Session #6 Great Project But Huge Let Down

Well I have been thinking about how I could camouflage my layout boat better.  Last year it got s paint job and this year I wanted some way to  try and make it like a layout blind without having to buy one of the boat covers with the stubble straps.  My first idea was to make a grid out of paracoard over the top of the boat,  it failed.  But out of the failure arose a better idea then a correction to get the final product.

Final Product

So I started with the grid idea and it failed so my next thought was what about those cargo nets that stretch.  Well I hit up my nearest Harbor Freight store, discount hardware tools, found two medium sized nets for the front and back portion of my boat then two motorcycle sized nets for each side.  The nets came with hooks that I used to fix the nets to the boat.

nets only

So after a week of having the nets attached to the boat, looking at it, and contemplation I decided the nets needed changed just a bit.  It was not exactly what I wanted and I had some coverage areas that were minimal.  So my thought to fix the nets had me remove all the hooks and started from scratch on placement.  I went to the nearest hardware store and bought some fine metal wire.  I finally got back to the boat and started by tying the two side nets end to end.  I centered them up on the sides and then worked my way to the front by tying the nets together with the small wire.  I finished the nets all of the way around the boat and it covered everything I needed.  I placed my layout blind in the cockpit of the boat, last year it worked out amazing for me to have the top coverage and the built in backrest and pouches.  I had some grass left from Roger's Sporting Goods from last season I began zip tying the grass to the cargo nets.  With time it began to look amazing.

beginning to grass

So I grassed my boat and left it for a week and occasionally looked at it during that time. Last year I learned my lesson when I painted my boat.  It is hard to know when to stop painting or camouflaging something.  Last year I paint just a little extra that was to much but luckily I realized it and stopped.  So that is why this year I would do some work and take a break and think everything over.  It is easy to add more but hard to take something back once it is done.  So while looking at the boat I realized that it did have some bald spots and that I hunt in smart weed in the the places I hunt.  So I ordered some smart weed from Cabela's.  I began filling in the bald spots with some extra grass. 

little more grass

So with more grass on the way from Cabela's I left the boat a little bare in spots but covered most of them. I tied some of the grass from the boat to the flaps of the blind.  This did wonders in breaking up the line between the cockpit and the layout blind. Finally the smart weed grass came in.  I added it sparingly to the boat since I do not hunt in just smart weed but there is some in the corn and spots I hunt.

smart weed grass added

opening in cockpit

So I let the boat sit for a week and looked it over again, catching a pattern yet?  I noticed that I had a very noticeable square behind my layout blind and the cockpit.  I am thinking that the boat is almost done.  So now that I had a problem I had to figure out how to correct it.  The tricky part is I need access to that spot to steer the boat in the marsh and it is storage for supplies or a dog if I can borrow some one's.  So that adds a new level of difficulty to the design of correction.  Well  the square was 30 inches by 30 inches so I thought why not go with what I know already works, cargo nets.  I returned to Harbor Freight and bought two motorcycle nets.  I tied them together and placed them in the cockpit.  Dang it they did not fit enough.  The nets measured 15 inches by 12 inches.  So I thought to myself why did they not fit.  Duh, come one Mike two would only cover half of the opening.  Well to fix that issue I had extra net tucked around the backside of the opening from the large net on the back.  I pulled the extra net up and tied my half net to it.  I attached the net with the hooks given with the nets.  I had ran out of grass but I pulled the net back to see how well it worked.  The net worked great but the hooks got tangled up in the other portion of the nets.  So after a few minutes of thinking and looking at my duck gear I use carabiners for all kinds of things during hunting.  They work amazing to attach things.  I figured I would substitute the carabiners for the hooks.  It worked perfect.  I went and bought some extra grass and finished off the boat with grass.  The whole package looks amazing and is more than half the price of the slips sold by the major layout boat manufactures.

Back net closed

Back net open

See through mesh on layout blind

So now that I am feeling amazing about duck season and can not wait to put the boat in the marsh and watch it disappear.  I had hurt my knee while at work at the beginning of this product.  So after going through workman's compensation claims and seeing numerous doctors the diagnosis was discovered.  I partially tore my ACL in my knee.  The breath was taken out of my sails with knowing how much time is needed to rehabilitate from the injury and surgery and how close duck season was.  Crunching the numbers that the doctor said was needed for crutches and rehab  things were not looking good.

