Okay guys I went overboard this year bought a screamin woodie mojo decoy calls decoys whole nine yards and it paid off this morning even thogh it was a really slow morning. Had two drakes come in right after daylight and came right two the decoys we killed both of those stone dead. Then i picked a high one off she did the death spiral to the bank. A thing to know we were in a eddie spot in the river just outside of the rivers current well needless to say we searched for an hour for those three ducks and never even found one. Me and my buddies were sick we finally get on em and kill some and have nothing to show for it. Does anyboy have any advice on recovering these birds that get in the swift water. Besides not hunting the swift water. And dont tell me to get a dog unless your giving away a world champion.lol
Bet that was fun, sorry that you lost them. Maybe a long net to scoop them up with in the current, really only other thing I can think is just cranking up and running to get them real quick...I know that's not your favorite option though.
You must go get downed birds immediately and keep them in sight while doing it. Been hunting wood ducks on Escambia for 40 years and always have to immediately go straight to a downed bird if you want to recover it...even when they fall on the bank.
Doesnt that screw up the rest of your morning just to go get the few that you killed at daylight cause soon as I would have cranked up a whole flovck of em wouldve came by
That's why people get a well trained dog. Keeps you from cranking up to go get the ducks at good light, and keeps you from losing ducks. It really is the only way in certain areas.
If they go down on land they will run away so fast you wouldn't believe it. Gotta get them immediately unless they are 100% dead. They will swim off as well. Very tough little birds
The two that decoyed I know for sure were completely dead I watched them float to the rivers bend. The one I picked off up high was just hurt real bad. And I guess he ran off.
Its not like I was just shooting to let em rot I was hunting a lake that is right beside the rivers current I was not intending to shoot the ducks over the swift water but thats how it worked out. Im still mad we couldnt find the ducks I am not one to waste perfectly good game no animal should be wasted we have hunted just about every lake on the river where we're hunting and everytime on the way back to he ramp is when we jump up all the ducks. None are landing in the back lakes. Theres way more food on the rivers trees. I for sure wont be huntimg near the current anymore so as to not lose anymore ducks.
Because we were hunting straight up stream from a damn sand bar guy. Thats how black duck on white sand would be pretty easy to find dont ya think. Well apparently the current swept em right on past the sandbar in the early daylight. Calm down. Im not shooting em with a damn 22 when they land they were shot completely legal and with a plan in mind to retrieve them. How many deer have you lost while bow hunting it just doesnt work out like its suppose to everytime.
Yes I updated/edited my post as your response and explanation seemed like you were just a victim of unexpected circumstances and not a game waster!!
If you look at the time stamp on your response and my post they were all within 2 minutes of each other