Driving SKETCHY Roads To DUCK HUNT (We Wrecked)

Against our better judgement we headed out into the midst of the North Dakota blizzard to try and make it to a loaded slough we had got permission to hunt the day prior. Unfortunately we didn't make it far before we ended up in the ditch, but after digging ourselves out we were back on the road and headed to the spot. We made it there a couple hours later than planned and quickly got the kayak on the water to run up the huge flocks of gadwall, wigeon, redhead, and canvasback that were feeding in the pothole. Before long the birds were bombing back in and we were able to pick off a mixed bag along with some bonus honkers. Hope you enjoy!
OnX Maps: bit.ly/3rHz23H
DRC Calls: bit.ly/3PPP8T4 (Use code "hoke15" for 15% off)
Motion Ducks: bit.ly/3Bn0OoY (Use code "Hoke" for 10% off)
Instagram : / hoke_outdoors
Facebook : / hokeoutdoors

[@user-qp7qv2vt8s]

So stubborn gadwall with MY experience easy on the calling mallard drake whistle, and super light hen sounds, just enough for them to hear.

[@HokeOutdoors]

I appreciate the tip! Headed down to SD this evening and hoping there will still be some grey ducks hanging around down there, I'll try out some real light calling on them if I get the chance

[@garymiller5899]

Here in arkansas, the Gaddys will land with other species of decoys but if you have gadwall decoys out, 9 times out of 10 they will land or focus on the gadwall decoys. They really love a spinner and LOTS of motion. Done really well soft calling, only calling to get their attention or when they are turning away. Gadwall are the most stubborn duck out there.

[@HokeOutdoors]

I've noticed the same things about gadwall decoys before, really wish we had some to throw off to the side on this one! I'll have to try breaking out the spinner for them whenever I get a chance at them next

[@MidValleyMercenaries]

Nice triple Thomas. Great snowy hunt

[@donnovicki9771]

Looked like a stud Red Head. Loved the Honks over water. Great hunt fellas.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks brother! It was a real treat to see those honkers commit to the duck spread like that!

[@czoubek]

You are a hell of a wing shooter! That camera with the dot is SICK

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks brother! Like everyone I have good days and bad ones, luckily this was one where the shots were hitting the mark!

[@Drakewieczorek]

Sweet triple !! Great video

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks much! I appreciate you watching!

[@jeremiahrussell6734]

One of the best episodes so far, excellent shooting boys.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Jeremiah! I appreciate you watching!

[@greasemonkey331]

Nice hunt guys, really nice shooting Thomas, great triple! Love watching your videos.

[@elite270]

Very cool. My hall of fame shoot was a limit of ringers with 2 shells. 4 on the first shot on 2 on the second. I’ll never replicate that, but all my boys were there to witness it.

[@kjc9293]

Great hunt!!!! Perfect conditions.....no Gadwalls....no problem!!! Lol

[@HokeOutdoors]

Haha the gadwalls out there were actually incredibly fat and very good table fair so we were hoping to get a nice bunch of them! They had other ideas though

[@Luckieoutdoors]

Gadwalls hunt different every where I’ve heard, ones around me dump into any decoys we have on jerk rig

[@HokeOutdoors]

It definitely seems like they're different birds depending on where you hunt. Had never had that much issue getting them to decoy before, they can be little finicky in VA but most the time they just try to land on top of the spinner

[@ricktaylor3196]

Great hunt Thomas. On days like that calling really isn't as effective as you might think, especially Mallard calling when there are few of them around. It's all about location and choosing your spot. Seems like your spot was decent, I would of spread the decoys out further feather out to both sides with a landing pocket or 2 on each end. Kind of like a figure 8 with a long tail. Anyway you guys had a great hunt and have nothing to regret!!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Rick, I appreciate the tips! I'll have to try that with the spread next time I get a chance to target them!

[@wayne_vt]

Wow, looked like an awesome hunt!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks brother! I appreciate you watching!

[@pepe65644]

Man u guys rock,oh to be young and full of the gusto you guys have,that looked like a cold workout. Thanks for sharing with us.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks for watching! It was a brisk one out there but we'll worth it for the show we got to watch!

