# Ice Fest 2011



## Dahmer (Jan 22, 2007)

What a day. The day started getting to launch at 5:45am this morning. Met up with with my buddies Dale, Cuz, Kevin (aka Head Hunter), Adam Bomb (aka Lucky), Soo Layout and his Dad. 
As we were waiting to motor out we witnessed a new way to launch a mud boat. As this group was launching the boat, they must of not had it strapped because soon as they started backing down the ramp the boat jumped of the trailer and skidding down the ramp 10' to 15' before hitting the water. All this happened with someone sitting in the boat reving up the mud motor. I bet someone needed to change his pants after that.
Today we decided to put out the mother load of spreads today. It was all or nothing.We ran 16 dozen super mag decoys and 3 layout boats. Soon as the water hit the air it was making ice. Once all decoys were deployed we got Cuz, Adam and Soo Layout into the layout boats. It wasn't long before the guys were keeping us busy in the tender boat. They were dumping birds left and right. Cuz got his six bird limit in short order. Adam finally got a chance to shoot some decoying birds which he did in short order also.Birds were coming from all directions. Goldeneyes were parachuting in to dekes like mallards in a corn field. These were fresh birds for sure. We rotated the rest of the guys thru the layouts and they started off where the 1st group left off. Around 10:00 am the wind started to pick up from 1' to 2' footers to 2' footers with a few 3' footers in there. We ended up picking up at 11:15am due to building ice on the layouts and decoys. There was a good 1/2" of ice on the layouts and 1/4" of ice on the decoys. Once everything was picked up the fun ride back to the launch. Needless to say everything was caked with ice incuding myself. It was well worth it going out today. We ended up shooting 28 ducks (21 goldeneye, 4 bluebills, 1 old squaw, 1 whitewing scoter and 1 lawn dart.) 
Great time with some great friends that will go down in the record books as a hunt to remember.


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## spartansfan (Nov 8, 2011)

for some reason i dont think youll be complaining about the split :lol::lol:


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## lastflighttaxidermy (Jul 12, 2010)

That's a pile for sure. Sounds like you had a great time. Congrats.


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## michiganoutdoorsman (Dec 29, 2010)

Great hunt! Can't complain about this new split after a day like that!


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## Shiawassee_Kid (Nov 28, 2000)

i was scrolling thru them goin "what no freakin mergs?" then i got to the last pic...lol. very nicely done, you do not disappoint Jeff.


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## hankrt (Nov 7, 2007)

Our hunt was pretty much the same as yours, except we hammered the Squaw, and some really nice White Winged and Black Scoters with a few Fish Sticks thrown in!!! We had mionor ice problems but not as bad as some, the water seemed warm enough to keep the decoys and our Lay Out from building up to bad. All in all, I think this was one of our best hunt days of the season, I like the new Split, it worked out real well for us.


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## duckduster (Oct 22, 2011)

Nice hunt, we hunted on Lk St Clair and shot at alot of new birds also. only got a few, out of a normal boat, next year it will be a layout for me.


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## T.J. (Mar 1, 2009)

Grats , I would have though there to be more merges to shoot.


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## SooLayoutHunter (Oct 14, 2004)

Jeff,
Another fun hunt for sure! Glad to get up back up there and despite the frigid weather everything went pretty well, The boat is still thawing out even in the heated garage! Always enjoy huntin' with you guys, just a great group of guys, and a great hunt as usual, and looking forward to next season already. -Matt


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Great hunt! These new dates for the split suck for us. We always shot limits on the old split. Didn't even fire our guns yesterday. Apparently these new splits are only good if you lice on the coasts. Screw that.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Yesterday can be summed up as a blur of icy spray, rapid gun fire and laughter. Had a great time pilin' em up with you guys. Just a great day from start to finish.

Matt, was nice to meet you buddy. Ill be in touch and ill let ya know when the fish pump starts running over here next month.


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## casscityalum (Aug 27, 2007)

Great hunt guys! Adam I think it might have been you i talked with as we walked down to those guys launching with the boat froze to the bunks before jeff got there. If so nice to meet ya and thanks for the help with fish in pms a few years back. You still have the same cell number you gave me?

Matt- wish id known you we're there too woulda said hello. Talked with aaron few times and sounds like he's doing good. 

We didn't know how much room to give you guys and couldn't quite judge the distance in the dark so we set up more by the island and was slow. Once light was up we saw we woulda been fine where we wanted to set up. Saw birds working and flying towards you guys all morning so knew you guys were doing good.

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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

casscityalum said:


> Great hunt guys! Adam I think it might have been you i talked with as we walked down to those guys launching with the boat froze to the bunks before jeff got there. If so nice to meet ya and thanks for the help with fish in pms a few years back. You still have the same cell number you gave me?
> 
> Matt- wish id known you we're there too woulda said hello. Talked with aaron few times and sounds like he's doing good.
> 
> ...


Welp, as your the only guy i talked to walking down the ramp there early AM id say it musta been me.:lol: Small word huh..lol....Was nice to meet you as well. I have the same cell# so hit me up some time and we can go smack a fish some time this winter. Wont be long if these temps keep up.


