- Joined
- Mar 11, 2001
- Messages
- 70,011
- Reaction score
- 1,007
Nov. 6, 2002
Charlie Farmer, Springfield News-Leader Outdoors columnist
Rain, low water hampers duck opener in Middle Zone
My son, Scott, and I headed for Truman Reservoir to open the Middle Zone duck opener on Saturday. The bed of his truck was filled with two Poke boats and three bags of decoys.
Because we did not hunt the North Zone which opened Oct. 26, this would be our first crack at ducks since the nine-day blue-wing teal hunt Setp. 11-22.
The Middle Zone has good duck hunting when there is plenty of water in MDC managed areas of Four Rivers and Schell-Osage.
Also good for free-lancers like us areTruman Reservoir and the Osage River when they are flush.
It was dark when we took off from Ozark. On Highway 13 headed north, the traffic was sparse save for the big trucks that rumble through the night.
Near Bolivar, a pale blue sky gave promise for sunshine. Our best duck hunt outings have been cool or cold and dappled with bright sun.
Simply put, the ducks see the decoys better in the sun and shimmering water.
Unfortunately, by the time we motored through Humansville, billowing gray clouds looked like they were stirring up a ruckus that could include rain. Of course, no dyed-in-the wool duck hunter would never turn back and head home.
The bridge over Truman Lake did not have Scott and me jumping with delight. We had hoped that the area would have had more rain. As it was, the reservoir was down. Lots of stumps and brush. The normal level on Truman is 706 feet. We found later the lake was 705. 2 feet.
For good duck hunting on Truman, the levels should be a minimum of 706, with better results at 712 or higher.
The better levels provide access for a variety of duck foods and loafing areas. It also spreads out hunters.
We headed down the long dirt road that my son has hunted since he was 12 years old. Those years were ripe with mallards and gadwalls. There were few dry spells those years.
The road leads to the slough. There is one truck ahead of us. We see the hunter and his decoys. Then hear the bark of a dog. We pull on chest waders.
A shot ranges out and the lab fetches the duck.
We will load the two Poke boats with decoys, shotguns, small stools to sit on and some Halloween goodies to munch on.
The slough is mucky. The footing is tricky when trying to board the boats. We paddle the opposite direction from the hunter. It’s a spot we know well. The water is down and the pool is half it's size. Scott wants to paddle down to find a better spot.
I stay on the bank of the pool and wait for his verdict.
Double-Crested Cormorants, White Pelicans, Great Blue Herons, and Marsh Hawks mill around around in the gray sky. Ducks have not appeared.
Scott paddles back. He concedes that the best spot is where we are. We lay out 36 decoys. The work tedious because of the sucking mud in 10 inches of slough. Chest-high waders are wrapped in muck. Boots suck into the mud.
It’s hard to keep from falling.
With decoys positioned, we finally load the guns and set on small but comfortable stools. We see small groups or ducks flying high and out of reach of our calling.
Seeing the birds gives us hope. But then ripples on the surface of the slough turn into rain. Not hard rain. But just enough to send drops down our camouflage parkas. We hear no shooting from the hunter down from us. We do hear shots off in the distance. Some sound like rifle shots. Others could be duck hunters.
Scott to my right calls a pair of ducks. The birds jet over the decoys.
Scott shoots twice. I shoot three times. He tells me he never pulled a feather out of the green-wing teal. He wades in the muck and retrieves both ducks and lays them down by my side.
I hang them on a duck strap off the ground. A good omen we think. But if we new the truth, those were the only ducks that gave us a chance.
On the way home we talk about Middle Zone duck openers. We agree that most of them have been fickle. Most of the time the warm weather was a factor. The sun shining brilliant, but the ducks still up in northern states.
There are times when hunters like me can’t understand why ducks are so fickle. Cool weather during the Middle Zone opener should have been ideal. I blame the rain. As good as any excuse.
Charlie Farmer, Springfield News-Leader Outdoors columnist
Rain, low water hampers duck opener in Middle Zone
My son, Scott, and I headed for Truman Reservoir to open the Middle Zone duck opener on Saturday. The bed of his truck was filled with two Poke boats and three bags of decoys.
Because we did not hunt the North Zone which opened Oct. 26, this would be our first crack at ducks since the nine-day blue-wing teal hunt Setp. 11-22.
The Middle Zone has good duck hunting when there is plenty of water in MDC managed areas of Four Rivers and Schell-Osage.
Also good for free-lancers like us areTruman Reservoir and the Osage River when they are flush.
It was dark when we took off from Ozark. On Highway 13 headed north, the traffic was sparse save for the big trucks that rumble through the night.
Near Bolivar, a pale blue sky gave promise for sunshine. Our best duck hunt outings have been cool or cold and dappled with bright sun.
Simply put, the ducks see the decoys better in the sun and shimmering water.
Unfortunately, by the time we motored through Humansville, billowing gray clouds looked like they were stirring up a ruckus that could include rain. Of course, no dyed-in-the wool duck hunter would never turn back and head home.
The bridge over Truman Lake did not have Scott and me jumping with delight. We had hoped that the area would have had more rain. As it was, the reservoir was down. Lots of stumps and brush. The normal level on Truman is 706 feet. We found later the lake was 705. 2 feet.
For good duck hunting on Truman, the levels should be a minimum of 706, with better results at 712 or higher.
The better levels provide access for a variety of duck foods and loafing areas. It also spreads out hunters.
We headed down the long dirt road that my son has hunted since he was 12 years old. Those years were ripe with mallards and gadwalls. There were few dry spells those years.
The road leads to the slough. There is one truck ahead of us. We see the hunter and his decoys. Then hear the bark of a dog. We pull on chest waders.
A shot ranges out and the lab fetches the duck.
We will load the two Poke boats with decoys, shotguns, small stools to sit on and some Halloween goodies to munch on.
The slough is mucky. The footing is tricky when trying to board the boats. We paddle the opposite direction from the hunter. It’s a spot we know well. The water is down and the pool is half it's size. Scott wants to paddle down to find a better spot.
I stay on the bank of the pool and wait for his verdict.
Double-Crested Cormorants, White Pelicans, Great Blue Herons, and Marsh Hawks mill around around in the gray sky. Ducks have not appeared.
Scott paddles back. He concedes that the best spot is where we are. We lay out 36 decoys. The work tedious because of the sucking mud in 10 inches of slough. Chest-high waders are wrapped in muck. Boots suck into the mud.
It’s hard to keep from falling.
With decoys positioned, we finally load the guns and set on small but comfortable stools. We see small groups or ducks flying high and out of reach of our calling.
Seeing the birds gives us hope. But then ripples on the surface of the slough turn into rain. Not hard rain. But just enough to send drops down our camouflage parkas. We hear no shooting from the hunter down from us. We do hear shots off in the distance. Some sound like rifle shots. Others could be duck hunters.
Scott to my right calls a pair of ducks. The birds jet over the decoys.
Scott shoots twice. I shoot three times. He tells me he never pulled a feather out of the green-wing teal. He wades in the muck and retrieves both ducks and lays them down by my side.
I hang them on a duck strap off the ground. A good omen we think. But if we new the truth, those were the only ducks that gave us a chance.
On the way home we talk about Middle Zone duck openers. We agree that most of them have been fickle. Most of the time the warm weather was a factor. The sun shining brilliant, but the ducks still up in northern states.
There are times when hunters like me can’t understand why ducks are so fickle. Cool weather during the Middle Zone opener should have been ideal. I blame the rain. As good as any excuse.
