Home Forums Hunting & Shooting Hunter's Campfire Purpose built and 50 years young: 1973 Lund Ducker

Took out my '73 Lund duck boat this morning to hunt an island on the mighty Merrimac. Haven't hunted this rig in maybe ten years. Four minutes into shooting light, give or take, we had a limit of mallards down, all drakes. This year 2 bird per man limit, of which only one may be a hen.

To say my mentee was excited would be a gross understatement. Who shot what will not be specifically addressed here, but Nick is having one of the greenheads mounted.

I used to have a killer blind set up on the boat, and the thing would literally disappear when set up, but due to abuse and lack of care, I tore the blind off a couple years back and sort of took the rig out of rotation. I had so much fun running it today, I'm committed to rigging it up proper for next season for sure. Right after I do the other three duck boats I've been threatening to do!

Over my two labs I put Nick on his first game critters earlier this fall, a pair of stocked rooster pheasant. I posted a couple of pics here back a while. His enthusiasm and happiness when afield tempers his constant missteps and, well, rather annoying greenhorn ways. All good though. As I've said to him, 'Not for nothing, but please understand you're getting something that I and many others never had--that is to say, someone to show you how to hunt and what to do, and maybe more important, what *not* to do. All I ask is that some day, you pay it forward. Agreed?' He promised that he'd hold up his end. I trust he follows through.

Anyway, ten days ago or so it was 3F with a -10 windchill. Today, locally it hit 67F. Good news is that the recent cold brought birds down in very good numbers. Great news is that the current mild weather should keep them here for awhile. Migrating big ducks are in, as are several flavors of divers and Canadas. Both inland and coastal are open through the end of the season. Brant and sea ducks are wide open too.

A couple of pics. Back at it tomorrow, and the next day. And the next. And the next.

I know there are some duckmen here. Love to hear what others are seeing. JeffP? Oregon, Washington and CA boys? DelMarVa crew? TX and Coonass gang? Love to see some pics and hear what's going on in other flyways.

Anyway, long live the waterfowlers who live to chase them, and all of their old school gear. If I can find them, I'll post up some shots I took years ago of some very cool, very old and very special, purpose built (for market gunning) duck boats that a friend owns.

You're going to cook them now, right? And share the photos?

Found them.

Joppa Flats sneak boat/sculler. Out of Newbury, MA.

Very well done my man. I hope you teach that damn kid how to cook!

Great story telling. That A390 looks fantastic.

Damn, I need to call the other Geoff.

Love those boats. I’m a sucker for little boats if they fill a niche. Yours does. While tooling down the road we often pass a little boat in a roadside sale. My wife reflexively grabs the truck’s “Oh Sheet” handle ‘cause she knows I’m hittin the brakes. Doubly so if it shows duck boat potential. I’m sure it’s a mental disorder but I’ve not been diagnosed. I guess there’s worse problems a guy could have. 🤔

Well done, KG. The migration is on here on the Pacific flyway. Ducks and geese and swans everywhere.

I don't hunt ducks much anymore but I do like hunting and eating Speckle Bellies. Delicious.

Thank you, sir. I like a man who knows his shotguns.

Cool sneak boat, thanks for sharing. Used to have a copy of an old book about sneak boats, punt guns and market gunners. Loaned it out and the guys lab pup chewed the cover off. It was never replaced.

Pretty sure this was it.

https://www.amazon.com/Outlaw-Gunner-Harry-M-Walsh/dp/0870336096

My buddy lives with us, actually he lives in his 32 foot 5th wheel that’s parked in my RV parking and when he’s not working he’s duck hunting. I haven’t gone the last couple of years because as this state continues to screw sportsmen over and bringing birdwatchers, liberals and faqs into the ever decreasing hunting areas the amount of “trouble” is increasing. My bud has had words with effeminate cucks and old white haired liberals that would have gone different had I been there. I go hunting to get away from dickheads not find them in greater concentrations. My temperament and those dipshits crapping on my hunting area and my day would have been in for a hell of a lot more than what they got from my bud, he’s a pretty nice guy and he’s far more patient with losers than I am.

He went out Christmas morning with another friend and they had 10 birds in 2 hours. I don’t think he takes many pictures and none of the birds from Christmas but he said they got mostly mallards, a Goldeneye and a crested Merganser. Our friend loves Mergansers and buffleheads for eating which is great since he’s welcome to ours. Saw some Harlequins down the street at the little boat launch the other day, there has been a decent return of Pintails these past couple years and the damn snow geese turn the local agricultural fields white with their incredible numbers. A couple months ago we were outside when a flock of geese flew over. I called them early and said they were Brant but my buddy disagreed because of the size of the flock but when they were overhead it was clear that they were Brant…the biggest gaggle we’ve ever seen of Brant and Brant alone.

I’m in Alaska mode now and I plan on being up there almost every month this coming year and getting to work on the cabins and the shop. I’ll get back into waterfowl hunting once I’m up there and away from the dipshits.

Nice job Kamo on a quick limit of mallards and I like that sneak boat. We have a lot of shallow tidewater which makes those sneak boats very useful and effective. 👍🏼

Yeah, well, I have my work cut out for me on that one.





He proudly texted me these shots and asked, 'how'd I do?' I responded with, 'say, looking pretty good but what's the story with the feet?'

His reply? 'I forgot about those!'

My hopes are pretty low, but we'll see....

Nice job.

Dude,

he's got most the feathers off at least.


Glad you're around to post this stuff, and even gladder there are still guys like you to take a novice duck hunting.

Reckon you dont have to eat the feets if you dont want to?


Probably nothing wrong with them though.

Hey now! Thanks for that. Looks like a great read. Back in the day, to be sure some of the 'market gunners' were little more than wild game pirates/privateers. In some ways I fully support their old efforts. I'm no poacher, but if it ever came to 'illegally' taking game vs. feeding a family, well, prepare to die, bird!

Whack those feet off and take a propane torch to it to burn off the residual feathers and it's ready to go clean as a whistle.

Attaboy'! You're welcome in my boat/blind anytime, brother.