Post by crockett on Dec 20, 2012 12:13:52 GMT -5
Normal people say "Hey, what a NICE, WARM, SUNNY day. I think I'll take a day off".
Duck hunters say "Hey, a 70km/h nor'ester? With a blizzard you say? I think I'll take a day off"!
My apologies for the terrible photo quality - the only thing at hand was a cheap cell phone...
There's HEAVEN, there's HELL, and then there's THIS PLACE - which is a little bit of both. Believe it or not, I narrated this video. I think I was saying something like: "HOLY CHIT IT'S FRIGGIN' WINDY!"
Reel Geese silos - 10 lbs dry, 50 lbs when crusted with frozen slushy mud.
Big Al's duck silos - 5 lbs dry, 25 lbs when etc...
Wonderduck spinning wing decoy - not doing much good
Self portraits into the teeth of a nor-easter - hard not to make your 'uglyface'
Yep, uglyface again - I give up!
The poor things had no idea what hit them - what kind of an IDIOT would be out there today? Me, that's what kind!
An Xtreme shotty for Xtreme conditions - never missed a beat, even after someone tripped on a silo and fell on his face
This was heavy on the way OUT to the marsh. On the way back to the car, it was wobby baby-steps all the way! Good way to warm up though!
By the way - Big Al's Silo Review:
PROS:
1. Compared to Real-Geese - they are much easier to clean (smoother) of snow/slush/ice/mud
2. Compared to Real-Geese - they do not "stain" with Fundy mud. The textured fabric covering of the real-geese stains more than the smooth finish on the Big Al's.
CONS:
1. H-stakes are not supposed to come out once you attach them to the deke (according to packaging). Well they do - sometimes. They are hard to find if you leave one behind, and a pain to re-insert in those little holes when you're out there with frozen fingers in difficult conditions. It's an easy fix if you pick them up by putting your fingers right down under the crossbar, but you get muddy/snowy/colder doing it that way. I might glue mine in with some silicone to avoid this in future.
2. They are more fragile than the Real-Geese. I folded a beak over on one of the mallards already. No big deal - ducks won't notice a floppy beak on a decoy, but if that's the kind of thing that bugs you, these might not be for you.
UNCERTAINTIES:
1. Decoys had nothing to do with success today, so can't speak to how effective they were/weren't. They certainly look good out there though. It was just that the ducks wanted to be somewhere else, so I didnt' shoot any over the dekes.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Include some extra H-stakes in the kit. Some are bound to get lost eventually.
2. Consider paiting the tips of them blaze or reflective to be able to find them if you pluck the deke off the stake. Better yet, glue them in and be done with it.
Duck hunters say "Hey, a 70km/h nor'ester? With a blizzard you say? I think I'll take a day off"!
My apologies for the terrible photo quality - the only thing at hand was a cheap cell phone...
There's HEAVEN, there's HELL, and then there's THIS PLACE - which is a little bit of both. Believe it or not, I narrated this video. I think I was saying something like: "HOLY CHIT IT'S FRIGGIN' WINDY!"
Reel Geese silos - 10 lbs dry, 50 lbs when crusted with frozen slushy mud.
Big Al's duck silos - 5 lbs dry, 25 lbs when etc...
Wonderduck spinning wing decoy - not doing much good
Self portraits into the teeth of a nor-easter - hard not to make your 'uglyface'
Yep, uglyface again - I give up!
The poor things had no idea what hit them - what kind of an IDIOT would be out there today? Me, that's what kind!
An Xtreme shotty for Xtreme conditions - never missed a beat, even after someone tripped on a silo and fell on his face
This was heavy on the way OUT to the marsh. On the way back to the car, it was wobby baby-steps all the way! Good way to warm up though!
By the way - Big Al's Silo Review:
PROS:
1. Compared to Real-Geese - they are much easier to clean (smoother) of snow/slush/ice/mud
2. Compared to Real-Geese - they do not "stain" with Fundy mud. The textured fabric covering of the real-geese stains more than the smooth finish on the Big Al's.
CONS:
1. H-stakes are not supposed to come out once you attach them to the deke (according to packaging). Well they do - sometimes. They are hard to find if you leave one behind, and a pain to re-insert in those little holes when you're out there with frozen fingers in difficult conditions. It's an easy fix if you pick them up by putting your fingers right down under the crossbar, but you get muddy/snowy/colder doing it that way. I might glue mine in with some silicone to avoid this in future.
2. They are more fragile than the Real-Geese. I folded a beak over on one of the mallards already. No big deal - ducks won't notice a floppy beak on a decoy, but if that's the kind of thing that bugs you, these might not be for you.
UNCERTAINTIES:
1. Decoys had nothing to do with success today, so can't speak to how effective they were/weren't. They certainly look good out there though. It was just that the ducks wanted to be somewhere else, so I didnt' shoot any over the dekes.
RECOMMENDATIONS:
1. Include some extra H-stakes in the kit. Some are bound to get lost eventually.
2. Consider paiting the tips of them blaze or reflective to be able to find them if you pluck the deke off the stake. Better yet, glue them in and be done with it.
