Posted By:
boatrower
Web Member
Central KY 01-03-2013 16:22
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 30-34 Degrees – Ice
Is anyone hunting KY? There is a lull in reports. We are shooting farm ponds that are not frozen and picking up mallards. There are bunches of geese but I believe they are locals that hang out on the horse farms. Freezing conditions don’t bode well. The dog stays home and the decoys look stupid sitting on their keels on the ice. Somebody please report on what is happening elsewhere in the state.
Posted By:
boatrower
Web Member
Southeast Missouri 12-09-2012 16:54
– – 50-60 Degrees
We hunted Southeast Missouri on Thursday and Friday. There has not been a push of fresh birds since early November and the birds we worked were mostly on to us. We shot 4 mallards and 2 shovellers on Thurs and 3 mallards, one shoveller and two snow geese on Friday. The area we hunted was beautiful, flooded agricultural land 30 miles off the Mississippi River. Its a 6 hour drive from Central KY and will be worth the drive when cold pushes the next wave of ducks from the North. Not seeing many ducks or geese here but always hopeful.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio river at Augusta 12-08-2012 19:59
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Duck hunt 12-8-12
I got up this morning to rain, so I went back to bed and got up late. I took Debi to Bob Evans for breakfast and after went to home depot and bought some wallboard for our work downstairs. By 11:00 the rain stopped and I decided to take the skiff to Augusta mile 426. I called Jim on my cell on the way past his farm and he could not go, he is having back problems. I stopped for coffee at the California market. Went up route 8. Tons of fishermen at foster. No duck hunters above the Dam. Pulled into the ramp at Augusta and I was the only one there. It was 50 degrees, river at 28 and no wind. The river was a sheet of glass. Put the boat in and headed across and up the Ohio bank. I did spot with the binoculars before crossing. I ran up slow spotting as I ran up. I passed Higinsport and saw nothing. About 1 mile below Straight creek, I spotted about 5 mallards ahead. They were a good .25 mile ahead. I crossed over and started up the KY bank. When I was still .125 mile below them, I saw that they got up and flew US. I don’t think I scared them. I continued up and crossed over above Straight Creek. I started down the Ohio bank at a slow idle. Nothing. I did see a beaver mound at the waters edge; they may get away with this above the dam.
I came to the bank that I had run up, so I crossed over to the KY bank. Started down slow. As I was motoring down, I looked to my right and there is a hen mallard crossing the river in front of me. I cut the motor and it was funning, she kept cracking as if she was trying to find another duck. A barge was coming up, so I pulled into the bank to wait for it to past. After it went by, I pushed off. My hen did not swim into the bank but stayed about 20 yards out. When I was maybe 500 yards away she took off. I headed down at a slow idle. Just above Bracken creek I spotted a hen and drake mallard ahead. They had a small duck, a grebe I think that followed them like a little puppy. They swam out and just kept swimming, and then took off. They left the poor grebe. I cranked up and headed across to the Ohio bank and started down slow. Below the ferry it is wall to wall dilapidated boat docks. Below moon hollow I spotted three geese sitting on a small wall at the waters edge. I cut the 25 and ran down with the troller at low. As I was running down I kept hearing ducks calling in the distance. I was so calm out that sound really carried. When I was 250 yards out the 3 Geese started calling, as if advertising here comes a duck hunter. They kept it up and then took off.
