Wildfowl_-_September_2019

islands are tree-covered and only
ideal for camping, fishing or hunting.
I joined Scott and his hunting part-
ner, Shelby Lovelace, for a December
hunt a few years ago. The morning
started at the boat ramp in eerie-ink-

black-ink darkness thanks to cloud
cover except for a spooky spotlight
upriver from a pusher or towboat
powered by a 6,000-hp engine and
guiding eight 195-foot long by 35-foot
wide barges loaded with grain.

“They run 24 hours through

here,” Scott said while watching

the barge procession. “Occasion-

ally they push up resting ducks that

look for new places to land, some-

times into our decoy set.”

Scott eased his duck-hunting boat

out in the current once all barges

were downriver. The ride to our

hunting spot was steady and slow,

illuminated by a spotlight on the

bow that burned through light fog.

The boat, powered by a 60-hp Mer-

cury, featured a stainless-steel prop.

The more expensive prop is neces-

sary because constant river currents

deposit logs and brush in unexpected

places. Changing river depths con-

trolled by upriver dams or locks can

make yesterday’s deep water shal-

lower in a hurry. Outboard motor

props take a beating on the Missis-

sippi R iver.

Decoys stored in bags on racks

built down both sides of the boat

were quickly rigged and set, both

duck and goose versions. Scott and

Lovelace worked as a team to place a

couple of hundred floaters before any

trace of morning light.

“We usually include mallard and

Canada goose decoys on diver hunts

with our canvasback and goldeneye

versions,” Scott said. “The decoys

are positioned on gang lines with

10-pound weights necessary in this

Warm winters are not

productive here. The ice

wildfowlmag.com September 2019 | WILDFOWL Magazine 95