Let Me Preface This Post With An Explanation!

Let me lead off by saying I strongly believe that, in hunting waterfowl, there are two things that are imperative.  Two things that we MUST have our ducks in a row on.  Two things that will make or break that day’s hunt.

1. Being on the ‘X’

2. Concealment

If either of those two factors is compromised, I don’t care how good of a caller you are, I don’t care how real-life your decoys look, and I don’t care if you have a 10th degree black belt in decoy arrangement;  you aren’t going to have a top-of-the-line hunt.

You have to be in the right place, where the birds want to be.

You have to hide the hunters.  Those two things are non-negotiable.

Number 1 is taken care of by extensive scouting and phone calls.  Finding where the birds are feeding and gaining access to where they are is THE most important.

Figuring out how to hide the hunters comes next.

Coffins

Early in the year, coffin blinds work.  They aren’t ideal and bring with them a number of negatives, we have killed a lot of birds using them and we have them in our arsenal.

Cover

Cover is great, only problem being, utilizing cover requires there to be cover present.

Sometimes those two factors aren’t at our disposal.

Whites Work!

Snow geese, or at least the presence of snow geese in the area, has saved us a few times.  The advent of birds feeding in harvested soybean fields brings up the task of trying to hide in the middle of a flat, zero-cover field.  Even though snow geese won’t generally join ducks and Canadas in the bean fields feeding, those other fowl species don’t know that.

Using hunters clad in all white along with 2-3 dozen snow goose silo type decoys has worked for us on many occasions.  It is not ideal but will work and has worked quite well for us.

Need An Alternative

Up here on the Northern Tier, especially early, Snow Geese aren’t always present.  So, coffin blinds not an option, no cover, and no snow geese.  What is a guy to do.

Well, that brings us to the topic of today.

Banded’s ‘Axe Blind’

Normally, my belief that realism and appearing as natural as possible overrides my curiosity when something radical and new makes its appearance on the scene.

Last fall, my hunting partner and I were setting up our spread on the edge of some cattails in a soybean field that had been jamming the night before.  We couldn’t quite get right on the ‘X’ with our spread and still utilize the cattails, so we shifted the spread a little bit in an attempt to get the birds to slide our way.

As we were setting up, the neighbors bean field, adjacent to ours, had another group of hunters setting up as well.  We had spoken with them the previous two nights, some young guys from Minnesota who shared our Waterfowl Obsession and we had a good discussion while watching the birds feed.

In talking, they brought up the fact that they were using ‘X blinds’ and were really happy with their performance.

Now, I had seen these contraptions and I had seen pictures and videos of them.  I thought they were just yet another thing on the market to harvest more hunters and not necessarily harvest more game.

As they were setting up the next morning, we watched from our natural cattail hide as they erected their cattail stuffed blind:

Right In The Middle Of The Field!

I found myself thinking, that is just ridiculous.  I kept thinking that same sentiment right up until shooting time, right up to the point where the ducks commenced to ignore the conspicuous pile of cattails sitting right in the middle of the bean stubble and bombarded their decoys.  Those boys ripped ’em up that morning and my skepticism was fast turning to awe.

Needed Convincing!

I am one that is slow to change to something new when it comes to my waterfowl hunting.  I like things that are tried and true.  I like things that I have experimented with personally and repeatedly used to gain success.  When you introduce something new to me, and we have a low degree of success, I am probably not going to do it again.  In fact, I need to experience success repeatedly with a new concept before I add it to my repertoire.

I had the opportunity this year to experiment with Banded’s version of the pop up, cattail stuffed blind.  The “Axe Blind” had me really intrigued.  I found myself really wanting it to work.  The possibilities of having this thing stuffed with cattails and out in the middle of wheat stubble and soybean stubble (or lack thereof) had me almost praying that it would work.  It would present us with a myriad of opportunities and solve many problems of getting onto the ‘X’ more often.

I didn’t want to see if this thing:

just kind of worked, maybe kind of close to the other cattails or maybe a slough.

No way, we were going to stick this thing smack dab in the middle of the stubble, removed from any other form of cover.  A blob of cattails in the middle of 4-6 inch high wheat stubble.  I needed to be convinced beyond a shadow, that this thing was effective.

That is exactly what we did.  We had a brisk 10-15 mph WNW wind on the morning of the hunt and this played into our favor.  We set our spread up as we normally would, small J-hook.  We positioned the ‘Axe Blind’ in the well of the J.  If birds were going to work us and come in, they were going to be looking right at us.  That blind’s ability to work would be put to the test

Shooting time approached and a few small flocks of ducks worked tight and a few even landed in our decoys and right in front of the blind.  I can’t lie to you, this had me getting a little excited.  I wasn’t all in yet, but I was getting a little smirk on my face, I had a feeling we were going to be adding this to our tool box of waterfowl hunting.

The first flock of the morning was a pair leading a group of twelve.  The pair out front was about 2-3 hundred yards in the lead and would reach us well before the flock.  We made the decision to let the two go and hope for the flock.  We made the right decision.

The two lead birds landed.

The flock continued right in, web feet down, and we unloaded.

The same results continued all morning.  Singles, pairs, and small flocks of Canadas continued to lower their landing gear right in front of our ‘Axe Blind’ hide.

I was convinced.  I will be purchasing a couple of these contraptions and use them whenever possible.

They are roomy, easy to see out of, and sitting on a Banded Blind Chair or 5-gallon bucket was one of the most comfortable hunting experiences I have had in a long time.

If you are like me and need convincing, I obviously don’t blame you.  I was there once.  I had the doubt too.  My best advice is to find someone that has one or has access to one and go on a hunt with them

-or-

You can join us this fall on a Canada, Crane, Duck, or Snow Goose hunt by calling:

For Canadas- 701-230-9173 and book a trip with AllFlockedUpOutdoors.

For Cranes, Ducks, and Snow Geese- 701-739-9616 and book a waterfowl adventure with Northern Flight Guide Service.

Trust me, you won’t be disappointed.  Making me a true believer is a tall task.  Banded’s ‘Axe Blind’ has done just that.

Duck Season Fast Approaching!!

Canada season is in full swing here on the Northern Tier, Dove season opened this last weekend, we are 10 days out from the Sandhill Crane opener, and 17 days out from our Resident Only duck opener.

Busy time up here in the Lake Region.  The best time of the year in our opinion.

Turn Hunting Into Harvesting!!

With

DevilsLakeFishingReport!!