Theory Open For Review

[Guest]

Duck-o-holic said it right. If you want to shoot birds this time of year, scouting pays in spades. I put on about 100 miles (I've put on a lot more at times) last Friday and found a piece of public water that was being used by birds and was right next to another private body of water being used by a ton of birds. The public water was relatively small with one good spot. I was the first one there the following morning and it resulted in a limit of ducks. Happy hunter.

Then I got lazy that afternoon and decided to forgo scouting. But, I knew in the back of my mind that small bodies of water have rarely worked for me two days in a row. I was right. The ducks avoided this slough like the plague the next day.

So, I want your comments. Is it a bad idea to gun small water two days in a row? Now, I realize that there's many factors that can play upon the success you might have with small water, but is there anyone else that concurs with this line of thought?

[Guest]

Most sucess on small bodies of water:

Shoot it up once, maaaaaybe twice, then lest it rest for 5 to 10 days. That is why it is best to find a number of spots that are huntable. I hunt potholes a lot and I have found that plan to be most sucessfull.
CUT EM!!

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If I'm not in the duck blind or the ice house I'm thinking about it!!

[Duck-o-holic]

I think it depends on the situation. If you get in, take your birds, and get out... you are letting it stack up again during the rest of the day, and letting the birds think all is safe and sound again. If the area you hunt is holding a lot of birds, it won't be as detrimental-- as so many of the birds you are drawing in are ones you're pulling from feeding flocks in the area, or new arrivals. It is the roosting birds or the "regulars" coming specifically to your water for feed that will be most effected by overgunning.

The lake that Gull and I hunted yesterday was larger water, but we still didn't hunt these roosting birds where they wanted to sit. Instead, we got between them and thier feeding field... and the results were DEADLY. Every bird we shot (save the "local goldeneye") was chalk-full of corn... which is an added incentive for a bird to drop into the nearest bunch of birds for a little drinky-drink! In retrospect, I think that the majority of the roosting flock was still on the lake as we picked up dekes, and headed home... resting, undisturbed.

Some other factors in considering the overgunning question:

**Other hunters-- Is the whole area you're hunting getting gunned hard? If you bang them up a day or two during the week, look for them to come back on the weekend if other hunters are pushing birds off the surrounding water (it can even be better to NOT hunt your slough at these gunning times to let them stack up if your work schedule allows you to do so). The "other hunters" in this equasion can also mean pheasant or deer hunters depending on the time of year.

**Lack of other hunters-- A couple years ago, I was gunning in NoDak, and my bro and I kicked out a sloughful of mallards... without, of course, firing a shot. We set up the dekes quick to dupe the birds as they eventually filtered back in. We did manage to get our birds, but only a fraction of the birds ever came back, as there was water EVERYWHERE for the birds, with zero other hunters to move them (a scenario you'd be HIGHLY UNLIKELY to find in MN ).

Weather-- If I was hunting on Sunday or Monday, I'd not worry about overgunning a slough, as with the incoming front and weather coming on Tuesday... more birds will likely be arriving! New birds = eneducated birds.

Sorry for babbling... hope I at least answered or confirmed some of your ideas! Every situation out there is different, and I guess if anything, that is my point. You just need to use your hunting knowledge to try to decipher the birds patterns! It's the truly rewarding part of hunting when the day is done, and you're heading home knowing you had a successful day due to you using your head!

Good Gunnin'

Duck-o-holic