A frigid day on the river for ducks

[IdahoCTD]

It was -1 when we got there and with all the clothes on I'd didn't shoot all that well but we ended up limiting out by about 10:30. A mixed bag of mallards, pintail, and widgeon. You can kind of see what the freezing fog did to everything in the back ground. About the time you got out of the water your waders froze.

 

[DrMike]

Cool! Literally! Looks as if you had a good day, nevertheless. Congratulations on filling your limit.

 

[big rifle man]

Idaho, Living in Florida has it's advantages. My buddy and I were out yesterday morning and did well on teal, ringers, a pintail and redheads. The temp was 62 and the only problem was mosquitos which we handled with thermocells. I hunted waterfowl for many years in the Northeast and can appreciate your picture.

 

[Guy Miner]

Good stuff! I need to get out for birds more often!

 

[Kodiak]

Does that brown dog do "Fetch?"

 

[IdahoCTD]

That dog is my buddy's dog, Jack. He does do fetch well. We didn't have to get one duck even though we got a couple doubles.

This place is kind of unique. Most people have to access it from the river but a friend has permission to access the private land adjacent to the island we are hunting. So we wade across the river. That is why you see the quad.

 

[FOTIS]

Congrats. That is something we have plenty of around here yet I never did any.

 

[HTDUCK]

Idaho,
You and I are cut from the same cloth.
This is my 43rd season chasing those webfooted wonders.
We've got one more weekend here in Tx and Ok then it's over for another year.

Been a poor season for us.
Drought and lack of water, no food for the birds migrating through.
From all accounts the birds that are normally here in December are still north of us.

Going to close the season chasing Sandhill cranes in the Tx panhandle the first weekend in Feb.

 

[IdahoCTD]

I don't have that many seasons chasing them but I do like duck hunting. I hate to eat them but luckily my dad has a buddy that will take as many as I give him. I actually stopped hunting them for a few years because I couldn't give them away and I didn't like to eat them enough.

It has been a poor year here too. Close to town the inversion for the last month has kept everything frozen and pushed the ducks out. So we went about an hour away and most of the snow was gone with tons of ducks.

 

[HTDUCK]

I don't have that many seasons chasing them but I do like duck hunting. I hate to eat them but luckily my dad has a buddy that will take as many as I give him. I actually stopped hunting them for a few years because I couldn't give them away and I didn't like to eat them enough.

It has been a poor year here too. Close to town the inversion for the last month has kept everything frozen and pushed the ducks out. So we went about an hour away and most of the snow was gone with tons of ducks.

Try this recipe.
Filet the meat off the breast.
Soak overnight in salt water in fridge.
Marinate it in equal parts soy sauce and worstershire for about 2 hours.
Wrap each filet with 1/2 slice bacon and run a toothpick through it.
Grill until meat is med rare. (About 6 mins on med heat )
Keep a spray bottle of water handy in case bacon starts to burn....

 

[IdahoCTD]

I'll try it because we are going again tomorrow. That will probably be the last time for the season.

 

[big rifle man]

HT, add a slice of jalapeno pepper to the inside. We do ours with cream cheese, Jalapeno and bacon and they taste great. The teal and mottled ducks don't need a thing. Their meat is superb.

 

[Woodycreek]

HT, add a slice of jalapeno pepper to the inside. We do ours with cream cheese, Jalapeno and bacon and they taste great. The teal and mottled ducks don't need a thing. Their meat is superb.

+1!!! Nothing better than duck breast stuffed with a pepper, cream cheese, and wrapped in bacon!

 

[HTDUCK]

HT, add a slice of jalapeno pepper to the inside. We do ours with cream cheese, Jalapeno and bacon and they taste great. The teal and mottled ducks don't need a thing. Their meat is superb.

We do cook them with Jalapenos at times.
I'm one of those people with a metal mouth, can't make it too spicy for me.
Heck I can't hardly eat a hamburger without fresh jalapeno slices on it.
Wanna see a crisis at my house? Let the wife forget to get fresh jalapenos at the grocery store.
Doves? ALWAYS get Jalapenos

 

[OU812]

Looks like a great duck hunt, congrats. Around here I target geese the most but really get horned up for a good duck hunt. I love duck and goose hunting and do it as much as possible. Right now I'm out of commission, had shoulder surgery a week ago but am hoping to get out once our 3rd period goose opens back up.

Bill

 

[Guest]

Idaho,
I used to hunt Ducks and Geese, it was like a disease with me. I do miss it. Your pic and background bring back good memories.

I used to filet the breast off the birds, freeze them whole then with them partially thawed slice them about 1/8" thick marinade in a recipe I have to make jerky. My girls would eat it like candy.

Don

 

[IdahoCTD]

We went back out yesterday morning and it was totally different. It was almost like they didn't go to the fields to feed. It was SLOW! So we hiked around the islands and jumped hundreds of ducks and a few geese basically sleeping at 9am. That is the time they are usually feeding in the fields. We only got 7.

 

[Guest]

Idaho,
Sometimes you have to take it to them when they don't come to you. That's the way to do it.

Don

 

[big rifle man]

Today is my last day in the marsh. Our season closes this sunday and what a great season it was. I'm looking forward to a number of duck dinners. I miss the geese that were common in the Northeast but I'm not freezing down here so there are some good tradeoffs.