Late Season Mallard Duck Hunt: Layout Boat Hunting at its Best!

[@thomwizzle]

I appreciate that you didn't cut out all the retrieves. half of my love for bird hunting is working with my dog. thanks for the video and letting me watch Georgie work.

[@robertwhinnen5602]

Wow! One of your best. Mate you have got me revved up for our opening here in South Australia on March 18. A 75 year old can still feel like a boy, I’m working out hard on my fitness for the duck and quail hunting season. Thanks cobber, cheerio Bob.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Hi Bob, so glad to hear you are still going at it at age 75. Good luck with your season!

[@SoutheasternOutdoors]

Awesome hunt! Enjoyed the video. Happy Hunting!

[@tomgensel4134]

Was hoping for a spring turkey hunt. But glad to see you back, it's been awhile 👍🇺🇲

[@davidanderson1916]

What a hunt- great shooting and what two great Labradors- great video🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🦆🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸🇺🇸👍

[@dondouglas3431]

layout kayaks looked like the only way to hunt that spot! You all had them in great camo shape. Great to see the dogs work. Thanks!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thanks 👍 even with that type of layout cover it’s really hard to get it done with in that situation

[@foggydream125]

Worked with Abe this summer and what a good dude! This got me pumped for this fall!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

that's great! It was nice to hunt with Abe. Ive only met him a couple times.

[@weswalker5string]

Ok, so I am totally jealous of those 2 shots @ 6:00. Those are the ones we wait all season for. Somehow I missed this episode a few months ago. But I gotta ask- is it legal to call your buddies and give real time hunting info?

[@DaOutdoorHour]

"Did we just become best friends?" 🤣. I've got a reel on IG where our black & yellow labs are bringing back a bird together with that audio. haha. Great hunt!!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Haha, that’s great

[@tonygarcia1568]

I love watching the dogs work I wish I had a loveable duck fetching beast

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thanks Tony

[@tonygarcia1568]

Thanks for the amazing duck hunting content god bless 🙏

[@bobbyscott8024]

Nice y'all! That looked like a good spot!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thanks 👍

[@LSUmojo]

Georgie for the gold. Awesome dog

[@jcwoutdoors]

Good stuff! Thanks for sharing.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thanks for watching!

[@stevechmiel6016]

Lol ducks bombing in all hunt. One slow period “pull the mojo” 🤣 always blows my mind how much guys will mess with mojos and spreads as if the last 20 groups that gave it up with the mojo on didn’t tell you all you needed to know 😂 love ya tho Elliot

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Haha, you gotta rewatch the hunt. Once the ice came off and the sun went behind the clouds the ducks wouldn’t finish. All the shots Cole and his bro got were at 30 yards. Had to try something new.

[@kraigkaatz6858]

Excellent all the way..

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thank you so much 😀

[@paulk6077]

Does Georgie hunt upland? I wish you would have filmed your canoe from the decoy perspective.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

No she does not. And you’re right about filming that aspect of the kayak

[@ZAKOutdoors]

Excellent hunt!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Thanks Zak

[@ThomasDavid-x1u]

What state is this in?

[@mr.nicholas8159]

Only part way through the video, so you might answer this, but what kind of layout boat is this? Really want one for next season for my dog and I. Awesome channel!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Ascend H12

[@203.Ranger]

What layout boats are you guys using? Looks like all different.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

I was using the ascend h12 kayak. Not sure what they had

[@203.Ranger]

@@FreelanceDuckHunting Enjoyed your videos on the kayaks. Thanks for posting informative videos. Much needed in the duck hunting community. 👍

[@turkeyhunter7617]

Who is the artist for the music at the end of the video? Awesome hunt btw

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Josh Garrels “coming home”

[@gunnerwaldmann6337]

Awesome.......Is this Public Land??? .. A Big Fan From Deep South Louisiana. Cajun Country!!

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Public land

[@paulvosejpka7287]

Nice video. I don't agree with sending 2 dogs after 1 bird. Many things can happen, most of them not great.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

We have always let two dogs go if the bird is alive and we are afraid we might lose it. What bad things do you think can happen? We’ve never had a single issue and the only thing I can think of would be a dog fight.

