# *Official*5th Annual Traveling Decoy Thread



## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

The idea that this thread is a sticky is great, the only problem with that is sticky threads don't show up on the mobile app unless you check the sticky threads tab at the top. That might be why not as many people see it.


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Few more spots still open, Keep em coming!


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## goosemanrdk (Jan 14, 2003)

Seeing as nobody requested this weekend for the youth hunt, I will be keeping the decoy and taking it along on the youth hunt with my son and my niece. We will be hunting a little pond for woodducks. As of last weekend, there were about 50 total around that were coming in and out in little groups of 2-5. Perfect for the kiddos. Although, this is how things looked last year and just like this year a cold front/cool down came in and on the youth day morning we were covered up in woodducks. Hoping the same scenario plays out again this year.

Update of the list.
Sep 9-15 Youth Weekend *(Goosemanrdk)*
Sep 16-22 UP opener *(rico1391)*
Sep 23-29
Sep 30- Oct 6 Middle Zone opener *(BC21)*
Oct 7-13 South Zone Opener *(Puddle-Hunter)*
Oct 14-20 Local as WW opener is 10/16 *(MDHACHAPTER/goosemanrdk) With a possible hand off option for the weekend*
Oct 21- 27 *(sswhitelightning)*
Oct 28-Nov 3 *(Divas Hunt)*
Nov 4- 10 *(LEMDHA/goosemanrdk)*
Nov 11- 17*(Sampsons_owner)*
Nov 18- 24*(TSS Caddis)*
Nov 25- Dec 1*(younggun7)*
Dec 2- 8
Dec 9- 15 Middle Zone late 2 day
Dec 16- 22
Dec 23- 29 South Zone late 2 day
Weekend of Jan4th and 5th - *(dankoustas)*

Still a few days left in year, so send in a request if you would like to hunt with the decoy.


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Today is the deadline for RSVP for the Lake Effect Chapter of the Michigan Duck Hunters Association&#65279; ALL YOU CAN EAT Shrimp Boil/Perch Dinner at the Holiday Inn Muskegon-Harbor&#65279; 
Please either:
1. Email [email protected]
2. Call Susie at 231-343-4092
As a reminder, it is Thursday September 19th, with a Cashbar starting at 5:30pm, Dinner at 7pm. There will be some great raffles, great fellowship, and incredible food! What better way to officially kick off the 2013-2014 Duck Season.

Children 12 and Under are FREE!


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## goosemanrdk (Jan 14, 2003)

Took my niece out on Saturday morning(my son got in trouble at school so no youth duck hunting for him). Things didn't pan out quite at the level we were hoping for, but it was still a good morning. She was never able to connect, but did her best to try. Didn't see near the wood ducks as we were expecting. Could be they had not come down in the numbers like they had last year at this time, or it may have been from the pressure in the area. But I am not complaining about that. Last year, we never heard a shot while out in this spot, but this year there were at least 5 groups out with youths shooting at ducks first thing in the morning. I was happy to hear that much participation.
We did manage to get 6 geese for the morning. Unfortunately, my niece never got a shot at any of the geese. She either had malfunctions taking the safety off, or did not feel comfortable trying to get her gun up quickly to shoot at the geese. Bravo to her for being concerned about safety. Either way, she had a good time and is excited to get out and hunt some more.

Louie is on his way to Rico1391 for the UP opener.


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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

I received the decoy yesterday, and I also went and scouted yesterday. It's just crazy how many birds are around up here right before the opener. Should be a good weekend!


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the update!!!

Make sure and keep us posted how it goes and post some pictures when you get a chance of Louie in action!


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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

Well, we had a good day for the opener. From talking to about 10 other groups, we did better than the rest. The opener started off with hundreds of shots all around us in the marsh. Groups of 2 and 3 teal started working for us great. I shot 3 birds in my first 2 shots! We ended up with 8 greenwings, 2 bluewings, a hen mallard and a bonus goose. All in all it was a great hunt! I have more pictures, just have to get them from my buddies phone.










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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the update, Rico, glad you had some success with Louie!


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## goosemanrdk (Jan 14, 2003)

I got Louie back from Rico yesterday. Thanks Rico. Looks like Louie had a great time. On Monday 9/30 Louie will be making his journey to BC21 to hang out and participate in the Middle Zone opener.

Good Luck and keep us posted about his hunts.


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## rico1391 (Dec 12, 2007)

I have to give one tip for signing Louie, if using the silver marker, you must write slightly larger than you otherwise would. Practice on a piece of paper. The silver marker bleeds when using it.


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## bc21 (Dec 15, 2010)

Louie just arrived in the mail. Looking forward to hunting over him this weekend!


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

*ANY UPDATES ON LOUIE??!*

*Hope you had a great weekend!*


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## bc21 (Dec 15, 2010)

Sorry for the delay -we arrived home late yesterday evening.

