Conference vmsnet::hunting$note:hunting

    Jeff, I haven't hunted sea ducks, but my partner often hunts eiders
    down on Cape Cod.  One thing I do remember him saying, is that if
    you're hunting from a boat, or with a dog, make sure you grease
    your gun to prevent salt-water corrosion.
    
    Knock 'em dead!
    

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    Mark.

    I hunted sea ducks last year with a guide. Number 4s aren't enough for
    these tough bird with their thick coats. Use a goose load.
    
    Doug

    Doug
      What time of year were you hunting?  I was kind of thinking that
    this early in the season they wouldn't have as heavy a layer of
    feathers. A goose load seems like it might be bit heavy.  Then again
    what do you considure a goose load?
    
    Jeff

    
    Jeff, take heed to note #2!!
    
    Ive hunted these guys off the Coast of Seabrook N.H. and they are
    very tough to put down. Remember to drop the # by 1 to equal lead.
    If you used #4's in lead drop to #3's in steel and so on.
    
    If your hunting N.H. Were still LEAD up here!!
    
    Good-Luck These birds are real FAST!!
    
    Rick...

    If you cripple a sea duck, there's a good chance that he'll dive and
    you'll never see him again. So it's essential that you let the birds
    come in close and hit them hard. We sat on ledges and actually shot
    downward at birds flying only a foot or two off the water. You could
    see your pattern hit the water. Sometimes a bird caught in the center
    of the pattern would hit the water and start swimming. That's when the
    guide, fearful of the bird's diving, would yell, "Hit em again, hit 
    em again!"
    
    We used the guide's recommended steel load and I can't rememeber if it
    was 3" magnum 1s or BBs. He also recommended a 10ga but I did OK with a
    12. As to choke, I can tell you from all the shot strings that I saw hit
    the water, an open choke with steel has the perfect density over decoys.
    
    This hunt was in Maine in the first week of October. When I cleaned the
    bag I was amazed at the thickness of the fatty skin and the density of
    the thick coat. 
    
    Enjoy,
    
    Doug

    Jeff, in the past few years I've done quite a bit of Sea Duck hunting
    mostly out of Green harbor in Marshfield. Last year as you know
    we were required to make the switch from lead to steel. I am
    currently using #2 1 1/4 oz loads, and these seem to be giving me
    the best results. (with lead we always used #4's) This year it's
    been tough getting out there, opening day had temps around 70 degrees!
    we only got 1 limit between two of us. the next weekend we had a
    good old fashioned nor'easter, we went down but it was much to rough
    to put the boat in, BUT you should have seen the birds!!! As mentioned
    bring lots of gun oil and use it frequently! Also these are big
    birds, Wait until they are well inside your tollers. Don't forget
    your Black flag, and bring a few boxes of shells!!!!
    
    Give me a call if you want to talk off-line on this theres lots
    to talk about and it's one of my favorite types of gunning!!!
                                          
    
    Go for it, it's a great time!!!
    
    Mike 
    dtn 225-4927
    
    

    RE .6	Mike, I have got to ask a stupid question. What is the 
    black flag for? Its been a long time since I have hunted sea ducks,
    but what action. 
    
    Rich

     
    	
    	I've hunted sea ducks for many years. Scoters,Eiders,Oldsquaw,and
    	bluebills. I've only hunted sea ducks a few times with steel.
    	Most shots should be close and near the decoys. Even at close
    	range I would suggest you use the larger shot as well . As someone
    	else as already stated it's not so much the thick feathering,
    	but the skin on these birds is really tough. Size is another
    	consideration as I've seen Eiders average around 8lbs. These birds
	when crippled should be taken quick as they can dive and swim for
    	very long distances. I read somewhere that an oldsquaw can dive
    	about 70 feet straight down . This attribute can really frustrate
    	a great working dog. Also of all the duck hunting I've done,
    	hunting sea ducks is by far the most dangerous. Be careful out
    	there !  
    
    	Re: .-1
    
    	The black flag is used to attract the birds closer to your decoys.
                                                                          
    	pat.

    	As Pat mentioned please use your head when out sea duck hunting
    	this is not something to be taken lightly. Pay close attention
    	to the wind direction, at the first hint of a switch in wind
   	direction its time to pack up. Life expectancy if you go over
    	on the north atlantic in novemvber through january is measured
    	in minutes. So please play it safe.
    
    	Yes the Black flacg is used to get the attention of birds, in
    	the early season we've pulled in birds from up to 1/4 of a mile!!
    	Sea Duck hunting is great gunning, play it safe and your
    	garenteed a good time!!
    
    	Mike
    
    
    
    

    In the past we never did use a flag. All we had were silhouettes that were
    nailed to two boards and painted black. See diagram. A wing nut
    connected the two boards and one board is shorter than the other so
    you could loosen the wing nut and turn the board in the same direction
    for easy storage. Always had great luck with them. Easy to put out and
    take in too. How big of a flag would you use to pull birds in from a 
    � mile and where would you put it in relationship to your decoys?
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    Rich

    
    	Rich, the flag i have in my boat is about 18"x18", basically I
	use it to get the attention of a string of birds. Once they see
	the flag (you can tell because they'll rise up and swing your
	way) I put the flag down, get down on the floor and get ready.
	I usually use 3 sets of tollers (silhouettes) set up like so:

    
		  ---------
	-------		     <====(boat)
		  ---------

	This approach has been working good for us for several seasons 
	now, so I'll probably stick with it. 

	Good Luck
	Mike

    Mike, thanks for the info. I have been kicking around the idea of going
    out to ocean for a while. 
    
    Rich