[@paulvosejpka7287]

@@FreelanceDuckHunting Short answer: a) dog fight (have seen it) b) dismembered bird (have seen it) c) hard feelings between handlers (have seen it) d) injury to the dog (have not seen it but I think it's a risk) e) bad habits from the dog (have seen it) I also find it aesthetically unpleasing (my opinion). Longer version. What is the intent of a retrieve? I think to quickly, ethically and safely recover game. You comment that you do that routinely when a bird is 'at risk'. I would argue the sequence that I commented on had no risk of a bird loss. Your dog is a fine dog, made that retrieve a few times prior that day, the water was 'flat' (the dog can run and has a substantial advantage), the duck was hit pretty hard and there was no cover (again-a great advantage to the dog). Your dog would have had no problem alone. Neither would the yellow...but when I'm working a less experienced dog I want nothing but success as an avenue to confidence. And the young dog lost out. End of the world? Probably not, but I just see no upside in the 'race'. I think the race can lead to bad manners, disrespect for the 'honor' and the competition can make it do things you might not want (push itself into an unsafe place or situation). Bad habits can be cheating entries (it's faster to cheat but anyone that has watched a cheating dog get lost on a mark knows why there are 'cheating singles' drills-it's not just anal retentive dog handlers, it's the fact that dogs work best with very simple geometry). I've seen the race make a less experienced dog lose it's focus on the task and start to cheat off the older dog (more of a problem in a heavy cover/less sight oriented retrieves)...again, not an avenue to confidence. Field trials are not perfect, but they do not run dogs in a 'race'...they set up tests to evaluate each dog on its own merit, motivated but its instinct, training and handler-not by another dog. I enjoy watching a dog work on its own merit. I think there are instances where a 'race' can be useful-typically in an upland scenario in heavy cover and a bird that is giving Dog A the business, if the handlers agree allowing other dogs 'in' to recover the bird. A passive dog can sometimes get some fire from some competition set up in a controlled environment. 2 dogs swimming for one bumper over long hauls can be a great conditioning exercise. I won't go on about the aesthetics...we all really hunt with dogs because of the color and depth they add to the hunt. Beyond the conservation. I was enjoying each dog do it's thing. When you said 'let's send them both' I just thought it was not necessary and watching them race was less appealing than a single dog and a nice honor. I'm not trying to sound like a snob, I know some will disagree and wish you continued success and enjoyment.

[@Swygard]

What was the date of this hunt?

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

1/14/23

[@AmericaProud]

That kills me. We are usually done in Northern MN by Thanksgiving. I have to travel to Cali and TX and whatnot for new year hunts. @@FreelanceDuckHunting

[@AmericaProud]

You guys need to buy some Finishers so you don't have to wring necks.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

I have the finisher. I can kill a duck faster with my hands than I can with the finisher.

[@mikestubbs8733]

Love bird watching, being in nature, can't for the life of me understand people who get pleasure from killing

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

We are meat eaters. It's down in our blood. It's who we are.

[@AmericaProud]

If I wasn't supposed to eat birds, they wouldn't be made of meat.

[@ronrynearson8737]

Love watching your videos but don't get abusive towards Georgie he just needs more training. I hunted one time with a guy who was abusive with his dog I told him the dog was much smarter than him. Never went with him again. Again love your hunts.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Appreciate the feedback. I would say that when your dog does something she has already been taught not to do some scolding is in order. I grabbed her by the scruff of her neck and pushed her back to her place. I agree with your point about not being abusive but I feel my action in that situation was appropriate.

[@ronrynearson8737]

@@FreelanceDuckHunting my 1 year old chocolate lab twist her head sometimes that makes you feel dam I wish you could take and then maybe not when we miss the birds.

[@jeetercarr3032]

Great Hunt, Georgia is working hard and that ice is no joke. She is just like us, we all occasionally make mistakes.

[@FreelanceDuckHunting]

Very true, Her jumping out of the layout boat when I shoot has been a problem this season. We worked on it in the yard last week. She was much improved on this hunt but as you said. Some mistakes will happen.