Raining Sprigs in da Swamp

[Glenn W]

The ducks have been getting wary and smart as hell lately. So instead of hunting the marshes and open water, the boys and I decided to follow the Blacks and Mallards into the thick of the hardwood tidal swamp. I mean this swamp is right out of N. Louisianna or Arkansas. We set up in a little opening and set out a half dozen stand alone plugs plus a 4 plug jerk rig.
The big ducks were flying pretty good with the flood tide and drizzling rain but nothing to write home about. We were not in the exact spot they wanted to roost but managed to pick off 4 mallards and the prettiest GW Teal I've ever shot (going on the wall). If you think a Woody darting through the trees is like a bumble bee, a teal in a swamp is like a hummingbird on Steroids.
Anyway, at about full high tide, a gang of 20+ Pintails fly high overhead. Just for shits and giggles the jerk rig is snatched and the Sprigs made a hard left turn to see what the commotion was about. One circle looking and chirping, then another circle and every single one locked up in unison. They found the opening through the trees and it was landing gear and flaps down cleared for runway 090. The 3 of us each picked out a separate drake (how lucky was that?) and three went down. Two nice older birds with beautiful sprigs, and a yearling.
A Sprig always makes for a good day and I've killed my share in the marsh (by East Coast standards), but in all my years, I have never killed a Pintail in a Swamp, let alone had a big gang all come into the woods together.
Two minutes that will last forever in my boys memories.

[Tenacious]

Thanks for taking us along for the ride!!! Congrats Glenn on your sprig!!!!

[Deep C]

Please tell me you used man guns for the smack down... It just wouldn't be right using fufu ones on an epic blamathon like that.

[Glenn W]

Please tell me you used man guns for the smack down... It just wouldn't be right using fufu ones on an epic blamathon like that.

Berettas and Benellis

[Deep C]

Berettas and Benellis

Eurotrash


Oh well better than that one I couldn't pronounce without getting heartburn...

[gottaflylee]

Congrats on a great shoot, nothing like greenies and sprigs. A couple or 3 years ago, a friend of mine and I found Sprigs in a swamp, it got ugly so say the least...

[N2theBlue]

Eurotrash


Oh well better than that one I couldn't pronounce without getting heartburn...

best shotguns on the market....only other one close is that new winchester...and it borrows from them

[HOLWACHAGOT]

Epic Glenn! Makes all the work worth it.

I can remember two different times being told to "take em" and by the time I stood the ducks were by us before so much as my safety came off. Both times were Greenwings. I don't think there is a duck alive that's harder to hit with breeze on his tail....damn sure ain't a prettier duck.
I'd love to see some cutting through a cypress stand....Pretty work on your birds.
Holwachagot

[quackkilla76]

I'll take my benelli over a browning or any other shotgun for that matter any day....dont get me wrong i have several browning's A-5, sweet sixteen,BPS and a few remingtons they are all great guns. but for nasty, paddle the boat, drop it in the water and just hardcore waterfowling Super Black Eagle or Nova its hands down the baddest beast in the swamp. my Super Black Eagle has been to hell and back 3 times.(it was frozen like Brick several times) and it keeps on killin' from ducks to deer to turkeys and geese it gets the job done...

[Going Deep]

The ducks have been getting wary and smart as hell lately. So instead of hunting the marshes and open water, the boys and I decided to follow the Blacks and Mallards into the thick of the hardwood tidal swamp. I mean this swamp is right out of N. Louisianna or Arkansas. We set up in a little opening and set out a half dozen stand alone plugs plus a 4 plug jerk rig.
The big ducks were flying pretty good with the flood tide and drizzling rain but nothing to write home about. We were not in the exact spot they wanted to roost but managed to pick off 4 mallards and the prettiest GW Teal I've ever shot (going on the wall). If you think a Woody darting through the trees is like a bumble bee, a teal in a swamp is like a hummingbird on Steroids.
Anyway, at about full high tide, a gang of 20+ Pintails fly high overhead. Just for shits and giggles the jerk rig is snatched and the Sprigs made a hard left turn to see what the commotion was about. One circle looking and chirping, then another circle and every single one locked up in unison. They found the opening through the trees and it was landing gear and flaps down cleared for runway 090. The 3 of us each picked out a separate drake (how lucky was that?) and three went down. Two nice older birds with beautiful sprigs, and a yearling.
A Sprig always makes for a good day and I've killed my share in the marsh (by East Coast standards), but in all my years, I have never killed a Pintail in a Swamp, let alone had a big gang all come into the woods together.
Two minutes that will last forever in my boys memories.

Great story Glen...hunts like that are definately good for the soul!