Ambushed Ducks

AMBUSHED

DUCKS

by Jim Ferguson

"There's no law against it"

It was the sultry, raspy calls that proved to be irresistible

     The sun was nearly up turning the eastern sky into subtle shades of gray, while in the north the deepening hues of dark blue were obscured by fast approaching storm clouds filled with messages of snow flakes telling the story of gigantic flocks of ducks and geese trying to out run the blue northerner. The lake was beginning to show the signs of the storm as the wind began to grow and create small whitecaps. Troy Sporer, of Oakley Kansas, was at the helm of the Lori-S, a duck boat that proved to be invaluable in our quest for the high flying ducks and geese .
     He barked out orders like Capt. Ahab, knowing so little time was left to catch the first flight off the refuge and entice them into his lair. Decoys were arranged strategically that would bring in, not only pairs of singles, but whole flocks of Mallards. The flight ducks and geese that arrived just ahead of the cold front were completely unaware of his plan and the inviting placement of this master trickster would yield several limits of big ducks and Canadians.
     There are few in this part of the world that have the
knowledge and experience of Troy. He began to hunt waterfowl at an early age and has learned well. We spoke several times about different people that have the same drive and determination he does and in our conversations it seemed that two other names kept coming up and that was Jay and Joe Stine. Jay and Joe, now in their 60's and 70's, have not lost the desire nor the ability to fill the larder with a limit.
     Late one week in November I got a call from Troy inviting me to hunt for ducks on Cedar bluff reservoir with his peers Jay and Joe. Jay is a dog trainer in Emporia, Kansas and Joe is a retired Marine officer. They live to hunt ducks and geese. Age hasn't slowed them one bit even though Jay (the younger of the two) has had a hip replacement and Joe now retired for over twenty years are still going strong.
     We got to the cabin about 10:30 pm and it wasn't long before we drifted off to sleep. Five o'clock comes awfully early but no one seemed to mind when the alarm went off. After a quick cup of coffee we were off to launch the Lori-S for a day that would be not only successful but a true joy to see these three water fowlers in action .
     The Lori-S is a hunting machine. The 20-foot Lowe Powered by a 90 horse outboard capable of handling the toughest waves and wind. The GPS, Lowrance depth finder and a single Bimini control completes the forward bridge. She's camouflaged with shocks of native grasses by design resembling a floating island. Shooters sit four abreast with a full range of movement on either the port or starboard. Built in storage compartment for decoys, gun racks, shelves for boxes of steel shot and if that's not enough there are heaters for the cold that always accompany the best waterfowl days and a full galley You could tell that this rig was put together by someone who knew the needs of a duck hunter.
     Troy, Jay and Joe calling could turn a single or a flock. Working in unison, they brought in the first pair right after daybreak. Two shots rang out, Troy and Jay had the first two. Joe and I were not as quick on the draw but we did manage to get the next two. Four shots, four Drakes and it's only 7:15, this had the making of a great day.
     Listening to these men call was like listening to an orchestra play the New World Symphony. On one hand, there was the softness of the contented sounds that accompanies feeding but there was the loudness of the attractor calls enticing even the wary in, to dine. That day was unlike any other for me to watch, listen and learn from the wise sages of water fowling. The hunt would yield a limit of big ducks and four Canadian geese. What I wanted more than a limit of ducks or geese I got, to be able to listen to these masters create a symphony of sounds that not only soothed but enticed causing the wariest single Drake to throw caution to the wind and enter the dead zone. Only true masters of the call can accomplish this.
     The weather seemed to break around 11:30 am and the sky, for a moment, seemed to split wide open revealing many more highflying ducks and geese on their way south to warmer climates. The reflection off our faces caused several pairs to flare and Troy suggested we "cover-up" and sit under the canopy of camouflage skirting that created a hide inside the boat yet allowed us to keep vigil for the non-stop action.
     Rita, the 15 month old Lab owned by Troy, got a work out that day. When the shooting stopped I figured she had swam or walked over a mile. One time when an unsuspecting gaggle of geese flew tree top level and suddenly appeared behind us Rita had her work cut out for her. When the smoke from a single volley cleared four big honkers needed to be gathered. Rita proved to me that Labs are a right choice for any serious water fowler.
   The lake is situated about twenty five miles southeast of Wakeeny, KS. It's known for its excellent walleye and bass fishing but it is a well kept secret of the residents around the lake that it's also an excellent place for duck and goose hunting. Kirwin, Norton and Cheyenne Bottoms in this part of the world get most of the attention and hunting pressure and rightly so because the population of waterfowl there is so much greater but so is the competition for "good" places to hunt. If I were going to characterize Cedar Bluff it would be that it is more of a stop over rather than a destination during the annual migration and because of that, it gets less hunting pressure.
     If you would like more information about hunting or fishing Cedar Bluff Reservoir you can call Bert's Corner, they're on the south side of the lake and their phone number is 785-481-2332. The day could not have been more exciting, it was cold enough to make it interesting with enough action to keep you and your barrel warm. As for the company it could not have been better.