[@jasonmorrison2877]

I think gaddies are like Woodies.....they either do it and do it well or they land in the middle for no reason.

[@nasserkuzbari2205]

That is a great hunting video. I love to hunt when it's snowing.

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Nasser! Snow hunts are by far my favorite too, there's just something magical about them!

[@nasserkuzbari2205]

did you get 4 or 5 geese?@@HokeOutdoors

[@MLef111]

Nice triple

[@shawn5141]

Nice video Thomas. Keep enjoying your trip. Listening to you say cold and looked up and saw it's 82 here near colonial heights VA lol. Keep em coming

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Shawn! I could go for some 80 degree weather right now as long as there were ducks around! They've pretty much all headed south from up here at this point

[@shawn5141]

Yeah it's nice but seeing very few ducks. Even the pond has zero.... Headed to the waterfowl festival in Easton this weekend though. Get in the swing of the season

[@haroldgallo4246]

we have the best success with the greyduck using a mix widgeon and greyduck calls in south Louisiana

[@HokeOutdoors]

Tried the wigeon whistle a good bit on this hunt without much luck. I do need to get a good gadwall call to try out on them up here though!

[@MLef111]

Amazing hunt. Unreal shooting

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Maurice! Finally feeling like I’m in mid season form with the shooting

[@derekkoehler6635]

Ready to hunt this year with ya bud! Drew a swan tag. As always the videos are awesome

[@HokeOutdoors]

Hell yeah, I was able to pull one too this year! I’ll give you a shout when I make it back to VA

[@thomasjohnson3793]

From the great Northwest public Duck blind, Well Thomas I would say get those other guys Quacking with their calls. One of you use a whistle. Throw a pin tail chirp in there. Put the gadwell decoys off to the side by themselves. Other than that I think you guys did a wonderful job in that cold weather. I knew Those Teel we're in trouble. No matter what you guys had a wonderful day stay safe doing what you do keep up the content. And as always God bless from the Northwest. Keep looking up.

[@HokeOutdoors]

I appreciate you watching the tips as well! I'll try mixing some of those in next time I'm targeting grey ducks! It was an amazing day to get to spend on a pothole, there's something magical about snow falling and ducks decoying

[@thomasjohnson3793]

@HokeOutdoors Yes absolutely there's is something magical here in the great Northwest yesterday. I went out and I got me. 5 Dungeness crabs and 3 mallards. And we're home by 3 o'clock, not a bad day, absolutely amazing.

[@codysmith9810]

Nice hunting boy's Tallahassee Florida

[@jakebrooks2566]

Try a gadwall call. Sometimes that helps, otherwise they are a pain in the butt

[@adamwhat84]

Was that a Shotty Gear shell bag I saw a the 3:30 mark? Great hunt, looked like a ton of fun, ditch dive and all! Looking forward to the videos throughout the rest of the season!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Yep, been using them all season and they've been keeping my shells dry! Got another ND hunt coming out tomorrow, just trying to decide if it'll be another waterfowl vid or upland!

[@adamwhat84]

Sweet! I just listened to the North American Waterfowl podcast with him on it. Ordered one in the parking lot before I went into work. Really like the idea, I'm always dealing with laying out shells to allow them to dry.

[@noahbaru]

Those geese did it so dirty

[@HokeOutdoors]

I couldn't believe how well they decoyed to duck spread!

[@syahrulpanter6183]

Perburuan bebek liar yg sangat baik Mr

[@Facthobbit]

i want duck hunting like that. thats my dream hunt

[@HokeOutdoors]

Hope you can get one like this, it’s pretty special to get to watch ducks decoy in the snow!

[@aaronsnatic2446]

Typical gadwalls!!! Seen it many times. Two different hunts same conditions and one day they do what they did to yall and the next hunt can't keep them out of the spread. Cool hunt with the snow!

[@HokeOutdoors]

Thanks Aaron! Unfortunately they all headed south the night after this hunt, would've liked to take another crack at those grey ducks and see if we could've got them to play

[@yougotmossed3592]

Where was this filmed?

