Fox Collectors

The last hunt of my season was a new experience body booting on the famous Susquehanna Flats. The decoy rig consists of 300+ duck decoys and a couple dozen swan decoys. You stand behind a swan silhouette and shoot mostly divers. It's an wild experience in January. I shot my 32" Super Fox loaded with Kent TM #3's. Divers are hardy birds.

That is crazy, Craig! What kind of ducks did you shoot? How long could you stand in the water?
Jim

I'm impressed.

Wow! That looks like fun, but my toes are getting cold just thinking about it. What was the water temperature?

Water was just above freezing. We would stay in the water for about 4 hours. The tender boat was 1/4 mile away if you got cold but we all hung in there for 4 hours. We all wore waders made with a snowmobile suit type liner--still cold. We shot mostly bluebills. We were there to kill cans but none came within shooting range.

looks like some tuff old birds.got my respect.all the best 44whiskey

fox-admin wrote:Water was just above freezing. We would stay in the water for about 4 hours. The tender boat was 1/4 mile away if you got cold but we all hung in there for 4 hours. We all wore waders made with a snowmobile suit type liner--still cold. We shot mostly bluebills. We were there to kill cans but none came within shooting range.

It looks like you, Mark and Greg have big smiles on your faces.

You guys are tough. And persistent.

Pretty darn cool. PS. We used to shoot a lot of Bluebills late in the season when we had the local lake to shoot. Those little suckers can flat out move. When they come screaming in over your head at about 60 feet, they sound like a German Buzzbomb during WW2. Wish I could have figure out how to cook them better. We mostly make jerky out of them because they just tasted fishy any other way.

Craig, it looks like a fun day with friends. John

OK, Craig, how many shot did you fire in your four hours?

I always knew you guys were potentially hardcore waterfowlers, but this proves it conclusively! Probably the most primitive form of waterfowl hunting on the Chesapeake. Four hours is a LONG stretch without a break under those temps and conditions. I really wish you would have had an opportunity to see some Cans come into your rig and sort them out with those SFs - probably the greatest thrill in duck shooting! Single malt shots and fine cigars to the bunch! Kevin

Kevin: We are crazy but civilized. We had a 1/2 bushel of oysters on the tender boat plus adult beverages and cigars awaiting. Plan to do it again, killing a brace of cans on the flats is on my bucket list.

I am very appreciative of your posting of this hunt. I didn't even know you could book a hunt like this. Great pics and narrative!

Man, that looks like fun! Just think what it must have been like for the old timers who did that without the benefit of neoprene, modern insulation, etc. They were tough!

SRH

This the way hunting the Flats was done before sink boxes became illegal, just more comfortable until 2 footers blow up!

fox-admin wrote:This the way hunting the Flats was done before sink boxes became illegal, just more comfortable until 2 footers blow up!

Neat picture Craig.

Yeah, could get a little wet and uncomfortable with some 2 footers licking your sink box. Maybe even some 1 footers.

Must be 'cans were the prominent species judging by his decoys.

Looks to be a decent double he's using too.

Wonder where his dog hangs out??