murphy island

[southernbip]

My group of 3 will be hunting on Jan. 2nd. Any advice besides don't get too drunk on New Year's Day? I'd assume the mud is hell but didn't see any other treads about Murphy when I searched (unless I'm blind)….

[Gander]

Mud isn't bad at Murphy. The same strategies apply for all duck hunting. Watch the birds and be willing to be where they want to be. A half dozen decoys is about all you need. Hide well, be still and let the birds work. And it helps to be a decent shot.

[jws]

The mud is definitely hell

[Highstrung]

the last time I hunted it, years ago.. We spent some time at the Big Tuna the night before.. the amount of grease and gin in my belly made the mud exponentially worse. It's about like the rest, I saw some nice bags.. I killed a couple nice birds early, and refused to shoot a spoonbill. They should tell you if you need to kill them all early or hold off for more birds

[Highstrung]

I mean, I looked over at my buddy and said "kiss my ass, I'm not moving again". I've spent some years in pluff mud and swamps.. the mud wasn't fun at all in our spot, some are better, and I assume some might be worse.

[jws]

Pretty much the same experience I had. I almost got to a point where I didn't know if I was going to get unstuck one time. I guess it depends on the particular spot you get. I hunted Cedar and it was nothing but have heard people say it was bad there.

[PharmHunter]

Pluff mud is pluff mud for sure. Use the boat paddle as a walking stick when you are walking about. Don't invest everything in your first setup. If you've got three guys I'd take more decoys but only put out a few in the first spot and be prepared to move to where they are wanting to be...which you probably didn't get exactly to in the dark. Then move quickly (snicker), re-setup with your entire spread, hide well, and shoot the pretty ones of your choosing.
Listen to the Biologists and go where they tell you to. They scout and work hard to make it a good hunt as best they can. I was impressed with the crew down there when I went last week.

[tot]

Like stated, be ready to move. Take half a doezen black duck decoys, put the wind at your back and water swat them.

[NannySlayer]

The only thing that kept me from being part of the landscape was a banded March stool. I am not sure a boat paddle would have cut it. Of course, I am an average sized fella. This was many years ago, but we had a butt load of ducks land early. We should have shot 3 each and then been picky later. Definitely ask the techs, they are there to help you have a good hunt

[Rabbitman09]

I fucked up my new style A5 bout 8-9 years ago from having to dig myself out of quicksand like hole at Murphy. Damn saltwater ate up my magazine spring and recoil spring. Had to send my shit off to sure cycle to get new components. I didn't think I was ever gonna get out. If I hadn't have brought a bottle of water with me I would have died for sure. It was firm bottom around the blind but watch out picking up birds!

[ersepton]

We were at Cedar last week. Tech said all of the birds were at Murphy. Should be good! The mud at Cedar was awful, there was no blind, and the guy that dropped us off from his mud boat, said to walk about 250 yards and find a patch of grass. We all thre jumped out of the boat and instantly sunk up to our arm pits. Walking one yard wasn’t happening, let alone 250. We had him drop us further toward the dike and the mud was somewhat bearable there. We killed teal early and waited for other ducks to show, that never showed up. To their defense, they told us to shoot the teal.

[Relentlous]

I hunted delta East on the 14th. We shot 4 teal. Boys in the pond behind us screwed us on big ducks. They wouldn’t lay off the call. We saw maybe 50 birds all morning

[Strick9]

IF nothing changes you will have a hoot.

[Southernduck]

I hunted delta East on the 14th. We shot 4 teal. Boys in the pond behind us screwed us on big ducks. They wouldn’t lay off the call. We saw maybe 50 birds all morning

Towards the ocean side?

[Relentlous]

Yes

[MS31]

Delta East cancelled Sat due to water.

[Duckman#1]

And it helps to be a decent shot.

Looking at the numbers of shots fired per duck is ridiculous.

[Highstrung]

I swear I'm embarrassed for them. It's got to be emasculating being a poor or average shooter.

[jws]

I looked at that too. 139 shots to kill 19 ducks...

[fuzzy]

If you have a dog, contact them to see what the gator situation is. As far as moving around in the fields, do not try to walk across the open water areas. Where ever there is vegetation, you will be fine walking. If you have a decoy sled, take it.

Looking at the numbers of shots fired per duck is ridiculous.

That's because most people don't have a clue of what it means to let birds work. All they know how to do is pass shoot.