Alright, been hunting without luck lately, maybe too much pressure I figured. Birds landing on the other side of my private lake, so I thought about some reverse pyschology.
Set up my usual spread in the normal area, and my other "spread", a hen/drake combo on the other side of the lake.
Daylight broke, look at the cell and it read 7:12, one minute after shooting light. One flock coming in, grabbed the jerk cord and rocked the drake back and forth. The ripple affect got them, 4 birds locked up and landed, and I waited for a lagging drake and hen made their way around the lake, they locked up and it was history. Managed a drake and hen Mallard out of that bunch.
Didn't see another bird until 9:20
. Thought about picking up when a good wave of birds came by, mostly high fliers. Gave a quiet hail and 2 birds broke off the group, circled once and layed down. The hen seen my boat and flared a little, but the drake continued and bit the dust (or water).
One of my favorite hunts thus far, glad things came together.
On a side note, As I was pulling my boat out of the cattails another flock landed into my "fake" spread, so all goes well I guess!
"Fake" Flock:
Real Spread:
The Jerk Cord Perfection:
Some Pretty Little Curls:
