I'll be hunting from a boat blind in some of the waters here in SW Virginia this year. This will be totally new to me, as typically I've hunted from dry land surrounded by water. Any tips from those of you who have much more experience that I. Remember, here in SW Virginia we don't have the marsh environment that most of you along the coastal areas have. Our camo will be different. Appreciate the advice. Looking for things like boat position, anchoring needs, decoy placement relative to boat, must have's for boat, etc.

I hunt in big water all the time so I'll be happy to help you out. What kind of place are you hunting? Also, what kind of boat/blind set up do you have?

I can answer that Small rivers up to the New River (which isn't large compared to the lower James) Couple of lakes and maybe a small dam area.

Dale is using a Jon boat I believe about 15' long and a scissor blind.

On rivers I try to find a spot where the current is moving real slow and I put my boat as close up against the bank as possible. Throw the dekes on the upriver side of the boat because most of the ducks will land directly behind them. The distance from the boat depends on the amount of cover you have but I would put them atleast 20-25 yards out. Magnum dekes seem to work best on rivers fo some reason. You're more than welcome to come over to the shore for some hunts if you want. A lot of stuff is easier to show than to try and describe.

Cant deal with this right now... People to see, places to go, you know how it is. But I will be back!

Do not use any blind with high sides on the boat in high winds; too easy to get swamped. If possible find trees to tie on firmly or use deer climbing screw in stuff to tie off on in order to keep boat from rocking, thus avoiding makeing waves and flaring birds when you move around to get set for approaching ducks. Never set up boat where you have one guy shooting over the head of the otrher guy in the boat and re-establish that rule three times before the first duck shows up; thus position boat in the tree tying so all shots are taken sideways and not taken long ways to the boat. I do not like blinds per se on a boat and do fine setting in full camo on a five gallon bucket in the floor of the boat ; camo the boat with dull paint, then use netting to cover the boat again and keep all shiny and glary things covered with netting you can sit right on top of all of that and not have to worry abuot trying to shoot over the high front of a blind or wait for the blind to drop out of the way. If you keep your face down and use face masks, and do not move as dusks work around you , you will find I think you can pick better shots than trying to get two people to simulataneously shoot over a higher blind front or trying to drop a blind front so you can shoot. Alos, the ducks do not flare as quickly becasue the movement to get to a shooting position is minimal compared to a "blind". Use nylon type netting, never burlap, as burlap aborbs water and can be a real weight issue and unwieldy to move (and it can freeze in big rock-like pieces. Life jackets at all times. (When I look back at the stupid things I did duck hunting in boats I realize how lucky I am to be alive today. ). Let Freddy shoot first at all times. Use some full body decoys that flambeau sells, then take a hammer and nails and find floating logs you can tack those stand up decoys on top of, so it looks like mallards loafing and walking around on a floating log..that is what river ducks love to do and that is a sure-fire decoy attractor on a river. with six full body decoys and a few really realistic mallard floaters and odd number of black duck decoys, again painted perfectly you can lure about any size big duck flight in to a river set up. Be sure to space your decoys so that they are more than six feet apart as delpoyed. Ducks only bunch tightly when they are uneasy or about to fly. Keep the euipment in the boat to a minimum and avoid the weight of a car battery powered spotlight if at all possible as the weight is a big problem. If yo can find a place birds really like, hunt off the bank in a scattered minin-one-man-blind set-up and stay out ofthe boat when trying to set up to shoot. Take some heavy duty lomcutters i nthe baot to clear the shooting lanes of problem limbs trees etc...also can cut river cane quickluy with one to make a snug little blind if it is available(cane is a great cover to just scatter inthe boat if you sit in the baot as I described as it breaks outlines readily and is easy to deploy. Hide the boat ABOVE you and your set up somewhere so if it breaks loose it will float by you. If you tie up a boat to a tree on a river and leave the boat, also drop out the ahnchor with hte loosely coiled anchor rope in the baot, as you neevr know when a boat will break loose andthe anchor rope will save your trip. Carry an extra propellor plus all the NUTS AND BOLTS, cotter keys and pins and lubes (and pliers and wrenches) it takes to replace it in case you lose everythign on the prop drive end. Make sure sombody in the boat knows how to change the prop on the engine of the day. Be sure somebody not in the boat and on the trip knows where you put in the river and where you parked to take out . Do not shoot tame mallards or white ducks in front of somebody's house on the river. :>)

"Ask and ye shall recieve," Way to go GN

Now right there is the wisdom I was looking for. THANKS GN. Some great ideas, many of which I've never seen before anywhere.

This is the best advice I can think of!

I'm already to the point where 90% of the fun is the setup and the opportunity to call and draw ducks in up close and personal. The kill is simply not needed sometimes for me. Good thing the way I shoot. Freddy = game, no matter what the target...dove..squirrel...deer...duck..aircarp !

Ok...blind is finished on the boat. I'm headed out Saturday morning solo, but not on a river given the rains we've had. I'll pick a quiet cove on the lake somewhere and listen to all the shots ring out from the deer hunters as it'll be opening day of rifle season. Will be the first time in a VERY long time that I wasn't deer hunting on opening day of rifle season. GN, that should bring a big smile to your face... Right now, just getting the decoys out and sitting in the blind that I made for the boad will be enough. If I see some ducks and/or geese, my day will be made! GN, I've read your post again and man, there is some wisdom posted there.

Quote:
Let Freddy shoot first at all times


This is the best advice I can think of!


This only works if Freddy actually shoots the birds. Nothing like giving Freddy the first shot, having ducks land at your feet and he doesn't pull the trigger, something about it being 2 minutes before shooting time

We aren't going to mention how far away the"cripple" was when your "guide" told you to shoot at him...