We had a very adventurous weekend to say the least and managed to get some great hunting in. We left early Friday morning and checked in to the world's worst "cabin" around 2 pm. After dropping off some gear, clothes, etc., we decided to head just over the bridge and get a quick afternoon UP hunt in. We weren't familiar with the areas, but found a spot to launch and we were on the water by 3:30 with a few solid hours to hunt before shooting hours ended. We managed a red head, a green wing, a common merg and a hooded merg. 

After a somewhat sleepless night thanks to the folks in the cabin next to us pulling shenanigans at all hours of the night, we were up at 3 am and headed to the river to launch the boat. We had a 15 minute drive up the river until we made it to the marsh. Once we arrived in the marsh, it was another 20 minutes or so of navigating through thick grass and shallow, muddy bottoms until we made it to the small pocket we wanted to hunt. While there were more parties around us and fewer birds than in years past, we somehow found the hot spot and ended the day with 2 green wing teal, 3 mallards, 1 pintail, and 6 mergies (mix of common and hoodies) between the 3 of us.

Sunday morning was a game time call and we decided to switch up our location to somewhere a bit more remote. We arrived at the launch at 5:30 am and ended up being the only party to hunt the entire lake all day long. While motoring out in the early morning, we managed to kick up several wood ducks, teal and mallards, and the driver of the boat even managed to catch a teal with his bare hands after it hit him in the face while flushing up. When daylight broke, we were surrounded by thick fog and none of the birds we kicked up decided to fly back in. We had looks at two small flocks of ringnecks and managed one from each flock and a lone drake mallard. 

We didn't kill limits of ducks this weekend, but we had a great time in the blind and came home with some great stories!


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the update, feel free to post some photos if you can!


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## bc21 (Dec 15, 2010)

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## Puddler-Hunter (Aug 25, 2010)

Louie arrived early this morning and he thought he would enjoy the warm sunny day today before heading back on the road tomorrow evening to Clare County. We talked over the plans and Louie is excited to see some new areas he normally wouldn't be seen in. Should be an interesting few days.


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Puddler-Hunter said:


> Louie arrived early this morning and he thought he would enjoy the warm sunny day today before heading back on the road tomorrow evening to Clare County. We talked over the plans and Louie is excited to see some new areas he normally wouldn't be seen in. Should be an interesting few days.


 
Thanks for the heads up!! Make sure and take lots of pictures and post them here on the thread with reports when you get a chance!


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## Puddler-Hunter (Aug 25, 2010)

Had a great weekend with Louie even though we had bluebird weather the entire time. I hunted with my partner Ed in Clare County this weekend who lives in the area. Our first day was friday the 11th and we decided we would do an easy walk in hunt, an area we both haven't hunted in at least 4 years. It was a gamble since it wasn't scouted and it can be a hit or miss spot. The morning was foggy and it was a bit tricky getting to our spot but we managed and set up shop with plenty of time for some coffee and conversation. After about twenty minutes into shooting time three birds screamed in low over the brush and landed straight into our decoys. We were standing at the time as they took us by complete surprise. We ducked low into the brush but they never saw us. We both weren't sure what they were since it was still a bit dark and thick fog but I was quite positive they weren't mallards from their shape. After a little hesitation we jumped them up and Ed connected with his first shot. One of the other three flew to my side and I missed on my first shot but was able to connect on my second shot sending it just thirty feet to the side of me on dry ground. When I walked up to the duck I shot it was what i thought it was a pintail. They turned out to be the only birds we saw that morning but it was a great day and hunt since both of us had never shot a pintail before, a day for the memory books.

Louie fitting right in with his new friends









Louie brought us some good luck with our first ever pintails


















Day two saturday 10/12 we hunted a small inland lake a spot that we usually do well on the wood ducks. We had plenty of wood ducks and mallards flying around all morning. The mallards were very weary they seemed both call shy and decoy shy. The wood ducks were also staying out of gun range for the most part. We ended the morning with just two mallards. We went back to the same lake in the p.m. but in a different spot and we managed one wood duck, three ducks total for the day.



















Day three sunday 10/14 since we were seeing so many birds we hit the same lake in the morning. It's hard to leave an area when your'e seeing birds and we also knew we wouldn't be hunting it again this year so why not. Well we didn't see nearly the number of birds we were seeing. I only had one shooting chance and missed on a nice drake mallard locked and cupped right over the decoys. My partner had a few more chances and he was able to keep the skunk from happening. We ended up back at the walk in pothole for an evening hunt it was a beautiful evening. We jumped up two mallards walking in but they never returned and we didn't see any other ducks in the area. We did see quite a few geese flying over head heading for their evening feed but none wanted to stop in for a visit. 










Our only bird for the day









I'll be sending Louie out first thing tuesday morning we had fun having him around.


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## LakeEffectMDHA (Dec 15, 2011)

Thanks for the great photos and updates, we really appreciate it! Glad to see you had some luck with him!

Ryan


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