The big question is will I make in to the marsh this season for duck season.  I have learned so much in the past years and want to keep learning but it is not looking good for this duck hunter.  So stay safe and HEALTHY from now to the end of duck season fellow hunters.

Session #5 Dinner and Prep Work

Session #5 Dinner and Prep Work

So as the season draws closer it feels as if I was driving on a highway to season start but I am driving in western Kansas.  Driving plenty fast but not fast enough to get through the lull in the drive.  So to pass the time I thought I would cook something up for dinner.  Cooking is one of my other hobbies, for those that do not know me that well.

So I look in the freezer for some protein to cook, what do I find.  Duck breasts from last season.  I started looking and I thought to myself, dang I need to start eating this duck before the season starts and I bring home more meat.  Luckily my goose was gone super fast with Sarah loving goose.  She ate the goose as fast as I could stack them on the ground.  

So I pulled some breasts out to cook and thawed them out.  Now I was thinking how do I want to cook them.  I have tried some other ways that did not turn out well at all.  So the two ideas I thought of was breading strips with "Andy's fish batter" or marinating and wrapping with bacon.  Bacon I am thinking of but I wanted to grill it and I am to broke to buy the grill I want, working on saving the money up.  So I try to think of how I can cook the bacon to crisp and not over cook the breast.  So as I think about that dilema I think of sides.  So a thought comes to mind, duck is a classy fancy piece of meat.  What is classier and fancier than mushroom risotto and asparagus.  Asparagus needs some love then and I will have bacon so what better love then BACON love.  That is right take a healthy veggie and wrap it in BACON.  Well I figured out how to crisp up my bacon and not over cook it and the breast.  I dug out my cast iron dutch oven for the asparagus since I have a tiny stove top with three small electric rings and only one big ring.  For the duck I grab my large cast iron pan.

So I marinated the duck breast for about four hours in soy sauce, two cloves or garlic, a quarter of a red onion, and fresh ground pepper.  I wrapped the duck and the asparagus in bacon and started the risotto with onions and garlic.

So now that the asparagus bacon is crispy I put the dutch oven in the oven to finish off the asparagus without crisping the bacon to much.  I focus on the risotto since it seems that a lot of people think it is very hard to make.  I cooked up the rice with a large box of chicken stock and one can of beef stock, to me it gives the best flavor to the rice.  

So the breasts are finally cooked, everything is plated and served.  Now the tough critique from Sarah.

So as we sat down to eat, I began to taste and sample everything.  I finally look up and see Sarah had completely eaten the duck breast half bacon and all.  I asked her if it was good.  Sarah with her mouth full mumbled it is amazing.  I finally tasted the duck and realized she was right.  The whole meal was restaurant quality and definitely a $17 meal.  The risotto was cooked perfectly, creamy and a hint of Marsala wine.  The only down side to the meal was the asparagus was more fiberous than expected.  I had already cut three to four inches off the bottom of the spears trying to prevent that.  

So now that dinner was done all I can think of  was, "Is it duck season yet."  So to take my mind off of it, I think hey I need to Armorall my decoys still.  This is the first time I have ever done this to them.  Some of my decoys are four seasons old and have spent a the off seasons outside in the weather since I lived in an apartment.  The decoys were looking oxidized and not as vibrant as they should be.  So I after Amoralling the decoys they looked amazing.  I found one decoy that rattled,  I was not the one who put a pellet of shot in it or at least I hoped I was not.  Found another that had water in it.  The factory hole in the tail feathers had come loose.  Guess that hen was shaking her tail feathers to much.  So I shook most of the water out and let her hang so I would remember to glue the hole shut.  I went to get more carabiners since I run my decoys on Mojo texas rigs.  I had run a dozen on a carabiner but decided to try a half dozen this year and see how that goes for ease of unloading and loading decoys in the bags.

So now that I had done some preseason prep work and eating some delicious duck.  I sat back and felt relieved that some of the pressure and anxiety released, at least till next week.  

Stay safe and comment on this post with what prep work you do to get ready for the waterfowl season. 