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## Timber (Jan 1, 2009)

Nice job fellas. Looks like you had some fun. We were down on Lake Erie, and hammer our limit of canvas backs, and blue bills as we did this last year on the old split less the ice this year. So if I don't have to bust 100' of ice that a plus. 2 thumbs up to the new split for us.


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## sswhitelightning (Dec 14, 2004)

Nice love those goldens


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## hankrt (Nov 7, 2007)

Timber said:


> Nice job fellas. Looks like you had some fun. We were down on Lake Erie, and hammer our limit of canvas backs, and blue bills as we did this last year on the old split less the ice this year. So if I don't have to bust 100' of ice that a plus. 2 thumbs up to the new split for us.


My thoughts exacty, moving the hunt into December allowed more guys to get out and have great hunts too!! By January, access to most of my spots is closed out with ice, so I havn't been out on those two days for a few years now, but sure enjoyed this past weekend. Ice was beginning to form but not to where we were totally shut out. I also think the earlier split was safer than the January time frame. No one should really be busting ice with aluminum hulls in freezing water, even though the excitment of the hunt has had me do it several times over the years.


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## fowlme (Jun 19, 2009)

I did not have a chance to get out this weekend but went to a meeting today and nearby was a lake which had enough ice on it I could stand on without it cracking or breaking. open water in the middle but would have been a pain getting to it. stopped by another lake on my way home and very little ice in the middle and boat launch was wide open. the 2 lakes are 20 miles apart. both places only had swans.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

So basically this new split was good for the guys who hunt fish ducks and live near the lakes. Anybody else who lives in the center is getting hosed. There are absolutely no mallards ANYWHERE around me. Not even on the stretch of Kalamazoo river we hunt. Heard maybe 6 shots all yesterday morning, when normally its a volley after volley and we have mallards and goldeneyes pouring in on us in the river. Seem 7 mallards and 2 wood ducks. Pure crap. My family from Ohio who always came up for the old split never even bothered coming up.


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## KLR (Sep 2, 2006)

craigrh13 said:


> So basically this new split was good for the guys who hunt fish ducks and live near the lakes. Anybody else who lives in the center is getting hosed. There are absolutely no mallards ANYWHERE around me. Not even on the stretch of Kalamazoo river we hunt. Heard maybe 6 shots all yesterday morning, when normally its a volley after volley and we have mallards and goldeneyes pouring in on us in the river. Seem 7 mallards and 2 wood ducks. Pure crap. My family from Ohio who always came up for the old split never even bothered coming up.


Gotta hunt where the birds are.


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## FullBody (Nov 4, 2008)

KLR said:


> Gotta hunt where the birds are.


Words of wisdom!


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

KLR said:


> Gotta hunt where the birds are.


We got a winner!!!!!


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## mintgreenwalleyemachine (Jan 18, 2005)

Good job boys!


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I refuse to hunt anywhere near Detroit  Point was i do not know one group personally who did good this weekend. As opposed to the old split it was game on. I understand they cannot make everyone happy. Frustrating for sure. Another reason i feel myself moving closer and closer to deer hunting as this states screwed up duck and goose seasons are a constant mess.


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## Mike L (Sep 8, 2003)

craigrh13 said:


> I refuse to hunt anywhere near Detroit  Point was i do not know one group personally who did good this weekend. As opposed to the old split it was game on. I understand they cannot make everyone happy. Frustrating for sure. Another reason i feel myself moving closer and closer to deer hunting as this states screwed up duck and goose seasons are a constant mess.


Enjoy........


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## casscityalum (Aug 27, 2007)

craigrh13 said:


> So basically this new split was good for the guys who hunt fish ducks and live near the lakes. Anybody else who lives in the center is getting hosed. There are absolutely no mallards ANYWHERE around me. Not even on the stretch of Kalamazoo river we hunt. Heard maybe 6 shots all yesterday morning, when normally its a volley after volley and we have mallards and goldeneyes pouring in on us in the river. Seem 7 mallards and 2 wood ducks. Pure crap. My family from Ohio who always came up for the old split never even bothered coming up.


If your just gunna derail someones thread why post at all? this thread has nothing to do with pros or cons of the split. please take your rant elsewhere 


BTW I know personally one guy that had 500 mallards working a field zone 3 center of the state. no where near big lakes. get out and scout


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

I apologize for jacking the thread. Congrats to everyone who did well.


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## Critter (Mar 3, 2006)

craigrh13 said:


> Another reason i feel myself moving closer and closer to deer hunting as this states screwed up duck and goose seasons are a constant mess.


Well......bye. If you think waterfowl hunting is screwed up wait til you start deer hunting.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

Critter said:


> Well......bye. If you think waterfowl hunting is screwed up wait til you start deer hunting.


