Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central and NW Ohio 06-19-2010 12:09
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – Over 70 Degrees
Central Ohio getting lots of rain this Spring and Summer which should create and foster ideal nesting conditions.
Just back from Camp Perry up on Lake Erie and conditions seem great there also. Noticed Fowl Fooler Inc. for sale if anyone is interested in an outfitting/decoy/call business:)
Will miss Captain Charlie, he once helped me improve my calling when I stopped in to purchase a call.
Wonder how conditions on the Gulf will effect the duck habitat and populations in wintering areas. I am told the next DU magazine will have several articles on the subject.
Time to scout, get permission slips lined up, clean the decoys and prep the boat!
Be safe, teach a youngster to hunt & respect the great outdoors…and pass on the hens…!
Posted By:
Anthony-Santoli
Field Editor
05-05-2010 08:16
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All in all the bredding grounds appear to be in excellent shape for all of the little ones. Although a few parts in Alberta,Saskatchewan are not so good,,, the Dakotas, Minnesota and Montana are looking A1. The powerhouse of the Missouri Coteau region is set for a pristine hatch of waterfowl this year. Parts above Ohio in Ontario ar enot so good this year, but other parts of Ontario are in pretty good shape as far as nesting goes. The lake Erie marshes are full of ducks and geese and I have also noticed on my journeys throughout the state that ducks are spread out. Some parts of the state remain very wet, while others are dry. I am also thinking that Snow geese will have a good hatch this year.
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central Ohio Scouting 04-29-2010 14:48
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Large numbers of Geese in the area, more than usual for this time of the year. However, far less number of ducks.
Rainfall has been sparse, needs to pick-up.
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central Ohio Scouting 04-29-2010 14:48
Sunny & Clear, Winds Calm – 60-65 Degrees
Large numbers of Geese in the area, more than usual for this time of the year. However, far less number of ducks.
Rainfall has been sparse, needs to pick-up.
Posted By:
Anthony-Santoli
Field Editor
04-13-2010 08:27
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Been seeing good amounts of birds this Spring. A lot of have actually settled on my areas and paired up to nest. Several pairs of geese, several pairs of mallards and gadwalls… good amount of woodducks paired up as well.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River below Rome, Ohio 01-24-2010 17:28
Cloudy, Winds Calm – 40-45 Degrees
Duck Hunt 1-23-10
After my no duck day yesterday, went to Rome Ohio River mile 384. My partner went to bed at 9:00 pm and his wife said do not disturb when I called to set up our hunt Friday nite. The man is 79. Had a great breakfast of pancakes, bacon and egg at the Alberdeen Yum Yum. Wane(a local) was there and was being harassed by a friend. I did learn the the Aberdeen Police had a guy spread eagle on the ground on 52 last nite. I have decided to take my model 12 instead of the 1100 today. Drove to Rome and was at ramp by 9:30 to see I was second. River at 35 cloudy Downstream breeze, yes I said Downstream. On the Ohio River the only time the wind blows it is from the west or US. As I was putting the boat in I hear Geese directly across from me. Got out the binocs and found them. I said to myself, good grilled Geese. As I was just ready to get started , in the Geese were making a racket, I look up and here comes Mr. Decoy hunter running up the Ky bank and scares up my grilled Geese. Must be pretty boring when you are already moving at 9:30 am. They run up about .5 miles and pull into the bank and start putting out decoys.
I decided to run up maybe 2 miles to let things on the Ky bank settle down. Ran up the Ohio bank and crossed over and started down. Beautiful float conditions. I saw nothing on the float back to Rome. I then sighted the decoy hunters decoys below. You can always tell decoys though binocs because they never move, or flap their wings. I started up the 10 to motor down and say hi. I spotted down and up for ducks flying so I would not screw them up. I saw their blind but they hid behind and did not say Hi. I motored on down and started floating. I know they were there because I could hear them talking when I started floating. Guess they didn’t want to talk. My partner refuses to talk to other hunters. One day I asked him why, and he said they are the enemy, I don’t talk to the enemy. I floated down for 2 miles and nothing. Then I spotted 3 blacks, but they swam out and took off. They were locals who have seen the floating log before. Same thing happened to the next 2 blacks I saw. The same with 2 blacks and 4 mallards. The blacks swam right out to the middle. The mallards started back in, but they took off when the 2 blacks took off. I kept on going down. I got up to take a pee, I just leaned over the side and when I finished two blacks jumped up right besides me. I did not shoot because I like to float them then shoot, not just shoot. What is unreal is they sat there while I took a pee while all the other blacks swam out and flew away long before I was in shotgun range.
Right after that I passed a big cottonwood with a massive root ball at the waters edge. There past the tree is a drake and hen mallard sitting on the waters edge. I eased up and dropped the drake and missed the hen 2 times. I watch my drake swim into the root pile. I pulled into the bank and looked all over and could not find him. In order to wait him out I ate some cookies and coffee. In past hunts, we have had them burst out from their hiding spot if you wait long enough. This one never did come out. Started on down. Just above Brush creek island I spotted 5 geese on the bank. As I was floating down they ran up the bank, got out of shotgun range and then flew away. Very smart Geese. The green grass of Concord was still there, but no ducks this time. Below Concord a spot two ducks swimming in a good ¼ mile in front of me. I spotted where they swam in and floated down. Here it was a creek mouth. Went past it and nothing. They must have swam back in it. I started the 10 hp up and ran back just to see where they went. I could, not go up it, there was a log across the mouth. Started back down. Just above Manchester Island I spotted 2 more ducks swimming in a good ¼ mile below me. I spotted them and paddled up on them. When I got to where they were , nothing. I floated down for 5 minutes, and decided to call it a day and head back. When I started the 10 hp, 2 blacks jumped up just in front of me. They must have swam down a bit. I ran back up the Ohio Bank and in 10 miles of Ohio bank jumped up 2 blacks. Pulled out about 3:30, the other truck was gone. When I went to winch in the skiff there was a black duck wing on my winch. A present from the decoy hunters?.
