Harold and Kumar go to San J

Coots are not a respected bird amongst waterfowlers to say the least. They don’t really decoy even though they do fly over your spread almost every time out.

Anyone who says they haven't shot one is a liar. Morally I don’t like to shoot them because I don’t eat them.

Coots are kind of like the mackerel of the waterfowl world only certain dudes eat them in my experience.
 
Ah, Ok. Thanks for that.

I kinda wondered if people ate them because strangely enough, I found one dead on top of my roof one time. Couldn't figure out what killed it. Couldn't find a wound on it. it was intact, ants hadn't got to it yet or anything, no blood. It was weird. Figure it must have just died of natural causes while flying and hit the deck on my roof.

I did notice that it looks like their flesh is all dark colored, sorta like with plums how it's all darkish thru-and-thru. So that made me think people probably considered it the same as crows and don't eat it.
 
I just pulled a #11 Wister for the day after, 26th. Looking like a 2 fer weekend, if the boss will sign off on a two day adventure pass.

25 coot challenge, over two days?

Not much meat on them, dog treats and a pillow.
 
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25 a day, so 50. Had a coot gumbo once from my grandma made and surprising would eat it again not bad at all
 
I have a Cannon T3, the thing is supposed to shoot HD video, will have to get the kids to teach me how to use it, but will tripod it with a remote and hopefully get some video this time.

Those below water walkways, can you cross in muck boots or going to need waders? May have to stick to the above ground blinds or carry Larry across.

I hope there's audio for when the screaming from the blinds right around you starts... :joy:

ps...Please use something smaller than BB's...Your neighbors will appreciate it...;)
 
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I hope there's audio for when the screaming from the blinds right around you starts... :joy:

ps...Please use something smaller than BB's...Your neighbors will appreciate it...;)

yea has full audio, lol. looking at the map it is a lot tighter than Wister. Wister let you go 100 yards from your stake this one looks like only a hand full of blinds you can hunt outside the fixed blinds. Some of them are super close together.

There is already a lot of duck rage going on at this place online. We should fit right in
 
Ok gotta ask. Where was your car when the copy died and fell on your roof?
I guess I didn't specify well enough, sorry. Roof of my home. Birds fly over our place sometimes on their way to the Naval Golf Course and its water features. My first thought was a Hawk had gotten it, then got scared off. But there weren't any puncture marks that I could find.
 
I hope there's audio for when the screaming from the blinds right around you starts... :joy:

ps...Please use something smaller than BB's...Your neighbors will appreciate it...;)
Hrmm... well.. the only way I could do that would be to buy more boxes w/ smaller shot, or use the 20ga since already have waterfowl shells of like #1 and #2 I think in that one.
 
Those below water walkways, can you cross in muck boots or going to need waders? May have to stick to the above ground blinds or carry Larry across.

Sorry TrapLine, I appreciate the thought and gesture of carrying... but if you tried to pick me up it'd shatter your spine man. Let's just say the Earth's Gravitational Pull, and my body, are fond of one another. And battling this lung thing I'm eating like a monster now too. So I'm even more overweight at the moment. So carrying me ain't hap'nin brotha.
 
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Sorry TrapLine, I appreciate the thought and gesture of carrying... but if you tried to pick me up it'd shatter your spine man. Let's just say the Earth's Gravitational Pull, and my body, are fond of one another. And battling this lung thing I'm eating like a monster now too. So I'm even more overweight at the moment. So carrying me ain't hap'nin brotha.

You pulled me out of the mud so I owe you a piggy back across the pond, lol

Check out this Map, the ones with dotted lines show underwater paths. There are plenty above water so if the on time turn out is the same as it was last Saturday we should be like the 7th to 9th party to pick a blind. The Orange shading are the blinds we can move around in.

D3C6050D-5419-4CD7-9FF9-B76079470395.jpeg
 
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Larry,

Coots fly quite low and hit power lines all the time...I have little doubt that's how it got there.

You're allowed 25 shells and 25 coots...Shoot straight pilgrim... :yum
 
Lol I knew a guy who shot a grebe thinking it was a ruddy.. yep he was trying to shoot a ruddy. Except it was a grebe..
My last time out at San J I missed two ruddies, they kept diving maybe I should aim lower. Now, last year they weren’t so lucky.
 
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Ah, Ok. Thanks for that.

I kinda wondered if people ate them because strangely enough, I found one dead on top of my roof one time. Couldn't figure out what killed it. Couldn't find a wound on it. it was intact, ants hadn't got to it yet or anything, no blood. It was weird. Figure it must have just died of natural causes while flying and hit the deck on my roof.

I did notice that it looks like their flesh is all dark colored, sorta like with plums how it's all darkish thru-and-thru. So that made me think people probably considered it the same as crows and don't eat it.
All of the staff at San J recommend shooting coots off the dirt path on the walk back to your truck midmorning, it really helps get the birds up and stirring around again once things settle down from the early morning flight. Besides filling your limit of coots it is also just the courteous and ethical thing to do for your fellow sportsmen to keep the birds up and moving and give everyone a fair shot.
 

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