# Muddy Sloughs



## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Is it just me or is it impossible to get used to soft bottom sloughs? I got to thinking this morning retrieving this redhead, hoping to not hit the drink on every step. Don't get me wrong, I'll still do it tomorrow...


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## USSapper (Sep 26, 2005)

> I'll still do it tomorrow...


Dont you ever work?????!!!!!! :wink:


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## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

Are you kidding me!? I live for those hikes. I've still never put water in my waders, knock on wood!


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## scottjes000 (Jan 26, 2007)

At least if you guys get stuck you don't have to worry about the tides


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

No we don't...but we do worry about our huntin' buds taking pics and posting them on here for the whole hunting world to laugh at!! :beer:

H2OfowlND


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

I fell in one time. But it wasn't on a muddy slough it was on the mighty Madison river in Montana fly fishing. My waders filled up and down stream I went. It was really scary. It is so hard to get back up once you go down and they fill up and the current, slippery rocks, etc.. etc..

Looks like someone needs a dog!!!


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## bandman (Feb 13, 2006)

I'm pretty sure that stuff could be a good substitute for Elmer's glue. Witnessed a couple dropped guns in the drink and a BIG guy that about needed an air lift out because of it. I've never seen someone so close to callin' it all quits and just givin' up.:lol:


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## BrdHunter (May 17, 2005)

:withstupid:


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## taddy1340 (Dec 10, 2004)

Time for a well-trained retriever!


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## djleye (Nov 14, 2002)

The slough we hunted last year was the worst I had ever seen. Good think Zach, Matt and Jed were with. We coulda died out there Field Hunter and me!!!!


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## live_4_quack (Mar 1, 2007)

you guys should really try a pair of those mud walkers. I don't even know if they are still making them or not. I hunt a lake down here that has silt at least 6' deep, probably deeper. You can't walk unless you hold the boat. I bought a pair of those mud boots and problem solved. They look stupid and your friends will make fun of you until they are chest deep in mud and you are skipping around on top of it. Seriously, the only downfall was that I always ended up picking up the decoys because my hunting partners couldn't even get out of the boat.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

hunt4P&Y said:


> Looks like someone needs a dog!!!


I hear that a lot lately... :lol: I don't have enough time to start a dog myself and I don't want to buy a pre-trained dog. One of these years...


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## james.hunter (Sep 5, 2007)

Yeah I have seen my fair share of that kind of mud, like i am sure we all have. But i have fallen down in it before it took me awhile to get out though because of two things. One I was laughing so hard i couldnt stand up and Two my buddys were laughing just as hard. But its just part of waterfowl hunting. :beer:


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## Maverick (Mar 4, 2002)

Back in high school, a buddy of mine (Sean Hoffman who was a linbacker for U of Minn.) and I tried to cross some water to get to an island. Kind of tuff to do when we only have one pair of wadders. So I came up with this great idea to walk it first and see how muddy it was. I take the walk and find it to be some what firm. So I come back to the other side and tell him " I can just give you a piggy back to the island". Let it be know it was only about 20 yards to the island and pretty shallow. So we start off and make it about 10 steps when I hit a really soft spot and both feet get stuck. Well after about 5 minutes of holding a 210 pound man on my back, and laughing my *** off because of the situation at hand, I couldn't stay up any longer. So back I went, on to his back. Yes I fell straight back on him in the mud. Soft landing for me but a wet one for both of us. We finished hunting the slew and shot our limits, but the slew will forever be known as "Naked Slew" as we were shooting ducks in our scoobies. For some reason the hens were just dive bombing us. Had to use a shield to keep them off. Oh wait...that was later in the night! :lol: :lol:

Good stuff....To this day I don't know what we were thinking.
I hope you read this CHEIF....yes I know I spelled it wrong......


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## browningboy (Mar 30, 2003)

About 4 years ago, a buddy of mine, 19 year old mike henneman was walking in the huntable side of kelly slough, fell and drown to death. I will never forget him and everytime i drive by that slough all i think about is him. Please be careful and make sure you are not by urself when you are in a slough walking.


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## 4grnhds (Sep 8, 2007)

Good story Maverick,

It makes me think of all the bonehead things we all do to shoot a duck!


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## H2OfowlND (Feb 10, 2003)

Hey Mav...I can picture that disturbing image now!! What women were chasin' after you?? Must've been a couple of the local old ladies!!

32 days until I'm home in God's country!! Have to have a reunion of the 3 Amigos while I'm home!