I started down slow. By this time it is 4:45 and so dark I was having a hard time seeing thru the binoculars. I spotted 2 mallards ahead. I started down with the troller on low. At about 200 yards I started paddling. They swam out and headed down stream a little and then went back to the bank. I spotted them with my binoculars, but the hen was hard to see. I got right besides them, and then turned the boat into them. They were dabbling at the waters edge, and ignored me. At 20 yards I grabbed my gun, and they got up. The drake flew up stream to my right, and I could not swing on him, so I swung past the hen and pulled the trigger, nothing. By that time she was a bit too far. I loaded one shell in and started down. I saw a bunch of geese ahead, they were behind some drift in front of me, and I got closer then I wanted to before I saw them. I cut the motor and started paddling down. They got up when I was at least 400 yards US. It is now 5:10 and I can’t see thru the binoculars. I decided to call it a day and crossed over and headed up the KY bank. I was hard to see but I jumped up two small groups of ducks on the run up. Home by 7:00
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Above Augusta, Ky 12-04-2012 21:55
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 45-50 Degrees
Duck Hunt 11-25-12
After my disaster hunt 11-23-12 I made an interesting decision. I should put my 25hp mercury (1999 short shaft electric start) from my decoy boat on the skiff. I have not done this so far because I just assumed it would be too big for the skiff, but the 18 hp was fine, perhaps the 25 would also be ok. I worked on this all day Friday. To do this I had to change the connectors on the new skiff’s gas tank from Johnson connectors to mercury, of course they are different. I did not finish until about 2:30 on Saturday. I also bought a new trolling motor from Wal-Mart, but have yet to get a new depth finder. I decided to take it to Augusta Ky. I got at ramp at about 4:15 pm. I was the only hunter at the ramp; with this weather that was no surprise. Of course the 25 started right up, no problem, even though it has not been started in 2 years. I took off across the river. River at pool, sunny and about 60 degrees, not great duck hunting conditions. I opened it up on the way across, and to my surprise the skiff planned off. This is not good; I have to show restraint and keep from doing this in high water, or I will be in trouble when I hit a big log. I eased back on the throttle and headed up the Ohio bank. I ran up 2 miles to just below the rock bank on the KY side and started across. I did not spot with the binoculars before crossing, and of course jumped up about 10 mallards. I started down the KY bank at a slow idle spotting with the binoculars. Nothing, I ran up to the ramp. At this point it is 4:45 pm; dusk is around 5:15. I decided to cross over to the Ohio bank, and again did not spot, and jumped up 5 mallards at the big culvert above the ferry. I started down slow and spotted 5 more about .5 miles down below me. I used the troller to get within about 200 yards, and they were playing in the shallow water, and showed no concern about me. I started paddling and they still paid no attention to me. About this time waves from the ferry hit me. The ferry was still a good .75 miles below me, but his waves still worked their way US. The ducks were perhaps 40 yards in front, the boat started bouncing, they took off. I called a day and headed in. The 25 ran great, I don’t know if I will keep it there, it really is too big but for now it works.
Posted By:
kclane
Web Member
From West Central AR 11-28-2012 05:49
– – –
Bridgeman – I always enjoy reading your posts. Now this post in particular is an eventful one, full of bad happenings. I do hope your luck improves. When it rains it pours. Hang in there!!
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River near Rome, Ohio 11-27-2012 21:17
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 35-40 Degrees
Duck Hunt 11-22-12
My family was celebrating Thanksgiving on Friday, so I decided to give duck hunting a try Thursday. Jim said he could not make it; he was going to Thanksgiving dinner with his daughter. My 1958 10 hp still has carburetor problems, and my mechanic can’t work on it because he has back problems. He says he can not pick the motor up or crank it to start. I offered to do the work under his instruction, but so far his back is so sore he can’t walk. I work on my own outboards, but have never been very good with carburetors. I called all the local boat dealers and they all said they will not work on old outboards. I found another old mechanic who said he would work on the motor only if I bring him the carburetor, he is too old to handle a whole outboard. These things only happen to me.