Session #4: Preseason Addiction Tweaking

Session #4 Preseason Addiction Tweaking

Outside Cabela's KC, Kansas

Well the past weekend I and my gorgeous lady went to see Chad Belding from "Banded Nation" and the Fowl Life television series.  Cabela's was having a their Waterfowl Classic.  I had a blasted I am sure my lady enjoyed it a little too.  She has been wanting to go duck hunting with me since I meet her, well it looks like she will get too.

I started watching the Fowl Life last season and really enjoyed the down to earth vibe that the show put off.  You watch some of the waterfowl shows and the guys seem to be very full of themselves.  It is almost like they have forgotten where they came from.  Chad in the Fowl Life has not forgotten that at all.  The show is how I try to write this blog.  You get to watch the down time shenanigans and the amazing trigger time that makes the hunts memorable.

Ok, so back to the Waterfowl Classic.  Well first stop was to see Chad and get his autograph, to bad it was not on a check or a contract to join his Banded Nation team, maybe next year.  I got his autograph and his friend's (Luke Hochevar, KC Royals pitcher)  Chatted with him for a brief moment due to a line of people waiting to do the same.  So off we went then meandering around the store.  The store was packed full of decoys.  Decoys were at the front entry way and then down every isle way.

I stopped by the Patternmaster booth and began chatting with them, bad idea for a broke person to do that.  Well I had been looking at the Code Black choke last year but decided to not buy it at that time.  Well he convinced me to try it out and I put one in my basket.  Sorry for who ever left their basket empty on the floor.  They probably turned around and thought the Cabela's gnome stole it.  Those gnomes are a tricky bread especially on Black Friday with a limited promotion item.

Don't worry I know the package is empty, I had to put it in my gun.

So then I came across the Banded calls display.  Since I am always looking for that easier to blow more realistic call, that I like and I can afford I stopped to look at what they had.  I picked up the Big Bub since I already have the Little Bub.  The call was amazing priced even if it was not on sale it was decently priced.

All last year I had been looking for the duck blind colored face paint from Camo FX.  I bought a black and grey colored version last year and loved it but I lost it some where after the first use.  I finally found the duck blind color and grabbed two for the season.  

Then off to the bargin cave to see what was on sale.  I have found some great deals in that place for duck gear.  Just do me a favor leave some of the good stuff for me.  As I walked by the register and counter I saw some Banded calls sitting there screaming my name to try them out.  A very helpful worker pulled some out for me to try, he even pulled out alcohol swabs.  The worker was so helpful.  I finally settled on a gorgeous orange pearl Mallard Queen call.  I just knew I had to get it and put the Big Bub back on the display.  

Since my lady wanted to hunt with me she needed some waders.  While I had the worker's attention I asked him to help us for some waders.  He helped us search and found a pair of chest waders.  They were Cabela's Northern Flight single strap waders.  The worker said that the waders were discontinued because the camo pattern was out dated and not produced anymore.  I thought to myself holy crap the pattern came out last year or two minimum.  I saw the price and told him that we were looking for a cheaper pair since she was just seeing if she enjoyed waterfowl hunting.  We told him the price we were looking for and he crunched some numbers.  He came back and said he would sell it for the price we wanted.  I screamed "Sold" and startled the worker.  Do not worry there will be a picture of her in them in later posts I am sure of it.

So off we went paid for our booty, wait that is backwards.  Oh well it is our treasure for sure and we can't wait to try it out.  

I couldn't wait to "practice" the call so as my lady drove me around the Legends shopping center.  I blew the call and made shoppers laugh and jump.  I enjoy bringing smiles to peoples faces and this didn't even involve me falling in the water, huge bonus for me.

Well this session has remedied the addiction tweaks for the time being.  Well that and dove season is around the corner.

Session #3: THE INNER ITCH HAS BEGUN

Well my fellow duck hunters, who all has that inner itch tickling them.  No, I am not talking about those crabs from that dirty girl you knew for a night.  I am talking about that waterfowl itch.  Come on, get your head out of the gutters and back in the marsh.

Well waterfowl shows are starting back up on television.  Waterfowl conventions are popping up.  This past weekend I went to Roger's Sporting Goods in Liberty, Missouri.  It was such a pleasant reprieve to walk around hearing the calling competition taking place looking at Momarsh and Four River's layout boats.  It was so tempting to pick up a few calls from the vendors and try them but I choose not to for fear of wastefully spending money before the season even starts.

