Water swatting

[Goldfish]

The wild kind.

Should let those southern guys try and walk around in our "rice fields". They think theirs are bad

[Rick]

The wild kind.

Should let those southern guys try and walk around in our "rice fields".

Would be more fun watching you try to get a boat or canoe through ours.

[Goldfish]

Probably true, because there wouldn't be anything to watch if you try and walk thru wild rice. I've buried my 13ft push pole without ever hitting anything solid in what looks like 3ft of water.

[WisconsinWaterfowler]

Hello my name is rmk and I have a problem, each fall I get up way to early, I get in a boat freeze my ass off in my lame attempts to kill ducks. Thanks for letting me share.

Just imagine jumping out thinking it was solid.

[NuffDaddy]

Hello my name is rmk and I have a problem, each fall I get up way to early, I get in a boat freeze my ass off in my lame attempts to kill ducks. Thanks for letting me share.

Just imagine jumping out thinking it was solid.

Tapashit is on a role.

[Woody]

Tapashit...

Is that some sorta new gay sex term?

[Rick]

Probably true, because there wouldn't be anything to watch if you try and walk thru wild rice. I've buried my 13ft push pole without ever hitting anything solid in what looks like 3ft of water.

We both know that's not always the case, but my point was that folks hunt wild rice from a boat of some sort. Domestic rice is hunted on foot. Don't know who said our rice is hard to get around in, but much of it isn't bad at all if it's sandy soil and the rice was cut when the ground was dry. If it's mostly clay or black humus soil, the rice provides some welcome bushing between you and those bad suckers (My puns kill me.) and makes it a lot easier going than that same ground its been flooded after being plowed in preparation for the next rice crop. (It's most common for rice land here to be planted and left fallow in alternating years.)

If, however, it's rotten ground that had to be cut wet, so the combines are dragging their bellies:


traversing it on foot when those ass deep ruts are hidden by water can be more of an adventure. And one of the reasons God made dogs.

[3geese4me]

I would love to hunt rice one day.

[Bootlipkiller]

Probably true, because there wouldn't be anything to watch if you try and walk thru wild rice. I've buried my 13ft push pole without ever hitting anything solid in what looks like 3ft of water.

We both know that's not always the case, but my point was that folks hunt wild rice from a boat of some sort. Domestic rice is hunted on foot. Don't know who said our rice is hard to get around in, but much of it isn't bad at all if it's sandy soil and the rice was cut when the ground was dry. If it's mostly clay or black humus soil, the rice provides some welcome bushing between you and those bad suckers (My puns kill me.) and makes it a lot easier going than that same ground its been flooded after being plowed in preparation for the next rice crop. (It's most common for rice land here to be planted and left fallow in alternating years.)

If, however, it's rotten ground that had to be cut wet, so the combines are dragging their bellies:


traversing it on foot when those ass deep ruts are hidden by water can be more of an adventure. And one of the reasons God made dogs.

Amen to that!

[QH's Paw]

I don't, but don't have an issue if others want to.

IMO, they're way easier to kill on the wing than sitting on the water.

I agree with Dan in that a bird is a much bigger target with his parachute wide open and landing gear down.
I can remember several times where people chased cripples, swatting them numerous times before they finally hit something solid.

[Deltaman]

Duck numbers (and variety) coming through this area during the season has greatly diminished over the last few decades. For years, I would not shoot one on the water, but times have changed. Most of the birds we kill here now are gadwalls, and they get educated real quick, rafting up in open water, and it is common for them to light out and swim in when the winds are light. I much prefer shooting them with feet down over the dekes, but if the action is slow, and they pull that light out/swim in shet, I will usually greet them on the water with a load of #4 steel through my terrortube. Head shot birds are the bomb when eating, and after cracking a tooth on steel, love dem haid shot bastards

[GadwallGetter530]

I generally never water swat. I'm to busy sky scrapping. :lol:

[R. Chapman]

I've said it once and I'll say it again; the only birds worth water swatting is coots.

[NuffDaddy]

I've said it once and I'll say it again; the only birds worth water swatting is coots.

So you shoot a bird that tastes like shit and don't get to see it fall from the sky?
The only birds worth water swatting are the ones you want. The rest gotta be in the air.