I have been searching on Craig’s List for 2 years now for a motor that does not exist; only the gods have this motor- a 15 hp Mercury 2 stroke short shaft, electric start. I have found one in Little Rock but it was sold before I could drive out to get it that weekend. I want a Mercury because I love the shifter on the tiller, a feature the Mercury has had since the 1950’s. I would settle for a Johnson 15 hp but they also do not exist. I can find long shafts or non-electric starts, but not the motor I want. I even sent emails to 60 boat dealers in Ohio, Kentucky and Michigan, and nothing. Due to my problems trying to find the 15. I started looking for an 18 hp Johnson with electric start. I looked all summer for one, but no luck until last month when I did find one for $225.00 in Cincinnati. It had a lot of problems but due to my desperate situation I bought it. It is a 1959 model; you would think I could have found a newer model. The tiller handle was broken off and the guy converted it to a single line fuel tank, but he never installed a connector, he just ran the hose from the tank to the fuel pump. He ran the boat with controls and a steering wheel so the tiller was not a problem to him. He did start it up for me in a garbage can and it ran great. I bought it and that day I took the motor to Delta Prop and they welded to tiller back in place. I then installed an OMC connector and ran all new fuel lines. I had to buy a new gas tank and new hoses for the 18, since the 1958 stilled used the old two line fuel system. I started the motor up in a garbage can and it ran great.
The next week end (11-11-12) I took it on the skiff to Foster Ky. for my test drive. It started right up and proceeded to not pump water. Now remember it pumped fine when I first bough it, and later when I installed the new fuel lines. I turned around and went home. Monday I ordered a new water pump. The next weekend I tore the motor apart and the water pump impeller looked brand new. Is the water passages in the head stopped up? I remembered that 1959 was the first year they installed thermostats in outboards. I pulled mine out, put the motor back together without it, started it in my garbage can, and water came out the exhaust port. I ordered a new thermostat Monday.
My parts did not come in the week of Thanksgiving but I decided to duck hunt Thursday. I did a lot of research, plus called my mechanic, and determined that one trip without a thermostat would be Ok.
I did not get an early start, and was surprised that the Dairy Yum Yum was closed. I got breakfast at the Frisch’s in Maysville. I was the only hunter at the Rome, Ohio ramp. The weather was fantastic, no wind at all, bright sunshine and a crystal clear river at pool stage. The 18 started right up and I decided to run upstream along the Ohio bank for at least two miles to make sure the motor runs. My depth finder decided to stop working. I played with it for 15 minutes, but it would not work. Hell it’s only 6 years old, Hummingbird apparently can’t make one that last longer than that. The motor did run good, but I did not scare up a duck. I crossed over and started down the KY bank at a slow idle spotting with binoculars. Just down from the ramp I spotted ducks ahead. When the river is flat like this I use a trolling motor to get within 200 yards, and the paddle the last bit to the ducks. The trolling motor is legal, but all motion from it must cease before you can shoot. You can’t use it to get closer than 200 yards any way because the ducks know that a log can’t go faster than the current, and get spooked long before you get within shotgun range. I looked ahead and a barge was coming up river. The waves would be a problem, so I decided to pull into the bank and wait for it to go by. As I was running the troller towards the bank it started smoking like crazy and stopped working. I unplugged it and paddled over to the bank and opened it up to see what was wrong. A wire at the switch had come unplugged and shorted out another wire. All the insulation was gone off of this wire, and it burned holes in every wire that it came in contact with all the way down to the motor, the troller was an anchor. Thank-you Minn-kota. I decided to go on downstream, thinking I would find the first ducks I had spotted, and I started down at a slow idle. I never did find them. I did spot 4 black ducks just above Brush Creek Island, just in time for another barge coming US. I pulled into the bank and waited. After the barge passed I started down at a slow paddle. I got to within 100 yards, and they got up and flew off. I decided to call it a day. I cranked up the 18 and crossed over and started up the Ohio bank. The 18 stopped, and would not start. I pulled the cover and saw that the glass gas strainer was empty. I pumped up the hose and it ran for about 4 minutes and then stopped. This is exactly what my 10was doing. I limped back to the ramp and pulled out the boat. On the way home my 1997 Chevy ran like sh_t. When I filled it up I saw that it was getting 5.8mpg, so it is also sick. Perhaps it was just not meant for me to be a duck hunter.
.