So with the season coming what do all of you hunters do to prepare.  I pull my calls out of the mothballs and start practicing.  I get my how to call dvds out and start watching them along with my hunting videos.  I listen to the videos and try to mimic what I hear.  I read last year that a guy Amoralled his decoys at the beginning of the season.  I figured I would give it a try this year since my decoys had been outside for two years in the decoy bags.  I am sure they need some moisture to liven them up.

I am planning on scouting out the lands to see what the conservation lands are like and the lay of that land.  I am actually planning on hitting up Cabela's in KS to see Chad Belding from Banded and the Fowl Life products on August 10.  Then just waiting for dove season to start to get the practice for the real prize, ducks and geese.

Hope everyone gets started on their preseason prep because the season is here very soon.  Don't worry I am sure I will end up in the water again this year and I will be writing more posts on my crazy hunting adventures.  So stay tuned in and don't forget to comment.  I enjoy hearing feedback on the blog and any tips people can provide.

Session 2 "Walrus in the marsh"

Well  now that the hunts are getting blurred together it is time to talk about the most memorable hunts.  So I had just gotten my layout boat this past season.  I had tested it a few times and even hunted out of it a few times.

My hunting party drew in to Grand Pass through the poor line.  It was a cool morning since a cold front was pushing through the area.  I had convinced my brother in law to come along with my dad and long time friend Cameron.  We unloaded the trucks and I sent Cameron on the way to the where I wanted to set up.  My brother in law and my dad helped me finish unloading my the rest of the gear from my truck.  I sent them on their way walking since I had my boat.  My dad and brother in law are not in the greatest shape so they needed a little head start to get at the spot.  This was my brother in laws first waterfowl hunt ever.

So I launched my boat and started making my way down to the spot with all the gear.  I made it about five yards from where I launched the boat.  The some how, I lost my balance.  It is never good to loose your balance in a boat, just saying.  Well, I am sure everyone can see where this is going.  Yes I fell out of the boat.  I just did not fall out though. I fell backwards off the side of it. head first. The water was not freezing but the air temperature was just above.  The water was only about shin to knee deep.  Most people say well that is not bad just stand up.  I hit the water with my upper back, I tucked my chin to my chest because who knows what is in the water.  So my head and upper body is under the water.  I think my feet are still hung up on the boat so I tried to lift myself out of the water with my arms.  I struggled to catch my breath since the water was so cold it sucked the air out of me instantly.  I tried flung my arms around just trying to grab the boat or push off the ground.  I finally get my knees under me and get the top of my waders out of the water.  The trapped water rushes down to my knees then I get to my feet.  I am gasping for air so loud Cameron turns around from 100 yards away to see what the commotion was about.  My dad rushes over to me shouting "are you ok, are you ok."  My hearing had constricted like I had two sea shells covering my ears.  I was gasping so loud it had to sound like an animal was having "coitus" in the marsh or a walrus escaped from the zoo.  I am still gasping unable to answer my dad.  He shouts again "are you ok."  I finally get enough air in my lungs to say yes.  I slowly get my breathing back under control as the cold water sucks the heat from my legs.  My dad asks me "what do you want to do."  I probably shouted back at him, since my hearing was still messed up, let's push on and set up.  My dad being a good father said you can't do that you are soaked and cold.  I told my dad I am hunting today, I have a dry coat in my boat.  So I pushed on and finally got to the spot.  My legs are warming up since I walked the boat the rest of the way to the spot.  So we set up, my alarm for shooting time goes off on my phone, I think crap my phone was in my wader's pocket.  So I pull it out, damn glad I put my phone in a Ziploc bag for the first time of the season.  I always fall in the water once a waterfowl season.  So the ducks are flying over our spread that is not completed.  I tell my dad and brother in law to load up and start shooting the ducks that come in close.  Cameron and I hurry to set the spread up and push our boats into a group of trees.

So as the day goes on we kill a few here and a few there.  My dad moves to a better spot on the setup that hides him better.  He finishes the day limited out, my brother in law does not think the birds can see him.  We all agreed that the ducks were turning after a look because of him.  My brother in law had not camouflage on, just a black shirt.  We tried to get him to sit further in the trees but he wouldn't.

