This was my first year to go on a duck hunt and I loved it as did my son. I am stocking up on gear for next year. I will be hunting on the Lower Laguna Madre spoil banks next year. I have no dog trained to retrieve. I don't know the first thing about training a dog to do that job. I probably couldn't afford one either cause of medical bills i will have this year. A guy at work suggested a remote control boat or decoy. Do these thing even work. I know my sons would volunteer to run those while hunting. Any advise on alternative methods of retrieving downed birds other than swimming or bird dogs would be very helpful to this newbie.

Anyone use a jerk string or pole?

Fishing pole with a large treble hook. You can setup on the side of the bank where the wind will blow them to you.

Every now and then I will hunt some big gravel pits that a friend of the family owns. No boat there and very deep water. I always have to bring some fishin poles or watch the weather to see what the wind will be doing. Theyll eventually make it to the bank.

dwadr


bottom line is you will be severely limited. It's not only irresponsible, its illegal to be out there hunting without a reliable way to retrieve your birds.

You sure about that? He could always swim, duh.

Fishing pole! i have a retractable fisshing pole where the pole retracts and the who thing ends up like 12 inches and it fits in my pack on my waist

dwadr-

A lot of people hunt without dogs, so it is doable. But, you need to choose places to hunt that you CAN retrieve your birds even if it means not hunting Laguna madre, or hunting banks of Laguna madre that you can wade out from.

I have used both the fishing pole method(as long as you are a good cast, and cast atleast 50 yds accurately), as well as the strip down and swim method. The fishing pole can add more irritation to your day if you aren't well practiced. The swimming method can be downright cold and dangerous at times. A duck is not worth dying over, but leaving a duck is also not worth getting a ticket over.

Hunt smart.

^^^^^^^^^^^^ This!

The way I read your post, you sounded like you are willing to shoot birds, and if you can't get them, then so what...You will get what you can!?

DWADR is the way to go...

And pick places you can hunt, and retrieve your birds, or find someone to hunt with that has a dog that can go with ya'll...

There is plenty of people that hunt the lower laguna...

J.J.

My order of preference...

dog
pirogue/boat
fishing pole
sleep in
dwadr


A dwadr will get you soaked and cause freezing hands if you suck at lassoing things with a rope. LOL... And you're limited to about 20 yards from the deepest wading point. I've used one for decoys, and sucked at it. Can't imagine trying to get a crippled duck.

The point of this thread is to learn how to do this right. I am not hard set on doing anything yet. Geesh... You are reading into my post with your own thoughts and biases it seems to me. I am here to learn to do things the right way. So please no more judging posts thats not what I am here to get. I am asking for suggestions from more experienced hunters than myself. Thanks!

I have not had a Dog in 32 duck seasons. I lost 3 ducks last season. Not sure a Dog could have gotten those 3. That is about my season average on lost ducks. Average 150 ducks per season. 4800 ducks Lost 35.

I hunt Shallow water for the most part. NEVER take shots past 30 yards. Make sure the bird is dead on the water.

If your hunting the lower laguna spoils then you had to have arrived in a boat. If not then you have to have a helicopter. If you have a helicopter then I can't help you. If you have a boat then just leave it down the bank about 50 or 60 yards and cover it with a good camo netting that will not expose the white surface of the boat. When you kill a bird stone dead then just leave it in the decoys. If it is wounded then stay on it with more rounds. Take the boat and go get the birds. Park the boat again and finish out.

They'd hate you on the prairie! I'm with you, Rob.

I have taken a fishing rod with a topwater when I know I might be hunting somewhere that has a deep creek channel or something. More often than not, though, if I'm anywhere near deep water I am using my kayak which makes getting deep birds easy.

Fishing pole with a top water lure got my ducks before I got a dog. Cheap too because you probably already have one and you don't have to feed it.

A kayak sounds like a good idea. Most areas are shallow, but there are deep channels here and there. A kayak and a good life jacket is probably going on the to get list.

How are you getting to the spoil banks now?

I have a buddy who owns a boat, so we will be getting as close as possible then wading to the area we are going to hunt. Thats the plan at least.

Ahhh! Now I see. Yes a kak would serve you well then.

If you are wading the rest of the way, then you could probably wade to get your birds. The kayak would also be a versatile tool if you were wading. You can use it to float all of your gear to the blind then use it to get the birds. I really don't see you needing it, but I guess it would be good to have in case.

I was thinking about the kayak for that reason, carrying gear and etc...

Two words: TIDE CHART

Don't be that guy stranded all day waiting for it to roll back in.

I'll remember that, I don't want to be that guy either, hehehe

Have dog, will travel.

hmmmmm, I was thinking the same thing!