Posted By:
boatrower
Web Member
Central Kentucky 11-27-2012 15:43
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
We hunted cattle farm ponds over Thanksgiving weekend and had almost no birds. Four ducks made a feeble atempt to work the decoys and we did not see or hear a goose which is unusual. ANybody have any luck?
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Duck hunt Manchester, Ohio 02-04-2012 14:38
Sunny & Clear, High Winds – 35-40 Degrees
Duck Hunt 1-29-12
Saturday night I tried to talk Jim into taking my 1954 Lonestar Duck boat to decoy hunt, but Jim wanted to try to float hunt even though the wind was suppose to be worse than Saturday. We decided to take the skiff out for the last day of the duck season, I met him at his farm at 7:00 and Randy followed us to the Augusta General Store. We went east on Rt 8 along the river to observe river conditions on the way to Augusta. Foster had 1 truck, Snag creek had 2 trucks, and the normal red truck was parked above Snag Creek
We had a great breakfast. I drove past the Augusta ramp and we only saw 2 trucks. We continued east on Rt 8 and crossed over at the new Maysville Bridge. We pulled into Manchester and changed into our hunting gear at the park off of Pearl Street. The wind was fairly strong when we started up the Ohio bank after starting the 10 with a shot of ether. As we ran up we glassed the island and saw geese at the head of the small island. As we ran past them they got up and flew downstream. We ran up about 1 mile above the islands and crossed over. The KY bank was semi sheltered from the west wind. The river was still at 43’ so we had plenty of current. I started paddling. Jim spotted ducks ahead. It was 5 mallards at the waters edge. We floated down right beside them; they paid no attention to us. I told Jim to take them, he got 1 drake, and missed another drake. I had no shots; they flew right over Jim’s head. We picked up our drake and pulled into the bank for coffee and cookies. We started back down and got across from the big island and we spotted Geese on the sand bar. We decided to try to float them. I ran up to the head of the island and started floating down. The current shot us past the head of the island and down. The Geese got up while we were at least 200 yards from them. We continued down to the end of the big island, no ducks. I told Jim I hope our raccoon moved to higher ground, or he drowned.
We ran to the head of the island and continued our float down the KY bank. When we rounded the bend across from the ramp the wind was hitting us right in the face with 2’ whitecaps. I knew the KY bank below Brush Creek would protect us from the wind, so we started the 8 mile run US. I ran up the Ohio bank the entire way and jumped up 2 blacks and 4 mallards and 2 big groups of buffleheads. As I approached the island the south turn of the river reduced the wind to the KY bank. I crossed over at the head of the power plant below Brush Creek Island. The KY bank was fantastic, hardly no wind. We started paddling. We floated all of the way below the power plant and were across from Wrightsville when we both spotted ducks ahead, at least 3 mallards. I floated down and they swam out and downstream a bit and then went back in. I got right beside them and told Jim to take them. Just as I said that I saw 3 blacks just in front of my 3 mallards. They all got up, the mallards flew DS and the blacks flew US. I had to wait until my mallards cleared the tress, and when they did 1 drake was directly over my head, I swung past it and pulled the trigger and saw it explode in feathers, and I heard it hit the water behind me, but could not see it. It was my only shot. Jim missed his 2 shots at the blacks. We picked up my drake and pulled into the bank for lunch. We headed back down and saw nothing until we approached Manchester Island. I looked over and saw two mallards swimming along the waters edge which had 20 yards of flooded tress