So mid day every duck hunter always has to take a bathroom break.  Luckily I have the boat so it keeps me dry when I pull down my waders.  So I am standing on my boats front when Cameron's dog, Goose, gets up out of Cameron's boat and hops in the water and tries to climb on my boat.  I had my back to him so I had no clue.  Goose puts his front feet on my boat and starts to push my boat sideways.  I about loose my balance again and shout "CRAP."  Goose stops and everyone starts laughing.  I finally get back inside my boat and pull Goose up.  For some reason he likes the front of my boat instead of Cameron's boat.

not the same hunt but he likes it there

After some persuading I got Goose to climb into the cockpit behind my layout blind in my boat, the spot I try to stand in while I move my boat.

Cameron and Goose

So as the day ends we move back to the trucks, load up, and take a few pictures.  I peel off my waders and heavy socks.  I wring the water out of my socks and just go bare foot in my muck boots.  My waders are soaked completely through and weigh a ton now.  My upper body felt dry as a bone but I pulled off my shirt and Under Armour cold gear. I wrung water out of my Under Armour and was amazed how I felt so dry with that much water in the shirt.

Dad and Dave, brother in law

Dave and I

So to close my second session of therapy learn from my lessons.  First thing first, I need scuba equipment when I duck hunt.  Second, put your electronics in Ziploc bags.
Third, bring spare clothes just in case.  Finally the most important, wear camouflage and you must break up your silhouette to hide from the keen eye of waterfowl.

Even a rough day in the field is still better than no day in the field.  I was cold and the hunting was not the greatest but with family and friends it makes the poor times great.  Then to top it off with a great story of a "walrus on the loose in the marsh" makes the day unforgettable.

Session #1 "Let the help begin"

Well I just saw that I never published my preliminary evaluation sessions notes.  Well they are out there now so now I guess it is time for me to start my next session.  It is snow conservation order currently in the state of Missouri and all I have been seeing is guys just slaughtering those loud mouthed dirty talking birds.

Yes this is from Facebook.  I have to give Momarsh and Habitat Flats respect because they have made amazing products and now a great hunting place that I will not be able to afford.  Habitat Flats had slain the crap out of waterfowl this season and are still killing those snows in great numbers.  

Seeing this has brought back those memories of the past season and how I learned from the past hard season.  So where to begin this session.  Well when I first started hunting my friend and I hunted out of two prototypes for Momarsh boats.  They were great and I knew I wanted to buy one sometime for my addiction.  My grandmother died in the early months of 2012.  Well she left a nice inheritance for me.  I bought a new shotgun that I had wanted since it was created and I bought a Four Rivers refuge runner layout boat.  I did this all without my parents blessing.  I am a grown man or at least I pretend to be.  This will come back very soon.

So the first hunt of the season was in late October or early November. The weather was still warm but not steaming hot.  I like hunting in the early weeks of the season especially on public conservation ground.  A lot of hunters are still out chasing deer either with a bow or with a rifle once that season starts and it keeps the numbers in the poor line low.  Guess I need to explain the poor line for those that are not in Missouri.  Well Missouri has a a quick draw process for a few places, where you put in twice a week online and they will draw a bunch of spots for specific days that you selected.  The remaining spots are then used for the poor line, which is when everyone that did not get a quick draw they can drive to the headquarters and then pick a pill and the spots are given out based on the lowest numbers of the pills.  The quick draw can be very nice if you get picked but I only got picked once in the season after trying for every day I could hunt. 

Now that is out of the way lets get back to my sessions notes.  I was able to convince my dad to drive and meet me at Grand Pass from St. Louis, a three hour drive.  I took my new to me layout boat with me to hunt knowing my dad would be pissed that I spent money on it that I should have saved.  Oh well I wanted it and it will be used.  I finally got to Grand Pass and met my dad.  He saw the boat and I could tell he was not happy because he knew where the money came from.  We stood in the poor line and I drew a great pill. It was the third lowest pill I could draw in the poor line.  It had been a while for both of us in the poor line and we thought that we were not hunting that day.  Then like someone flipped the light switch on I realized that it was a low number.  I shouted to dad we are hunting and he had a confused look but then he realized that I was right.  I get so many of my quirks from my dad, like father like son, I guess.

