How to setup for the rising tide

[WestCoastTodd]

Hi everyone,

I haven't been having a very successful year so far - worse than last year, despite there being ample birds about. This year I've been working to get the ducks into decoys (last year we did a lot of jump shooting), but some days they just aren't interested in my spread.

One of the big problems is the rising tide. I hunt the islands upriver of Westham, so there are serious tide swings (6+ feet on a moderate day). A lot of the marsh will flood around 9am, right in the middle of the hunt. Lately, the birds seem to roosting in the smaller channels, then loafing in bigger channels until the marsh floods. After that, they look to be feeding in the flooded areas.

So, where and how do you set your decoys up in those conditions? Do you just have to bite the bullet and move the decoys after a couple of hours?

Thanks,
Todd

[Ian F.]

Having hunted the bay of fundy for eiders for years (40ft tides) moving on long lines was the way to go...sorry,no easy way I found

[Kudu]

Hunting the delta marsh is a game of tides (as you have found out) from my own experiences hunting with Ranger95 - We find a channel and set up the decoys, get Mr and Mrs Mojo spinning their wings - hide the boat, and get into our layout blinds, if the ducks see you they won't land - they have been shot at too many times in the past - not often but occasionally we get 8 maybe 10 Mallards between us - but that's about it.

oh yea - you need a dog to find your birds in the reeds and crap!

Nowadays we prefer to hunt elsewhere - sky busting has ruined the delta marsh, you really are way better off in the pit marsh.

[WestCoastTodd]

Jeez, 40 ft tides is a whole different game. I thought that it was a pain winding up 12' of decoy cord!

Saturday was bad for skybusters - somebody out there was keeping the ammo manufacturers busy. There was a handful of times a couple of birds were coming into my blocks, then someone's semi's started going off and spooked 'em. They're definitely nervous these days.

I've been thinking a dog for a while. A few guys were taking their boat out at the same time as I was - they had a beautiful black lab, happy as I've ever seen a dog.