buttonbush/dead timber slough question

[litlhitch]

So I've hunted this 20-30 acre buttonbush/dead timber slough twice now and it is covered up with ducks. However, the slough is too friggin big and both times I hunted it, the ducks always seem to land somewhere other than the decoys. We always shoot a few at first light when they are all stirring around, but have trouble getting them to decoy later in the morning.

Every duck that flies over the slough locks up and looks for a place to land..and they usually land wide of our decoys. Both times we hunted it, we moved all over the slough..trying to figure out just where it was they were wanting to land..there are no real 'holes' in the slough..just small openings spread all over the slough

We tried moving and hunting over just a pair of decoys, with 1 of them on a jerk cord and that didnt work either...they still landed wide

I was considering just putting a single spinner and no other decoys in some of the timber they were landing in, and seeing if the ducks would decoy?

I've been hunting sloughs similar to this for 15+ years and have never seen anything like it. Anybody have any suggestions on what I can try different? It is on public land so I can't cut holes in the slough..and no, the public land is not in MS.

[slim jim]

Same thing is happening where i hunt at also, my problem is all the ducks aren't leaving in the am and thats where the one's that come back go to

[River Hunter]

Where are you set up? How close to the dekes? How are you covered blind ect....??????

[Roach]

heck we are hunting bean fields and getting the same response this year.
With this crazy weather, they don't have a clue what they are wanting to do most of the time.
I guess that is why it is "hunting" and not "killing".

[litlhitch]

Same thing is happening where i hunt at also, my problem is all the ducks aren't leaving in the am and thats where the one's that come back go to

That could be half the problem. The buttonbush is so thick, I think even with me walking around and shooting at ducks, I dont jump half the ducks up. So the ducks coming back, could just be landing with the real ducks on the water. Maybe we should split up and hunt 2 or 3 groups, 50-60 yards apart and see if that keeps real ducks off the water.

We are just wading in the water and hiding in the trees/bushes so I'm not concerned that they are seeing us.

[Doc & Nash]

Take your dekes and set them up about 75 yds from you. When you see a duck give them one feed chuckle ... and then do nothing but kick the water.

[tcash]

If its that thick, get you a chainsaw and cut a decent size hole and put out 4-5 doz. decoys and a jerkstring and make sure you are hidden well and have a facemask on. And be still and try to whisper when ducks are overhead. People dont realize how far their voices carry across water. A lot of the ducks we hunt are very well educated. Assuming this is big ducks ur huntn. On the other hand, if its not many ducks in there to begin with, u could b huntn the same ducks that you have shot at over and over. In this case, i would let it rest for awhile.

[rbl763]

Ok here is the solution to your problem. Put your decoys out and then get as far away as you can from them and stay very still, the ducks will land away from the spread and right in your face, works every time.

[Blackduck]

That is one approach I've never tried. Makes some sense though

[litlhitch]

Thanks for the info. I am gonna give it a try tomorrow morning and will let you know how it works. I like the idea of setting the decoys away from me and doing some light calling downwind of the decoys. The hole rarely gets hunted, so its strange to me that they are so shy. I've only hunted the hole twice and never seen signs of people being in it. It is a public slough landlocked by private land, so the only people with access to it are the landowners (and me ).

Who knows, maybe tomorrow the ducks will be ignorant and come right to the decoys!

[brake man]

lilhitch,

I have hunted thick buckbrush all my life and understand how hard and frustrating hunting it can be. Some folks have given you some good advice. My 2 cents to add is to take 2 or 3 folks with you and spread them out about 30-50 yards apart (but make sure each person knows where other people are!). Throw out 2-3 singles or maybe a couple of pairs spaced about 20-30 yards away from each other and put a jerk string on each (if possible). Make sure the decoys are within 10-20 yards from you so you can either pull a jerk string and not have the string get caught up in the brush or so your splashing the water with your leg makes the decoy(s) have a good bit of movement.

It seems like it is good to have some movement going on most of the time as ducks hitting these type areas, especially later in the morning or afternoon, tend to (at least in my experience) slip in as singles, pairs, or very small groups with very limited (if any) circling. Lots of time they seem to key in on a location and head straight there. Having limited decoys, no calling (or very sparing quacks and chuckles), being still and quiet, and most importantly having some water movement and splashing seems to be a magnet.

I killed my first banded greenhead in thick buckbrush while hunting in a tube (or belly boat). It was late in the morning, I had fallen asleep while floating in the tube with my tube tied to some buck brush and my gun across the tube, when I heard the sounds of a duck passing right above my head. Startled, I woke up and saw the greenhead about 20 feet away on the other side of a clump of buck brush. We saw each other about the same time and up he went. One shot and down he came.

Last comment is to get tubes for everyone you hunt with at your place. Make sure to get the round ones as the U-shaped ones will get you wet. Hunting in a tube allows you to go just about anywhere that is not very deep while keeping you more stable as you step into beaver runs, stump holes, etc. and while allowing you to have a very low profile. Float up next to a tree (a downed tree is perfect), being fully camo'd, be very still, and watch ducks come really close. Hope this helps and hope you have some great hunts.

[Faithful Retrievers]

good advice

One thing I have done in which you mentioned is set my spread up then move up wind 40 -50 yards with two or three dekes. Not sure the logic but somedays thats just the way they work. Also if there are real ducks in view, not much you can do but hope they circle once. We have on large field that ducks like to land out in the middle of and its amazing to see that with real ducks there are no circling just fall straight out of the sky right in. Pretty to look at but very agggrevating.

[54]

It's your set up

[msjackhammer]

Think about it from a duck's point of view...a bird's eye view. They can see you, even in timber, but especially in buckbrush! I've had good luck breaking up my silhouette turkey hunting with a piece of camo burlap. It confuses 'em just enough to put them hammer down on 'em. You might try that. Makes an instant blind, no "man" silhouette, it's portable, puts up in seconds, fits in a decoy bag, and weighs next to nothing... That, or a 30-06 works pretty good.

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