow in the morning, not to mention that we managed to get lost on the way to the pit and didn’t arrive until 20 minutes after shooting light. I felt like we had missed the prime shooting opportunities.

We piled in the pit hastily, getting our calls and ammunition ready. No sooner did we get the calls to our lips, we had mallards circling looking to land in our decoys. We managed to knock a few out of the flock. I figured that was going to be the extent of the excitement since the temperature was now hovering around 45 degrees and it was a bluebird day. The sun was shining, and it was beautiful which doesn’t usually lead to successful waterfowl hunts, but today was different.

Hunting the River for Ducks

The action was not hot and heavy with hundreds of birds working the decoys, but all day we had a steady stream of ducks flying up and down the river. We managed to consistently work groups of 2-20. I was surprised by the willingness of the ducks to work the decoys on such a warm day. On several occasions, the guys in the pit called at birds that I didn’t even consider workable because they were too high. But they gave them a high ball and a few minutes later they had dropped down from the stratosphere and were in the decoys. We even managed to trick a few geese that were flying the river. I don’t think anyone would pass up a bonus honker, especially when they are cupped up and coming in. The amount of bird activity was impressive, especially on a day when it was not expected. The river corridor was alive with action and we were taking full advantage.

Hunting the River for Ducks

The take away from this hunt was to always be flexible. I had my mind set on taking a nice deer with my muzzleloader, but because we took advantage of an opportunity that does not always get offered, I was able to have a new and unique experience that still put a lot of meat in the freezer and made for some awesome wing shooting. Just remember to always keep an open mind and go with the flow when special opportunities cross your path, it can make for a great time.

About the author: Jake Wallace was introduced to the shotgun sports after breaking his hips when he was 11, which forced him into a wheelchair for 23 months. He saw a shooting program on one of the outdoor networks and thought that it was something he could do from a chair. Jake started shooting ATA from a chair and progressed to international when he was able to walk again. He loves being in the outdoors because nothing clears his mind like sitting in the woods or on a boat. Jake was part of Lindenwood University’s history of success having graduated from there in 2012 after being a part of four ACUI National Championships for the Lions from 2009-12. He currently resides in Colorado Springs where he’s a U.S. Olympic Training Center resident athlete. JAKE WALLACE: Hunting for Trap Superiority http://www.usashooting.org/news/usasnews/USAnews-2017-August/?page=22 Competition Highlights • 2018 World Cup Gold Medalist, Mixed Team • 2017 Fall Selection, Silver Medalist • 2017 World Championships Team Member • 2017 Qatar Open, First Place • 2016 Fall Selection Match Champion • 2015 Shotgun Team Selection, Silver Medalist • 2014 USA Shooting National Championships, Gold Medalist • 2014 Championship of the Americas, Silver Medalist – shot a perfect 125 in qualification to tie World Record • 2014 Fall Selection, Silver Medalist • 2014 Spring Selection, Bronze Medalist • 2013 Granada World Cup, Sixth Place • 2013 World Clay Target Championships Team Member • 2013 National Championships, Bronze Medalist • 2013 Spring Selection Match, Bronze Medalist • 2010 World Championships Junior Team, Silver Medalist (w/ M. Gossett) • 2010 World Championships Junior Team Member

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