# HELP!!!!



## mallardrocker (Nov 29, 2006)

When the ice freezes in a pot hole or slough, does that mean that you cannot hunt there anymore... What if i break the ice and through out decoys will the ducks come back or think that it is out of commission.

And do you guys listen to a paticular song to get you pumped before hunting ducks...?

Get on that Green- Phil Robertson


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

If there are birds in the area and the frozen pond is in the flyway then by all means, break it open and you'll more than likely get some birds to work.


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## hoosier dhr (Jul 24, 2003)

Last year one of our best hunts was on a little pot hole that we had to break up. We saw the birds in a near by field the night b4 that we couldnt get on but the water was on public land so we set up and watched the birds go feed and then were able to coax them to us.


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## huntingdude16 (Jul 17, 2007)

If there are birds feeding near-by and you think they'll see your spread, by all means give it a go. Just be sure to have warm waders.... :lol:


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## justinsxc (Aug 13, 2006)

Them cold days are the fun ones ... Country is the only way to go on your way out hunting... Drinking your coffee and listening to country... sooo relaxing it's heaven for me.


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## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

Metal fan? Before the Hangman's Noose by Devildriver. You'll think I'm a freak if you ever for some reason hear that song, but it's a good one. Nothing beats a good old fashion mosh pit in the snow goose spread as that song plays over the e-caller. I figure why not, we're already about as crazy as we can get simply being out there.

Go ahead and break that ice, I'd make sure to try and put a bunch of decoys out in the situation. Make it seem like all the birds that left the field before them stopped in for a drink.

Like someone else said though, only do it if you're under a flyway between a roost and a feed.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Hey buddy...keep it from freezing in the first place. Aerate it with a bubbler, mount a trolling motor to some T posts and run it on low speed, use a mallard machine, a low voltage pump, etc. Much easier than breaking ice, and much better for the ducks because they may have a chance to roost there!
:beer:


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## universitywaterfowler (Jul 15, 2007)

Hunted over broken up ice many times and yes it works, and sometimes unbelievable. Goose hunt I once had where we broke up ice in a bay and it was unreal.


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## FliesItDies (Aug 17, 2007)

HATCHETMAN said:


> Hey buddy...keep it from freezing in the first place. Aerate it with a bubbler, mount a trolling motor to some T posts and run it on low speed, use a mallard machine, a low voltage pump, etc. Much easier than breaking ice, and much better for the ducks because they may have a chance to roost there!
> :beer:


Not everyone has a trolling motor or bubbler for every random slough. Break open the ice, through out some dekes and shoot some birds


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## Sky Blastin (Aug 18, 2007)

FliesItDies said:


> HATCHETMAN said:
> 
> 
> > Hey buddy...keep it from freezing in the first place. Aerate it with a bubbler, mount a trolling motor to some T posts and run it on low speed, use a mallard machine, a low voltage pump, etc. Much easier than breaking ice, and much better for the ducks because they may have a chance to roost there!
> ...


Like he said not everyone has a trolling motor ect. Also most people dont have a couple hundred extra bucks laying around too go buy trolling motors and bubblers for all there duck hunting spots. I just break it open with my foot and when it refreezes you better have your limit or move and change spots.


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## 123kidd (Aug 8, 2007)

Something my dad taught me at about the age of 15...break the ice in large sheets if possible, and slide them under the remaining ice. Open up a 20x20 yard water hole and get ready!


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## Aythya (Oct 23, 2004)

Here is an old method that worked for me in past years but I have to admit I have not used it in decades. When the small wetlands freeze I go to bigger water but I used to do the following many years ago.

First, I would find areas where birds were still using and locate wetlands in a flyway. I would take six to twelve decoys ice decoys (more on those in a minute), a bucket, an ice chisel and bottles blue food coloring. At the wetland I would open up a hole big enough to be able to fill the bucket with water. Add the food coloring to turn the water as blue as I could get it and then pour it out on the ice. If the ice was snow covered, I would push as much snow off as possible with my feet and then dump the water.

The ice decoys were made by cutting the keep off some mallard decoys, drilling a hole in the top and filling them with some sand. The weight prevented them from being blown off the ice if it was windy. I would push the decoys onto the ice with a long pole. I also read somewhere that "old timers" (maybe I am one) would using laundry blueing to color the water on the ice. Never tried that technique. If you are old enough to remember laundry blueing, I am and I do, you probably qualify as an old timer.

Apparently the blue water looked like open water to ducks. I had pretty good success with this method many times. In the old book titled Duck Hunters Bible there is a similar technique using a plastic sheet in fields to simulate water. Never tried that one.

I had forgotten about doing this until I read this post. Might have to try it this fall.


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## 2littletime2hunt (Jul 9, 2007)

Wow! Until now I hadn't thought of myself as an old timer. However, maybe I am. I have used the sheet of plastic in a field trick referred to in the prior post. It does work, especially for local birds familiar with the area. Change can be good.


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## HATCHETMAN (Mar 15, 2007)

Athya...thanks for the great info on something different. Laundry blue eh?? Crafty...I'll have to give it a try.

Hey skyblastin' and fliesitdies...do you think you guys can puddle up a couple of extra bucks between the two of ya to afford a little bottle of laundry blue for each hunting location??? oke:

Just curious... :rollin:


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