So I pick my usual pool  in Grand Pass and off we go.  I know the one section and it has treated me well.  It is nice to pick early because you can get setup and not worry about missing an opportunity of killing ducks because you are still setting up.  So we unloaded my truck boat and all.  Loaded everything up in my boat and sled and we walked out to where I wanted to set up.  We got setup in rows of standing corn.  My dad used his marsh seat and I used my boat.  The water levels were not very high due to the early season and low water for pumping off of the Missouri river.

the view from our hideout for the day

The day was great killed a decent amount of ducks but what was best was the time spent with my dad doing something we both enjoy together.  My first duck of the season was a young green head mallard.  This was so shocking because the number of mallards never came down solid until after the season closed.  I used my two Mojo ducks and a Wonderduck.  It seemed that the ducks were not wanting to finish.  They would come in for a look and fly away.  So after trial and error we discovered that the ducks did not like the motion of both the Mojo and Wonderduck.  We tried having one or the other and they both made the ducks not finish.  I know the ducks love the Mojo because I had one mallard come in locked in from more than three hundred yards out.  It just seemed that the ducks knew what the mojo meant once they got close.  I know most of you hunters out there are thinking well your calling stinks or you were not concealed well enough.  I know my calling is not the greatest but it is not crap and our concealment was good.

Can you find dad?

There he is!

Our spot was great to hunt out of.  A nice hole at the end of a slough that went straight to the refuge.  The birds were coming straight from the refuge and following the slough which lead those fowl mouthed birds straight to us. 

View down the slough.

Dad looking for his call to try out.  This will be funny.

So we finished the day with a decent limit but not a max due to the birds not finishing.  So the day was over and we loaded up the sled and boat.  We walked the boat to the deeper water in the pool.  Feeling daring I had dad sit on the front of the boat while I stood in the back and used the trolling motor.  Once we got back to the truck I knew dad was happy about the boat and not mad anymore.  He realized how useful the boat is for getting around in the marsh.  He always did teach me to work smart not hard.

Dad and I after the hunt.

I had just bought a new waterproof/shockproof/freeze proof camera to take pictures of my hunts and I captured this great picture which turned out to be a Christmas present for dad.  It is always great when I can get dad to put his game face on with paint but it was not done today.

So to close the first session of my addiction treatment;  smack those fowl mouthed ducks in the face, if it does not work change it and just enjoy life with the things you enjoy and with the people you love.

Fowl Mouthed Therapy: "Preliminary Session Notes"

Hello there and well my name is Mike.  I live in central to west central Missouri and I love the waterfowl season.  I am sure you are asking yourself what the heck is this guy rambling about with "Fowl Mouthed Therapy."  Well I am addicted to waterfowl hunting hence the need for therapy and those dirty birds just talk dirty to me with their fowl mouths. I am writing this entry as the season has just finished and the hunts are still so vivid in my memories.  My memories and seeing the birds still flying are teasing me.  It makes me sick and yearn for the day to pull the trigger on those buggers.

As I reminisce on the past season of 2012-2013 I realize that it was a very tough season due to the drought and that I learned many lessons.  I have looked for waterfowl hunting books at every books store I go to but I never find anything other than "How to identifying Waterfowl" books.  These are so important but I want a book on tips and ideas on how to kill more birds.  What good is identifying a bird if I can't even get them to get close enough to shoot.

Smacked in the Fowl Mouth

So I thought to myself it is time to start something and the easiest place to start is a blog.  I will never expect to be a published author or even famous for my writing   I just want to share my addiction for waterfowl hunting and any lessons I learn the hard way.  How boring you say, well to lighten the mood, the blog will be filled with the antics of my buddies and myself.  We tend to have some interesting hunts. Some how I always end up in the water at least once in the season.  I am not even joking about ending up in the water.  Usually I just end up with half my body getting wet but this season was the worst for me.  I fell out of my boat backwards completely in the water, but that is for a later bone chilling blog.

First of 2012-2013 season

Well guess I can give some background about me.  I am in my late 20's and I have been duck hunting for roughly 10 years.  I prefer duck hunting but have started to enjoy goose hunting but have so much to learn on that aspect.  I hope everyone enjoys the blog and gets some kind of tip, idea or even a chuckle out of my poor luck.