[Rick]

Coots may not be fun to shoot, but they most definitely are good to eat in our part of the country. Still more than a few old Cajuns around who prefer poule d'eau (water chicken) to duck. After growing up where most called them "mud hens," I never would have believed that's what we ate after my first "poule d'eau roundup," if I'd not helped shoot and clean them. Hell, I thought the roundup, itself, a joke on the Yankee until it happened.

[banknote]

I prefer to let 'em hang out a while and see if they bring more ducks in. Seems like it's usually a single hen mallard or teal, and I'd rather wait to see if something better comes along. If I do decide to shoot, I give them a "HEY", 2-3 times if necessary, and get them to jump first. I have friends who swat them, and I don't mind, just so long as we make sure no other birds are working.

[Deltaman]

Coots may not be fun to shoot, but they most definitely are good to eat in our part of the country. Still more than a few old Cajuns around who prefer poule d'eau (water chicken) to duck. After growing up where most called them "mud hens," I never would have believed that's what we ate after my first "poule d'eau roundup," if I'd not helped shoot and clean them. Hell, I thought the roundup, itself, a joke on the Yankee until it happened.

We used to have a big round up the last weekend of duck season as well, and it was a hoot. Have cooked it a couple of different ways, gumbo and grilled (bacon wrapped with cream cheese and jalapeno slices), and they are damn good...........but causes the paint to peel off the bathroom wall the following day Thought it was a fluke the first time, but after confirming the cause after a few subsequent repeats, won't fool with them anymore unless I've got a kid in the boat that needs some shooting practice. A coonass showed me the easiest way to clean by laying them on their back, standing on their outstretched wings, and pulling up by their feet. Breast pops right out, easy greasy!!!!

[3legged_lab]

That's how I clean pheasants

[Rick]

That's how I clean pheasants

They're what I was first shown the method on.

Delta, I reckon I'd quit eating coots, too, if they gave me the shits, but fortunately hasn't been an issue.

[ducks~n~bucks]

Coots may not be fun to shoot, but they most definitely are good to eat in our part of the country. Still more than a few old Cajuns around who prefer poule d'eau (water chicken) to duck. After growing up where most called them "mud hens," I never would have believed that's what we ate after my first "poule d'eau roundup," if I'd not helped shoot and clean them. Hell, I thought the roundup, itself, a joke on the Yankee until it happened.

I shot one on accident once (I was jump shooting some ducks, and he swam into the group in between when I started sneaking and finished sneaking) tasted good to me, and my dad agreed at the time when he ate some of it, but he won't admit it when I tell anyone.

[RonE]

Allegedly pelican does not taste fishy.

[Goldfish]

Anyone who says coot doesn't taste good, either hasn't had it, or says all duck doesn't taste good. I'll not be passing up those little buggers if they happen by when there are no other birds working anymore.

[banknote]

Anyone who says coot doesn't taste good, either hasn't had it, or says all duck doesn't taste good. I'll not be passing up those little buggers if they happen by when there are no other birds working anymore.

I'll have to try them. We can shoot 25 and they don't count against the "duck" limit, so why the hell not. At least the dog will have fun.

But sometimes when I'm jump shooting, they swim right toward me. I might have a hard time shooting those ones.

[assateague]

Not me. I've never understood the "difficulty" with water swatting. I'll do it every chance I get.

[GadwallGetter530]

I would love to hunt rice one day.

Come on out Boot will treat you to a day you'll remember.

[Rick]

...a day you'll remember.

Brace yourself.

[GadwallGetter530]

...a day you'll remember.

Brace yourself.

It's actually a lot easier if you just relax.

[Rick]

...a day you'll remember.

Brace yourself.

It's actually a lot easier if you just relax.

Will have to take your word on that.

[jarbo03]

I typically don't waterswat, unless a bird wants to swim out of the decoys instead of fly, then I'll smoke its ass. I had my nephew water swat his first goose last year , he hit it back on its body and it started taking off, he then smoked it at 35 yards. No wonder he has missed a few turkeys, he is better at moving targets!

[NuffDaddy]

Anyone who says coot doesn't taste good, either hasn't had it, or says all duck doesn't taste good. I'll not be passing up those little buggers if they happen by when there are no other birds working anymore.

I've never had it. Everyone just always said they taste like shit. Guess I'll have to try and shoot one next year.