Keep in touch

H2OfowlND


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## little hunter (Oct 12, 2006)

i was stuck waist high in mud last year, and i was laughing so hard i couldnt get out, it was great


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## USAlx50 (Nov 30, 2004)

Ha, you guys laugh about this stuff. Not me, I HATE WADERS. I'll try to keep it in the field even though I have a dog to get the birds, you still have to put dekes out. Maybe I'll just have to try the spread of 3 mojos and call it done next time I feel like hunting water.


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## TANATA (Oct 31, 2003)

USAlx50 said:


> Ha, you guys laugh about this stuff. Not me, I HATE WADERS. I'll try to keep it in the field even though I have a dog to get the birds, you still have to put dekes out. Maybe I'll just have to try the spread of 3 mojos and call it done next time I feel like hunting water.


Im with you. Screw water :eyeroll:


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## hunt4P&amp;Y (Sep 23, 2004)

You say screw water even when there is Drake wood ducks sitting on it. GOSH I still kick myself for not hunting that slough. Hopefully they are there Saturday!


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

I was walking the bank of a slough ditch minding my own business, going to cross. It was a high bank about 3 feet, crouched down, put one leg in, and before I could move my other leg, the bank collapsed (undercut by a 'skrat)....I tried to brace myself from going into the black goo with my browning BPS, but alas, she filled to the brim with the stinky mud (pirate voice arrrrrrgggghh). My right arm was soaked, my right leg of my chest waders filled with ice cold december water, and I had my foot suspended in the air snagged up in a russian olive branch. I jerked my leg free, walked down the slough ditch to the confluence of the river, unloaded my gun, rinsed the shells, pointed the muzzle up current, washed the mud out, pumped it a few times, checked the barrel and fired three fresh rounds for good measure. All of that effort for a lousy ringneck!! Hey atleast it was a mounter!! Aaaah...I love the smell of black mud in the morning.
HM


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## Rick Risvold (May 25, 2003)

If I went out in that stuff, they would be pulling me out with a tow truck in the spring or maybe an archiologist would find me in 10,000 years.


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## malspeck (Nov 21, 2005)

You could get yourself a 1 man pirogue, lightweight(54lbs) and easy to carry, or get yourself a story pole to help with balance. Growing up hunting in La both came in handy when I needed them. Hunting sloughs, marshes and swamps are fun but one thing you don't have to worry about up here are the alligator holes that's where the story pole comes in handy. If I was unsure about the depth of the water then I'd bring my little pirogue.


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## live4hunting (Oct 16, 2007)

that second picture sure looks pretty bad. too bad i was the smart one and field hunted that night and got to take that picture.


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## wi2nd (Sep 11, 2007)

We use a telescoping decoy retriever hook as a walking stick and it makes all the difference in the world when fighting both the mucky bottom and a good North Dakota 'breeze'.


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

BrdHunter said:


> :withstupid:


That seems like a lot of people for that really small boat.


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## Goon (Apr 3, 2005)

USAlx50 said:


> Ha, you guys laugh about this stuff. Not me, I HATE WADERS. I'll try to keep it in the field even though I have a dog to get the birds, you still have to put dekes out. Maybe I'll just have to try the spread of 3 mojos and call it done next time I feel like hunting water.


I always liked that argument. If you have a dog you don't have to go into the water, yeah right.


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## JonnyVance (Sep 30, 2007)

Maverick that is one of the better stories I have heard on this site!


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## Horsager (Aug 31, 2006)

Chris, what are you doing in that mud bottom slough anyway? I thought you did most of your waterfowl hunting on the Corps of Engineers, open to public hunting, sandbars in the Missouri river.

Maybe that's just where you hunt late season since the river doesn't often freeze and the ducks/geese are there pretty much year 'round?


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

djleye said:


> The slough we hunted last year was the worst I had ever seen. Good think Zach, Matt and Jed were with. We coulda died out there Field Hunter and me!!!!


 I finally have a pair of waders Dan. I guess there are no excuses anymore.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

Horsager said:


> Chris, what are you doing in that mud bottom slough anyway? I thought you did most of your waterfowl hunting on the Corps of Engineers, open to public hunting, sandbars in the Missouri river.
> 
> Maybe that's just where you hunt late season since the river doesn't often freeze and the ducks/geese are there pretty much year 'round?


Never hunted on the river bars in my life but nice try. There's a long stretch where it's illegal to hunt geese on the river so we don't have to.

You really are something after the PMs you sent me aren't you.

You can cause all the drama you want at FBO, not here anymore.


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## seymore (Oct 2, 2007)

diver_sniper said:


> Are you kidding me!? I live for those hikes. I've still never put water in my waders, knock on wood!


Pride cometh before a fall :wink:


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