[@brycegiordanengo1216]

Gadwalls do what gadwalls do. They seem to be the least workable bird there is out here on the west coast.

[@HokeOutdoors]

They're definitely the most bi-polar duck in my opinion, they either seem to dump straight in or circle 10 times and then land at 80 yards

[@tonygarcia1568]

Just put the higdon gadwalls out they are almost black or if you have all black duck decoys the gadwalls like that divers do too

[@HokeOutdoors]

I bet they would, seems like the gadwalls out there were hanging out in the coot rafts a lot so it makes sense why they'd be drawn to black decoys

[@tonygarcia1568]

@@HokeOutdoors yeah that's makes sense especially if its deeper open water they will be doing that with the coots for sure haha

[@BobBob-jd1fl]

what gun choke do you use?

[@HokeOutdoors]

Carlsons light modified

[@amcdonald983]

What shotgun you running?

[@HokeOutdoors]

Franchi Affinity 3

[@tylerjones7382]

How many lifetime decoys you have and what species?

[@HokeOutdoors]

I have about 10 dozen in total. Mallards, black ducks, pintail, wigeon, redhead, and bluebills

[@BentonKeith-pn9po]

Thomas, is that a Versa Max you hunt with?

[@HokeOutdoors]

It's a Franchi Affinity 3

[@BentonKeith-pn9po]

With the way the choke looks I thought it was a Versa Max. My bad. I've got a Versa Max and love it, but I upgraded to a Betetta A400 Extreme Plus. I gotta say, its my new favorite, but the ole Remington has been the steady workhorse for the past 10 years. It was time to upgrade.

[@HokeOutdoors]

I've heard really good things about those A400s, would like to pickup one myself before too long

[@BentonKeith-pn9po]

I bought my A400 after the regular waterfowl season closed in TN this year, but I bought it in time to take to Arkansas for the conservation snow goose hunt and used it there. So far it has been an all round great gun. I've gone squirrel, dove, and snow goose hunting with it. Can't wait til the end of the month when waterfowl season opens here and use it. So far I have nothing but good things to say about it. Be ready to drop some coin for one though. I really like how easily it breaks down to clean. I don't think you will be disappointed if you get one.

[@cooldooley20]

Great video but no duck is work damaging your truck or yourself

[@HokeOutdoors]

I appreciate it! You're not wrong at all, if I were to do it again I would have waited till daylight to head to the spot

[@TheMasonrykid]

Pressured birds that’s why they don’t decoy

[@HokeOutdoors]

I'd agree, uneducated gadwalls are typically some of the easiest birds to decoy from my experience

[@davidstyron1448]

Jerk rigs

[@sdranac]

Can’t believe that certainly out of shape complainer who said that he would not paddle again to retrieve another duck!?! Who needs a lazy out of shape hunting partner like that? Of course in his mind he thought he was the only one retrieving ducks. Had so called friends like that, couch potatoes expecting everyone else to do everything for them and complaining about everything, unable to appreciate the whole expedition, unhappy to work hard and for free (no need to pay for a gym membership, free exercises). Your reply might have made him think about his useless complaining but still we do not need comments like that while hunting, everyone should be happy to be there, whatever are the conditions, the weather, the misery or not. Real duck hunters enjoy every moment of it and are happy to exercise as much as possible. Hopefully he will lose this bad habit of complaining for nothing, it annoys everyone and it just makes him looks bad and then after a while, no one wants to hunt with a complainer who wants to do nothing or as little as possible. Sorry, but I had to say it, hunted with guys like that before and they ruined our nice days outdoors and all we can remember was the useless complaining, the bitching, the nonsense laziness of some so called hunters who cannot appreciate the chance they have to hunt with good friends.

[@solomonshanow9500]

Fack me I'm crying I'm not hunt in year any duck...

[@peytonsell7389]

Gotta love roost busters

[@HokeOutdoors]

Lol I knew someone was going to say it. Nothing like hunting that roost of gadwall and divers at 10am!

[@peytonsell7389]

@@HokeOutdoors it’s pretty weird how guys from out of state don’t hunt fields and just water. Saves ya a lot of time