Heres where it really gets bad. My normal duck truck is dead, a bad transmission (getting it fixed) so I got the suburban, the truck from hell. Both have 265,000 miles on them. Instead of going to the Yum Yum for supper, I decided to try out KFC. Meal was great, when I went to start the suburban, dead started. Bad carma for not eating at the Yum Yum. I called Debi to come pick me up. My only running vehicle is my 1972 Ford Bronco. She was not very happy about the 60 mile drive. I changed the boat over to the bronco, told the KFC lady I would be back and went home. I just got back from changing out the starter in the pouring rain, and 40 degree temps. This is its 4th starter. I wish I would have shot the white duck.
Posted By:
Darron Baker
Field Editor
S. Ohio 01-22-2010 07:29
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With the warmer temps the fields are starting to open back up and if things go as planned, it could be a great way to end the season. As of yesterday we have a field holding several hundred birds. Going to scout them tonight and hit them hard Saturday.
Posted By:
Al-Faber
Field Editor
Central Ohio 01-18-2010 19:56
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 30-34 Degrees – Open Water
Ducks and geese moving throughout the area.
Had some success in local fields but birds were hard to work and to get to commit to our spread. Made several changes and a larger spread seemed to help.
local small rivers are the best bet right now with ducks and geese loafing most of the day.
coming to the end of the season as warmer temps start moving through the area. Should be an interesting closer.
Posted By:
bridgeman
Web Member
Ohio River at Rome Ohio 01-17-2010 20:13
Cloudy, Light Rain & Drizzle – 40-45 Degrees
Duck Hunt 1-17-10
Took the Skiff to Rome mile 384 Ohio River. My partner decided that he did not want to sit in the Rain. Had a great breakfast at the Aberdeen Yum Yum, had 1 egg bacon and two pancakes. Slight wind low of 40 and river at pool stage, and of course rain. I changed into my waders and rain outfit at the Manchester “fort” at the downtown ramp, in the building next to the river, in order to get out of the rain. There was 1 truck at the top of the ramp. I put in at Rome and ran across to the Ky bank. I look down and ducks are swimmimg out, and I look up and ducks are swimming out. Its good to see ducks. I backed out and ran across the river and up about 1 mile and then putted down. I spotted the first group and started paddeling down. They did not like me at all and swam out to the middle of the river and then took off. The next bunch did the same thing, and a group beyond them. I decided to try the Ohio bank, to see if they were less educated. I spotted about 4 and could but could not get close to them , they swam out to the middle and appeared to be swimming across. At this point it is raining hard. I floated down the good Ohio band below Rome and switched to the Ky bank, the wind was picking up and I was hoping the bend below Brush Creek would protect me. As I ran across, I pulled the plug on the skiff to drain out some water. The first time I have done that , and it works, as long as you go .75 throttle. I putted down the Ky bank above Brush Creek Island, it was a little calmer. I wish some one could make binoculars that work in the rain, almost useless.
I spotted by eye 3 ducks below me. I could tell that were blacks. I held the boat out a little more than usual, maybe 30 yards. I got about 50 yards up to them and they decided to swim down a little. I kept right with them, and they went back into the bank. I got up to maybe 35 yards, and they came back out. We floated down together, and at last they went in. I held the boat out until I passed them, and then turned towards the bank. They had no clue, got out and sat on the bank. I eased up missed the first shot , pulled a little more lead and got the second. That was my only shot. I had to shoot him 1 more time on the water. Pulled in for coffee to warm up. I did not have on gloves , because of the rain, and the hot coffee and donut revived me. Da_ I hate rain. Started back down. Just a little up from the island I spotted 1 drake mallard all by himself. Floated down and got right on him. I eased up and no. 2 duck for the day. I headed on down and spotted a drake on the bank. Floated down, and when I was still 50 yards out he and the hen who I did not see took off. I pulled into the bank for more coffee to warm up. Pushed off. Directly across from the Island, I spotted a drake mallard. I paddeled down and he is swimming Up towards me. I got right on him, eased up and he will not fly, it is a cripple. At this point the wind starts and it was tuff floating. I got down to the Power Plant, and had enough. I headed up the Ohio bank. I jumped one group of fish ducks. Pulled out and drove back to Manchester to change out of my wadders and rain outfit at the Manchester “fort” at the ramp. Had a good supper at the Yum Yum and home by 8:00.
Posted By:
Anthony-Santoli
Field Editor
sandusky then Arkansas 01-15-2010 10:55
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We finished off our North Zone split…with a massive attack on the waterfowl. Gadwalls,Mallards,Blacks and Wigeons….we took 40 birds on the opener of the second spllit….. the very next day they were all gone except for a few Blacks. That is what you call hitting the nail right on the head for exact timing. We just came back from my Uncles in Arkansas and laid down the gauntlet there for some shoots….full limits each shoot on Mallards,Gadwalls,Wigeon,Green-Wings,Hollywoods,Snows,Specks,Canadians. The club we hunted was holding over 250 thousand ducks….best hunting I have experienced this side of Mexico…best that any of them had experienced as well…it was a beautiful site to behold. The one day we did strictly a teal swat…. 7 limits of teal in less than 3 hours… estimated 40K teal in and out of the dekes. THAT’S A WRAP FOLKS…… hangin with my family for a couple weeks,,,then off to Missouri for SnowGoose Fest 2010.
See ya
