"Stuck in the Mud" on Christmas Eve 2003
When Joe Pecot and I learned a cold front would move through Louisiana on Tuesday December 23, 2003, we decided we would try to make a morning hunt the next day - Christmas Eve.

With the temperature in the upper 40's and a decent north wind we, met up at 3:30 a.m.  We loaded our gear into the mud boat and off to Venice we went.
The mud boat packed and ready to go.
We didn't get any early morning flyers and we soon realized it was not going to be a great hunt. Eventually two big Gadwalls made a sneak attack over the pond from behind us, we jumped up to shoot but because we didn't see them coming, they were almost out of range, so we let them go hoping they would turn and come back.  They must have spotted RoboDuck because they turned, swung around and came right over RoboDuck giving us a shot.  Joe nailed one with a great shot and I hit mine but he didn't fall, Joe finished him off and we were not to go home empty handed.

With the sun shining and what would be a nice day in the marsh, it was too nice for the ducks to fly.  We watched as a lone Mallard drake came toward the pond.  Joe spotted him over the lake and we watched as he came near.  But he was a smart ol' greenhead and decided not to come visit us this day.  We watched as he flew off.  I have never shot a greenhead that I can recall and I've been waiting to bag one of these beautiful birds, but it wouldn't happen today.  We did have one more nice Gray duck come in and Joe made yet another spectacular long range over-head-shot to bring him down into the marsh.  Since it was slow, Joe went ahead and brought the mud boat over to the edge of the marsh to retrieve the ducks.
Joe had already fueled the boat so we didn't have to stop until we got to the launch.  The lauch was deserted - no cars, trucks or trailers.  We launched and headed to the blind and quickly realized the tide was extremely low and there was not much water in the marsh.  But because we were in the mud boat, there wasn't much cause for concern.   When we pulled into one of the canals, there was no water, only mud, but the mud boat had no problem plowing through it.  The trick with the mud boat and running through mud is to never stop no matter what.  We didn't stop until we got into the pond.  And there was no water in the pond.  This was cause for concern.  Joe had dug a hole behind the blind with the mud boat on previously trips so there was a pot hole of water behind the blind.  As we sat in the pot hole, Joe wondered out loud if we should try to hunt the other blind on the lake and if there would be water there.  I told him it didn't matter to me.

He decided he didn't want to risk running out of the pond and getting stuck in the mud going to the other spot, so he pulled the mud boat into the blind and we unloaded our gear.  Now the problem was putting out decoys.  Instead of risking getting the mud boat stuck, Joe threw out a few decoys in front of the blind and into the mud.  Joe then backed the mud boat out of the blind and set up RoboDuck behind us.  RoboDuck with its motorized wings would have to be our best hope to attract ducks.  We've seen ducks try to land in the mud before and we've had a few successful hunts with no water but it's always a challenge.

The wind blew out of the north but not real strong.  It didn't feel real cold and Joe brought hot tea in a thermas to warm us up.  We settled comfortably into the blind waiting for the sun to rise.  It was 5:45 a.m.

As it started to get light in the east, we kept hearing ducks quacking occasionally here and there and several teal peeping in the marsh but we didn't see any ducks.  It would be a slow morning.
Our pitiful-looking decoy spread.  Decoys in the mud.
Joe trudging the mud boat through the pond after retrieving the ducks.
More muddy adventures on Page 2
Looking like a nerd in the blind, but I was warm!