between us and them. They were already in range, but I wanted to get closer. All of a sudden they were gone; it looked like they swam under a big trees root ball. I told Jim to take them, thinking they would jump up. They did not, and we flew past the big tree with the fast current. I have no clue where they went. I think they were both cripples and swam under the roots to hide from us. At this point the wind was just too bad to float. The boat was bouncing up and down due to the whitecaps. We decided to call it a day. I ran along the KY bank at a slow pace because the spray from the white caps was giving us a bath if I went too fast. Of course we motored right up on 3 different groups of blacks that took off only 20 yards ahead of us. I told Jim to net the next one. We got to the ramp and we had a big problem. The wind had blown a giant brush pile on both ends of the ramp. There were large trees, logs of every size across both ramps, along with hundreds of plastic bottles. The Manchester Ramp has an entrance and an exit ramp, but due to the high water there were two ramps. Both were completely blocked. I tried to run into the least covered ramp and was stopped short by 1 giant tree. I dropped Jim off on the bank between the two ramps and told him to move the big log, and then I would have a chance motoring thru the mass of logs and junk. I backed back out because the waves were beating into the rip rap between the banks, no place for a wooden boat. Jim could not move it, hell he is over 80 what did I expect. I pulled in and had Jim hold the boat out the best he could. I pushed the log out with a paddle, only to have it float right back due to the wind. I finally got it back enough to walk the skiff past the log. We pulled out and were home by 6:30.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River Mile 363-6 miles below Portsmouth 02-04-2012 14:37
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 35-40 Degrees
Duck Hunt 1-28-11
The wind was suppose to be really bad both Saturday and Sunday in terms if wind. It was to be 10-15 mph out of the West on Saturday and 10-20 mph on Sunday. Jim and I decided to go Saturday and then perhaps Sunday we would take my 1954 Lonestar decoy boat. River at 43.5 low Friday maybe 32 and it was raining lightly. I met Jim at his farm and we decided to go to Kinniconnick mile 368 Ohio River. We headed east on the double A highway. Had a great breatfast at the Bob Evans in Maysville. We needed gas for my 1997 Chev so we pulled into a gas station, I think it was west of Vanceburg. There sat a big decoy boat , it was War-eagle and his son. We chatted while I bought gas. Jim went to buy a cheap rain outfit in the store, he forgot his this morning. War-eagle said he was going to put in somewhere on the Scioto if he could find a ramp, if not just put in at Portsmouth and run up. I told him of our plans to hunt at the Kinn. Jim and I headed out on the Double A. We turned onto Rt. 8 at Vanceburg and got to the ramp at Kinn Creek. We could not put in, the road to the ramp was flooded and we would have had to go 100 yards in 1.5’ water to get enough water to launch the boat. Not a good idea. We decided to try Portsmouth. We got to Portsmouth and there were 8 trucks and trailers at the ramp, including War-Eagle who was putting in. We were certain that most of these boats went up the Scioto, but if not it, they could make life difficult for float hunters (boat ride to find ducks at 10:30am). We decided to put in at Manchester, so headed west on 52. I then though of the park at mile 363 Ohio River, we would put in there. We pulled into the park and there was a big barge just at the mouth of Nace run. When we got to the ramp a truck was parked and it was apparent it was a change shift for the barge, we saw their small boat running to and from the barge and the truck. The boat did not come from the truck, it had no trailer, so it must have been lowered from the barge.
