Week two of teal season brings optimism to hunters

Going into the second week of the three-week early teal season, hunters were a little more optimistic as cooler and wet weather made it feel more like duck hunting and new birds were moving into the state.

While hunting on the Schell-Osage Wildlife Area last week, it looked more like I was fishing than hunting. After checking out an old marsh with very little water left in it, I talked to an employee who was brushhogging. He told me that every time he passed the marsh at least 30 teal would flush, so I thought that would be a good place to start hunting, but he said, "You might sink up to your neck in that silt, I know it's deep and you could get stuck in it."

Later, I found out he was right. After dropping a pair of bluewing teal, I took a few steps in the silt and sank nearly up to my knees. As I struggled to get out, I lost my shoes that were over my chest waders.

Remembering a trick I learned years ago while duck hunting near the river, I walked to my truck and brought out a fishing rod with a silver spoon tied on the line. Getting back to the marsh, I made several casts toward the downed ducks and finally the triple hooks snagged a wing on a teal and was retrieved to my hand, after which several more casts brought in the other bird.

The next day I went fishing for ducks again with the same result. Three birds sailed by and as they passed again, I dropped one that fell. Once again,the bird fell in the silted edge of the marsh. This time the teal was about 35 yards from shore so it took several dozen casts before it was hooked.

Since those early days of jump shooting ducks in marshes and small waters in the state, I have learned that it pays to bring along a fishing rod and some lures. You never know when it might come in handy and you might also get a chance to actually try to catch a fish.

Tom McBride, Lebanon, was hunting at Schell and said that early in the morning, just before shooting time, there were lots of birds in the area and several landed in his decoys, but when shooting time arrived, there was only one wood duck still around. "Those birds get wise very fast," he said.

McBride is a veteran duck hunter at Schell and during the regular season he nearly lives on the area camping and hunting. "It's a very good place to hunt and although the water is low now, the hunting is usually good," he said.

Hunting Wednesday at Schell, many hunters bagged their limit as new birds moved into the area. While hunting early Wednesday morning, several thousand white pelicans landed in Schell Lake and looked like a big flock of snow geese. "I had to leave my blind and check out all those pelicans," said Fred Thomas, Lamar. "I had never seen so many pelican in one bunch. They looked like snow coming in, but they lacked all the noise the geese make. It was something to see all those birds."

Jack Oliver, Springfield, wasn't surprised when I told him about fishing for ducks, he had done the same thing several times. "I was duck hunting near Truman and shot a couple of birds, but couldn't reach them in my chest waders so I took my bass rod and made several casts to get the ducks. Later, after I quit hunting, I went bass fishing and caught a 4-pound bass on the same lure I hooked the ducks with. Ever since then I take my fishing gear along when I go duck hunting," he said.

Not only is the teal season open, archers have the season on deer and turkey going and area giggers are after suckers with some success in spite of low water. Oliver said, "This is the start of the best time of the year, fishing is picking up and hunting seasons are starting. It doesn't get any better."