Dead and didn't know it.

[Wildfowler]

I had a small group of Wood Ducks come in and tried to decoy. I suspect they were coming in to my jerk string. But who really knows for sure.

Anyway, I raise up to shoot. First one falls nicely as expected. The second one I shot at kept on going. Only to fall dead about 100 yards away. I watched that bird very closely when I shot it. It gave absolutely no indication that it had been shot at all. It didn't flinch, it didn't rear it's head, it didn't do anything but kept on flying, then falls out of the group just a few movements later.

I wonder just how many other ducks fall out like that, while looking to be completely uninjured??

The squealer made a very nice blind retrieve on that second bird.

[judge jb]

alot of times this is a result of a single pellet to the heart, causing him to have to bleed down and weaken before he falls... as opposed to a head or wing shot...

i once read this, i can't confirm it...haha....

judge jb

[wngrog]

You should have made a better shot

I shot a mess of Teal in the marsh last Tuesday.....you would have loved it.

[Nitro Mag]

Thats just the good ol steel shot at work.

[webfoot]

Wildfowler: It happen last week to me. I have learned to start watching them after I shoot, when I think that I might have hit them
Thanks for the post, good information.

[wngrog]

Thats just the good ol steel shot at work.

There is nothing wrong with Steel shot, it is the nut behind the butt 90% of the time!

[Wildfowler]

I shot a mess of Teal in the marsh last Tuesday.....you would have loved it.

I don't believe it, you went duck hunting?? Send me pictures.

You should have made a better shot

I'd say a double on "semi-decoying" Wood Ducks is pretty good shooting. Particularilly after yesterdays shooting spectacular. I'll bet I missed about 12 times yesterday while shooting at the Woodies. I just couldn't hit 'em.

Redeemed myself today, I'd say.

[Wildfowler]

i once read this, i can't confirm it...haha.... judge jb

Har, Har.

[Greenhead22]

Bwaaaahhhhaaaaaaaaaa!!!!!!!!!

I had a greenhead cup in the dekes saturday, shot him twice at 20 yds, greenhead left as if he wasn't hit, then fell down the ditchline about 50 yds. As he flew away, all i could say was, i knew i hit that damn duck.

[walt333ms]

"look at that dead duck fly"....
When you clean some of these that fly off without a single hint of being shot....look and see that they may be 2-3-4 steel pellets in the body...none in the neck....or wings....

so guess they run out of gasssssss.......
and the question is ????
how many more ducks do we loose.............

uncle walt & sam....

[Wildfowler]

I forgot to tell y'all the other day that while cleaning that duck, I discovered that bird had about three hits to the breast area. No broken wings, but one pellet did graze the top portion of the breast bone. Slicing it in two. I suppose the other two went into the ticker.

After seeing this, I can't beleive that the bird didn't react to the initial shot at all. Just goes to show ya, that you need to watch them closely. I'm glad I saw it fall out of the corner of my eye, because I would have never known to look for it otherwise.

[crow]

I've seen some of them "ghost" ducks, too. Shot them dead and they still flew off. I know they were dead cause I shot them three times! Dangdest thing you ever saw! Downright scary!

[tunica]

whats really troubling to Me is after 3 shots those dang comical ducks will drop a sign from their feet saying " Missed three times want to try for a fourth"....and the dang duck circles again laughing at ya.

[RedEyed Duck]

I experienced a similar incident Sunday. We were hunting and I shot at a greenhead at about 35 yards, however he did ball up as if he were hit they began to fly as if nothing was wrong. He fell about 150 yards away at the edge of the water on our field and I sent my little bro after him yelling hurry up the whole way, just knowing the duck would be swimming and going under. When he got there the duck was stone cold dead. Go figure, I'm with you GH22 (I too was saying what the heck happened). The will to survive is a pretty impressive thing!