Waterfowl 2020/2021

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  • gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,169
    Mt Airy
    So how has the season been? Was talking to a guide and he said it’s been hard getting people on a good number of birds

    Slow for me, and most of the people I've talked to. Need some cold up north.
     

    MunkMaster

    Active Member
    Aug 9, 2013
    219
    Eastern Shore
    Sometimes if you pop the cover off an outboard, on the flywheel it will have a notch cut in it to install a temp pull cord.
    I used to keep a plastic bag with a spare in it stowed up in front of the bow or in a float box.

    Just make sure to wrap in the same direction the flywheel rotates. They will have a arrow indicating direction of turn near the timing marks. Its just a piece of pull cord with a handle and figure eight knot on the end.


    This one actually has a full cover bolted over the flywheel. Pain in ass.
     

    Derwood

    Ultimate Member
    Jun 2, 2011
    1,075
    DC area
    I've had a very tough go of it this season. I've hunted 9 times; about half in MoCo and half in St. Mary's and only bagged a total of seven buffleheads. I did a separate goose hunt in Easton and got really lucky: we limited on geese (not hard lol) and also had a flock of snow geese fly over and we got a couple. That was a very pleasant surprise.

    All season, something has seemed off at my spot in St. Mary's. I have been hunting the same spot for ten years and never had so much trouble getting ducks to come into my spread. I've tried changing decoy set ups, moving to different blinds, calling/not calling...nothing seems to work. The best I got was a bufflehead or two to swim in and give me a long shot. There have been plenty of blue bills, mallards and even (I think) come canvasbacks flying aroujnd, but they just totally ignore my set. It has been brutally frustrating to the point that I was considering constructing a new blind in a different spot for next season since the birds pattern seemed to have changed inexplicably.

    Well, I think I found out what is going on at last. Over the weekend, a DNR officer visited my blind. That had never happened before. He did the standard quick check of my license and shotgun plug and then told me someone has been baiting the water in the area and asked if I had seen anyone dumping stuff into the water. Unfortunately I couldn't help him but god damnit I am going to try to call the DNR so they can catch this bastard if I see anything suspicious. I ended up taking my boat over to the baited area and there were literally hundreds of ducks diving and having the time of their lives eating whatever this A-hole dumped in the water. Whoever did this, I hope they catch him and the state throws the book at him. Not only does it disturb these migratory animals' normal patterns, from my perspective this person is stealing from every honest hunter for miles around. Unacceptable, unethical and just plain wrong.

    On the good news side, I took my 3-year-old "hunting" last weekend. He has been begging to go with me and so I got him some warm camo and let him sit for a while holding a nerf gun. I figured he'd want to sit for an hour and then get bored, but he ended up staying for five hours...until sunset. We got lucky around hour 3 and a bufflehead swam over, so he got to "shoot" a duck with me and our dog retrieved it for me. He's totally hooked now and I'm going to have trouble leaving without him going forward! My Dad was not a hunter so I'm really excited to start a family tradition with him and his little brother.
     

    OneGunTex

    Escaped Member
    Jan 12, 2021
    232
    Southern Maryland, no longer
    So, do y'all disagree that the duck numbers are down? Weather related? First year waterfowling and haven't shot any ducks because everyone is saying weve got no birds to shoot

    Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk
     

    kstone803

    Official Meat Getter
    Feb 25, 2009
    3,923
    Ltown in the SMC
    So, do y'all disagree that the duck numbers are down? Weather related? First year waterfowling and haven't shot any ducks because everyone is saying weve got no birds to shoot

    Sent from my LM-V350 using Tapatalk

    Bird numbers in the south end of the state are down. Just haven't seen the big groups show up yet. Sea ducks were here on time but that was about it.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,156
    Bird numbers in the south end of the state are down. Just haven't seen the big groups show up yet. Sea ducks were here on time but that was about it.

    We went north last weekend to try and find birds. No luck.
    We’ve had a disappointing season so far. Hopefully Saturday’s rain won’t make for a miserable set up for the goose decoys. It’s a lot of work and effort for one bird.
     
    One dead winged rat

    Dumb ass birds.. i actually stalked it and the entire flock let me get too close..
     

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    slow year so far

    Very slow.. hopefully it'll get better when it gets colder next week. Only upside I saw probably close to 20,000 snow geese today flying over Queenstown. Canadas have been elusive. I went today and there was a flock sitting in the field as I turned into the farm. I stopped the truck short got out loaded my shotgun and stalked the flock through the woods and was able to get my bird before I even had to set up a decoy spread. First one for the year too
     

    metalman3006

    Gun Hoarder
    Sep 6, 2007
    2,305
    Church Hill, MD
    Got back to hunting after my. Bout With covid-19 we hunted the afternoon cuz I still don't have my strength back get too early and we did all right should have had more lot of the teal landed in the decoys before we even saw them didn't take as many guys as normal neither
     

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    gtodave

    Member
    MDS Supporter
    Aug 14, 2007
    14,169
    Mt Airy
    Not a lot of birds, but two firsts for me. First shoveler and first pintail (x2).
     

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    metalman3006

    Gun Hoarder
    Sep 6, 2007
    2,305
    Church Hill, MD
    We went out today. Not a lot of birds flying. Teal were low and fast. As usual lots of mergansers but we don't like to shoot them.
     

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    metalman3006

    Gun Hoarder
    Sep 6, 2007
    2,305
    Church Hill, MD
    We got a few redheads a blue bill in the bubbleheads should have had a lot more blue bills pretty good day all in all
     

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    Virgil Co.C

    Active Member
    Aug 10, 2018
    615
    Congratulations to all some nice looking birds. Any geese flying ? Impoundment frozen , seen birds high flyers . A lot of birds , big flocks . No interest in us . Set up for goose in field didn’t see but one all morning , swing and a miss. . Felt good to get out . Fell asleep in blind, ya I’m getting old . Sun hit me I was out . Son wanted break ice . I’m done with those days .see if I cant find spot to goose hunt , in til March . Just bought 5 dozen decoys . Sold my stuff few years back now buying new stuff again. Good to be hunting again . Stopped for a few years lost farm / health .Itchin to drop a goose .
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,156
    didn’t see but one all morning

    Fell asleep in blind

    These may be related lol.
    Nothing like a good nap in a layout blind on a sunny still day.

    I couldn’t go yesterday but my boys got their allotted pair. Man it’s a lot of effort to mobilize everything for a one goose limit.

    Any talk of this changing next year?
     

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    StantonCree

    Watch your beer
    Jan 23, 2011
    23,932
    ^^^ i agree with you it’s stupid! I snagged my limit on Monday. Plus it’s $125 for a guide per person. Geese ain’t that good lol. Thankfully my buddy has perfect land for them and it didn’t cost me a dime but it really needs to be raised.
     

    pbharvey

    Habitual Testifier
    MDS Supporter
    Dec 27, 2012
    30,156
    ^^^ i agree with you it’s stupid! I snagged my limit on Monday. Plus it’s $125 for a guide per person. Geese ain’t that good lol. Thankfully my buddy has perfect land for them and it didn’t cost me a dime but it really needs to be raised.

    I’d almost rather have an annual limit like let me shoot 4-6 for the season and then let me shoot them when I feel like it. That way if I’m on a hunt 3 hours away I can stay a while and enjoy the morning rather than feeling that disappoint after you kill one.
     

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