Ducks

mallards

A phone call from friends during the week sealed the arrangements for this morning. We would meet at Adrain's house at seven sharp. As I made my way down the narrow lane, the lights of the jeep picked out his house from smothering fog. Ger was already there and in a minute we had slipped into chest waders and packed guns and ammo into his van. The Lough shore road glistened in the half light of early dawn, sparkling white with last nights frost. Gloves and a warm hat were donned by all as we stepped quickly from the parking spot to the lough shore. The plan was simple, Ger would ferry extra gear, lunches and ammo out to the hide while myself and Adrain walked the shore.



The guys had been feeding the shore with flaked maize and we hoped to jump a teal or two as we walked the headland. Nothing doing there we threw out a pair of mallard decoys as mallard and teal regularily fly up and down the shoreline close in. It would mean a behind shot from the hide but these are the things that make it extra interesting!

With dawn readily approaching we made for the hide.



The guys had laid out the decoys the night before, about twenty five scaup decoys set in a large oval pattern directly out in front of the hide, then a pair of goldeneye drakes on the very far left about ten yards from the nearest Scaup. We soon settled in to their recently made hide. It was stoutly built, the floor about five feet above the water and I was glad of the insulating properties of the high plywood walls as ice crystals formed on the barrels of our guns and anything else exposed above the parapet, to the icy Lough Neagh breeze.
Through the silent gloom our ears soon pricked to whistling sound of goldeneye wings, darting back and forth, under the cover of the fog. I sat on the left of the hide nearest the goldeneye decoys. The guys said keep your eyes peeled and within seconds a pair of goldeneye burst from the blanket of fog, aiming for the decoys. I gave them the best of both barrels and they left unscathed. The guys told me to double my lead and I duly obeyed for the next single drake goldeneye. He passed high and to my left. My first shot saw him tumble from the sky to spalsh near the shore over my left shoulder. I gave him the second barrel as soon as his head popped up in the water, as I know how bullet proof they can be, or thought I knew. The duck rolled on its back waving its feet at me, dead. Adrain was getting in the boat, about to retrieve my duck when Ger shouted, "He's dived!" When he popped up again Ger popped two into him and I watched the shot pattern splash around him with him bang in the centre. He rolled on his back again and Adrain began to row in his direction.

Half way there, I watched the duck, now thirty plus yards away and drifting, dive under the water again. I gave him two more in the water and again the duck lay still and dead. Adrain rowed towards him again and as he drew along side the duck popped his head up again. With no dog or gun with him Adrain tried to hit him with one of the oars but missed. They duck then dived again and desite frantic searching by Adrain and myself and Ger trying our best to watch for him at the hide, the duck escaped us! I still can't believe how it happened. That duck was shot dead several times, I saw it with my own eyes! We learned from our mistake and took the gun with us to any more wounded duck. Adrain maintains the duck sank with all the steel in it!
We were shooting size four hevishot and size three steel loads, so it goes to show how tough some of these duck are.
We lost another goldeneye and a teal during the day. They had been hit but had made it into the fog by the time the boat was mustered to where they fell. I can't thank the guys enough for rowing out to fetch my ducks as the cold was playing havoc with my knee, so getting up and down the steps of the hide could only be managed at the start and end of the hunt.
Before too long the whistle of wings brought home the first duck, A goldeneye hen that fell neatly, to my second shot, between the drake decoys. Ger swiftly followed it up with a very pretty drake and the morning frost and fog was quickly forgotten about. Indeed the fog became our greatest friend as it hid us from being illuminated on the dark water by the bright winter sun that kept threatening to spoil our mornings fun.





The variety of ducks shot was the stunning thing for me. We shot teal, tufted duck, scaup, pochard, mallard and goldeneye. All fetched lovingly from the water by either Ger or Adrain or if a hand was needed, both.









We finished up around two in the afternoon with fourteen ducks. I seen a ton of ducks today and the craic was mighty with the fellas. We gathered up the decoys and Ger started the motor for home. The guys pointed out a great looking island that they said I should try the next time.





As we rounded the island the motor bumped over a stone or something and the sheer pin for the prop bust causing the engine to over rev. Nothing for it but to get the oars out and row!

As we had difficulty synchronizing our stroke, I offered to take the helm and row us back to shore. We all had a jag of whiskey from the hip flask to keep out the cold and the guys reckoned the whiskey would help me row the boat up on to the shore and back accross the field up to the parking spot!

It was only a small swig so I could only manage to get it into the bay.










It was a great day, with great ducks in a wonderful place with great friends.

Adrain is a budding artist and he painted this picture for me of the last day we were together, shooting woodcock on my shoot in the snow. Fantastic!




Mallards.

Dusty87

Nice read mallards. You had a good day so.
Thanks for story

johngalway

Now that's a well written account, a pleasure to read

Double Barrel

Plus 1 on what John said.

It was only a small swig so I could only manage to get it into the bay.

;)
A couple more swigs an ye may have rowed to the pub. :rolleyes::)

deeksofdoom

Excellent read thanks for that!

vermin hunter

lovely read mallarsd have you any nice recipies for divers as we get alot and i usualy stir fry or roast the whole bird

dicky82

cracking read, great array of ducks, and the pics round it off nicely too.

BoarHunter

Just Amazing ! I would give anything to see this variety of ducks. Well done. I still have to put a golden eye and a pintail to my bag !

mallards

vermin hunter wrote: »

lovely read mallarsd have you any nice recipies for divers as we get alot and i usualy stir fry or roast the whole bird

Thanks for the compliments guys. Like you I usually stir fry them. But sometimes I like them roasted. But I smother them with chunky maramalade for the last fifteen minutes in the oven. My favourite is duck and pancakes in hoisin sauce like you get in the chinese. I'm still perfecting the duck to get it dry and crispy.

Mallards

EPointer=Birdss

Were u a seanachai in a former life Mallards??
Great read...

mallards

My Grandfather was, so maybe a little rubbed of on me.

EPointer=Birdss

Any other paintings done by Adrian Mallards?

mallards

I don't have any scanned but he has loads. Shooting landscapes, some really outstanding ones of woodcock, wild duck and flushing cock pheasants. He said he might take a stand at the game fair this year up north. I hope he does as I will be his first customer!

Mallards.

EPointer=Birdss

mallards wrote: »

I don't have any scanned but he has loads. Shooting landscapes, some really outstanding ones of woodcock, wild duck and flushing cock pheasants. He said he might take a stand at the game fair this year up north. I hope he does as I will be his first customer!

Mallards.

I think if he posted a few photos of paintings even up here he might ignite some interset... Would love to see the pheasant ones...

mallards

I will see him for the last hunt of the season this weekend and see if I can post a few pictures of some of his paintings.

Mallards.

yessam

I love yor story and the sketch is brillant but I think you may have had a chance at a few more ducks if yea had a dog to retreive the ducks instead of taking out the boat and firing a lot of shots trying to pick up a duck.

mallards

Yes it would. The guys just happened to be between dogs at the minute. They have a chesapeake coming on but won't be ready until next season. You can see a little door they made in the forth picture to let a dog in and out of the hide easily.
As for the shots, we were using steel for the first season and Im not convinced on it's stopping power compared to lead. After loosing the first duck I made sure whatever I shot was dead as I really hate loosing game or not killing it cleanly.

Mallards.

mallards

EPointer=Birdss wrote: »

I think if he posted a few photos of paintings even up here he might ignite some interset... Would love to see the pheasant ones...

Here you go!








Mallards