I hate when this happens....

LI-Jack

LI-Jack

Active member
You get up at oh dark thirty, your friends show up on time, coffee is made. It was my first broadbill hunt in two years. The birds were finally around in enough numbers that made me switch the rig from puddlers to divers. You decide to hunt a point close by for an easy hunt and have your rig all set by shooting time. You've just settled down into the blind and all of a sudden the tide shifts. Normally not a problem, the tide shifts every six hours, but this time it's been in the teens and for the first time this year there is ICE!

I spent the first hour of my hunt chasing decoys that got caught in the ice flow, so much for an easy hunt.

It's one of the most fustrating things that happens while duck hunting. I was better off leaving at 7 or 8am after the tide shift and setting up and missing the first flight, which I missed anyway.

Lesson learned; Move south?? just kidding. I'll wait until the tide has shifted and that the cove is clear of ice before setting up.

We had only one hen cooperate and a long island limit (1 black duck, 2 Brant). This was the hardest hunt this year for me, I can't wait till this weekend to do it again-- maybe.

-Jack
 
Yep, had to chase dekes after some yahoos came up river and tried to break ice accross the lake..current brought the iceburgs right through our dekes and down river.
 
Ice? You must tell me more of this thing you call ice. What is it exactly?

I actually wish I had your problem. I haven't busted ice with a boat, stick or anything else this entire season. Its been miserably warm here in SE VA.
 
Yeah, I hate when that happens. Know what else I hate? I hate when I get my dekes all set up, my blind up and all, just ready to break out my thermos of coffee, then then the mosquitos start attacking in force (late January too.) Then I start feeling around in my pockets for my MaxiDeet, and it ain't there. That's what I hate.

Ed.
 
Randy Dow, 90 years old this year, reminds me to watch out for the stuff on Great Bay the consistency of a "slurpy", a heavy slush. One might be able to get part way through it, then find the boat won't move - can't push off on anything like you might with ice. Maybe something we only have on big, shallow salt water like the Bay?
 
Thomas,
That does happen, but you have to have about 3-5 days of less that 28 degrees for the slush ice to get thick. Ice is and broadbill hunting have always moved together. If you weren't freezing out there, it wasn't a good Broadbill day.

I like it when the ice stays hard, and you can get onto the ice to shoot bird without the tide shifting the ice sheet. I don't think well see that this year.

It's funny to hear the mosquitos, posted by Ed, we had that odd issue up here up untill 2-3 weeks ago.

-Jack
 
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