Thats a whole nother' conversation which is just as bad. Just all of our good places as a kid have gone to crap. Lots from losing duck lands to fools who lease, which i refuse to do and not to mention i might live in quite possibly the worse place for ducks, but we manage to do ok. I have been very fortunate with deer over the years as well and keep filling up my wall. Kind of a no brainer in struggling to have a good duck hunt (jan. split was always our best hunt every year) or shooting a nice buck. You know? I might have to start buying equipment so i can start hunting fish ducks! Bring on the Jan. goose season!


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## San V. Sasse (Aug 19, 2010)

Good haul guys!! One person missing, you couldn't get TSS Caddis out of bed as it was too cold???


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## Sprig (Jul 18, 2004)

Dahmer said:


> As we were waiting to motor out we witnessed a new way to launch a mud boat. As this group was launching the boat, they must of not had it strapped because soon as they started backing down the ramp the boat jumped of the trailer and skidding down the ramp 10' to 15' before hitting the water. All this happened with someone sitting in the boat reving up the mud motor. I bet someone needed to change his pants after that.


Heard about that; was this the same boat that bounced off one of the bouys in the channel doing 25+? I wasn't there, just heard the story from someone who was.


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## DEDGOOSE (Jan 19, 2007)

Critter said:


> Well......bye. If you think waterfowl hunting is screwed up wait til you start deer hunting.


Hahaha.. Dude needs to get over on the deer forum and read about.. APR, OBR, too many doe tags, Not enough does, baiting vs no baiting, foodplots, wolves, Rifles season is too early, Early Antlerless season, Youth Season, crossbows, inlines, etc etc etc.. You want something biotch about, start deer hunting.


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## craigrh13 (Oct 24, 2011)

DEDGOOSE said:


> Hahaha.. Dude needs to get over on the deer forum and read about.. APR, OBR, too many doe tags, Not enough does, baiting vs no baiting, foodplots, wolves, Rifles season is too early, Early Antlerless season, Youth Season, crossbows, inlines, etc etc etc.. You want something biotch about, start deer hunting.


Thanks for the advice. However I've been deer hunting since I was 8 years old. I know our states regs. are jacked up. Just don't want to see Michigan get that bad.


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## OLLIE719 (Feb 14, 2009)

Nice work guys


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## sthiede (Aug 31, 2004)

Dahmer said:


> As we were waiting to motor out we witnessed a new way to launch a mud boat. As this group was launching the boat, they must of not had it strapped because soon as they started backing down the ramp the boat jumped of the trailer and skidding down the ramp 10' to 15' before hitting the water. All this happened with someone sitting in the boat reving up the mud motor. I bet someone needed to change his pants after that.QUOTE]
> 
> Haha, Dahmer...that was me in that mud boat...and though my pants weren't wet my pride was a little hurt...lol. The trailer bunks were iced up from scouting the day before and at 5:30 am, noone was using there brains. And FYI, that was not the same boat that bounced off a buoy doing 25:lol:...thats gotta hurt...although our morning started off sub par we ended the day with a 3 man mallard limit and a few extras...needless to say, the next day we left the winch hooked to the boat til we reached the water. Could've been much worse and lucky nothing got broke.


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## Dahmer (Jan 22, 2007)

sthiede said:


> Dahmer said:
> 
> 
> > As we were waiting to motor out we witnessed a new way to launch a mud boat. As this group was launching the boat, they must of not had it strapped because soon as they started backing down the ramp the boat jumped of the trailer and skidding down the ramp 10' to 15' before hitting the water. All this happened with someone sitting in the boat reving up the mud motor. I bet someone needed to change his pants after that.QUOTE]
> ...


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## just ducky (Aug 23, 2002)

sthiede said:


> ...Could've been much worse and lucky nothing got broke.


yeah...coulda had no plug in, and ended up sitting in a foot of ice water.


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## Trippin' Dipsies (May 7, 2003)

Nice shoot guys!! I don't have much luck with GE but tend not to be in their holding areas. How to they taste? I know they're a bit tough to clean and we always end up putting them into sausage so I never really know what they taste like on their own. I know a couple weeks back we (i.e., Bite Me Too) shot a Coot to see what it would taste like & have to admit it was really good....just surprised as to how small the breast meat was. Anyway, great job guys!


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## Dahmer (Jan 22, 2007)

Trippin' Dipsies said:


> Nice shoot guys!! I don't have much luck with GE but tend not to be in their holding areas. How to they taste? I know they're a bit tough to clean and we always end up putting them into sausage so I never really know what they taste like on their own. I know a couple weeks back we (i.e., Bite Me Too) shot a Coot to see what it would taste like & have to admit it was really good....just surprised as to how small the breast meat was. Anyway, great job guys!


Bit tough to clean is a understatement when it comes to GE. There skin sticks to the meat. As for the taste, you woud be surpised how good they taste when prepared properly.


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## adam bomb (Feb 27, 2006)

Dahmer said:


> Bit tough to clean is a understatement when it comes to GE. There skin sticks to the meat. As for the taste, you woud be surpised how good they taste when prepared properly.


Yeah..."tough"... more like THEY SUCK TO CLEAN!:lol::lol::lol::lol:...And the chefs do a good job cookin'!!!


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