There was no shelter to change into our waders and coveralls, so we drove the rig to the shelter next to the golf course. (it is still raining). After our change I drove back to the ramp. I had to slowly push the skiff off the trailer, because I could not back down far enough to float it off. We headed out of the creek and when we hit the river, the wind was horrible, I decided the Ky bank looked like it had better cover so I crossed over but when I got to the Ky side it was white-capping, much worse than the Ohio side. I went back to the Ohio side which was sheltered from the west wind, it was not that bad. We started paddling. We went down about a mile with out seeing a thing. I looked over to my left and there is a buoy floating down. When I looked at it thru the binocs, I saw that it was not a buoy, it looked like a overturned Kayak. I motored over to it to investigate, it was a Kayak, it was almost submerged, too much work to recover it. We motored back to the bank at Pond Run and proceeded to scare up about 10 mallards. Just below them were about 20 Geese who also took off. Jim spotted some ducks below them, but when I got up to them, they were at the waters edge, a good 40 yards back from the willow line, they got up and flew back away from us, no shots. The whole time we are floating DS we can hear the wind roaring in the trees above us, but so far the bank is sheltering us. We passed some beautiful houses on the bank above the river, some very expensive homes. We also passed 3 groups of cane that was flooded. I wondered if ducks would swim into it, it would be great cover. As we went DS we kept turning more and more west, and the wind got worse and worse, until it was white capping and the skiff is bouncing up and down, and I really could not keep the bow into the wind. I was funny, it should have been really mad about the situation, but god the river was beautiful, it was a wild living thing. When you looked at the Ky side thru the binocs it was amazing how high the waves were. My skiff can handle almost any water, but there was no way I would cross over this stretch. At the mouth of a small creek we jumped up about 20 geese and 4 ducks, they were just out of range. We decided to pull in for coffee and cookies. We debated throwing out decoys, but we were in Ohio and I have heard the agreement between Ky and Ohio is void. We pulled into the creek mouth to get out of the crazy wind. As we sat there with some trees blocking our path in the creek, we noticed the water was flowing fairly fast into the creek. I believe it was not a rising river; the river was suppose to fall, it was the wind blowing in the water. The rain had stopped so I got rid of my rain outfit, the sun started to come out. When we got ready to leave we had a hard time getting out. I had to turn the back of the skiff as I backed out, and I kept hitting shallow water as I backed. The high wind would not let me turn the back into the wind to get out. This is a common problem with the skiff, it does not back well with a high wind in your face. We finally got the skiff out using paddles to push her out as we ran in reverse, it was not easy. When I backed thru the tree line a wave went over the back of the skiff and I took on maybe 2 gallons of water. My skiff has high sides, but the back is cut down for a short shaft motor. In 12 years of hunting in my skiff, that is the first time water went over the back.
We then decided to run back up and refloat the Ohio band where we jumped up the ducks. I pulled the plug on the run up and drained the water out of the boat. When I got close to Pond run I ran out to the middle of the river, but not to the Ky side, it was just too rough on the far Ky bank. As we ran past we spotted Geese and a few ducks swimming into the bank thru our binocs. I ran up to below the ramp and started down paddling. We got to within 80 yards of the geese and they took off. I told Jim that I did not see the ducks take off. We went down maybe 100 yards and Jim spotted ducks below us. They were well back into the trees. I got right beside them and turned to boat into the bank, and told Jim to take them. I watched 2 ducks fly DS thru the trees, I had no shots. I saw Jim shoot at a few that flew US. Jim got two, a drake and a hen. We picked them up and headed US. My plan was to try to get to a bank that was turned slightly to protect us from the wind. It looked like the Ohio bank turned enough to be protected more from the west wind US of us. We started up the Ohio bank.
Above the ramp I crossed over to the Ky bank, and it was a mess, I fought whitecaps all the way up to within sight of the lower Portsmouth bridge. The problem was the high waves hid the floating drift which was really bad (43’ river). We crossed over and started down the Ohio bank. The wind was semi sheltered by the slight bend in the river. We paddled down stream past fantastic cover, weeds floating in the water, but no ducks. We both saw 5 mallards up ahead, but at this area the waters edge was 60 yards back from the tree line that we were floating past. I turned the skiff into the trees , but they got up and flew away from us no shots. We continued on down and the same thing happened again on 2 mallards, no shots. I looked over and next to me was a drake mallard decoy. I cranked up the 10 and we picked it up. It had a 2’ line on it. We decided to putt down slow and spot with binocs. We saw nothing. On the 1 mile stretch above Nace Run I paddled, but no ducks. It was 4:00 and we decided to call it a day. We pulled the boat out and drove west on 52 and crossed over at the old Maysville bridge. We had a great dinner at the Maysville Bob Evans. Home by 8:00.
Posted By:
Walt S
Web Member
01-30-2012 06:44
Mostly Sunny, No Precipitation – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
New birds I guess. We had a nice finish. Mallards, teal, gadwall and woodies. Dogs did well … a good day.
Turn out the lights…… the party’s over…… til next year.
GOD Bless & GOD Speed.
