Sticky Situation

[sdstate]

Does this sound familiar do all of the diehards out there? I was walking the local sloughs in SW MN this past weekend and got to the back side of it. The slough is probably dang near a mile long. We got one rooster on the way, but were nit seeing very many birds. Right when we got to the back edge, ploop i go in. It was about up to my waste, and to see the least i got very cold and very wet. My only choice was to keep walking and get back to the truck. Soon my pants were a solid sheet of ice and slough muck. The dogs couldnt figure out why we were going so fast, but we were hustling. Wouldn't you know it i went in again, again, and again. By this time im cussing and not having a good time. The dogs are getting up a lot of hens but no roosters. we were about 40 yards from the truck when they finally get up a rooster and i smack him. On the way back to the truck, i admire the bird and think how much hard work it too to get him. This was my biggest bird of the year(24 inch tailfeathers). How many other people had this familiar scenario go down in weeks past. Them sloughs just werent firm enough yet. But all in all i wouldnt trade it fo the world.

[Tetz]

Went thru Sunday--similar situation along a creek that the beaver had dammed up. I was along the edge where I have walked many times in the grass and SPLASH---was in above the beltline. The guy I was with said I was out so fast, my feet were 3 inches above the waterline when I came out. I had goretex pants on over my brush pants and took those off right away, so didn't get very wet underneath. Things are frozen pretty well, but spongy in spots--had to watch your step, but that's where the birds were....A spare pair of dry socks/boots in the truck is a must if hunting wet areas!

[mpester]

I went in as well and I went up to my chest. Then my friend I was hunting with went in. It was not nearly as shocking to get wet as I always thought it would be. I got out easy but kept going in when I tried to stand. I had to crawl on my stomach to shore. We hunted one more area and called it a day because our boots were too heavy and Matt pulled his groin. To top it off, we did not see even one rooster. I learned that a swamp will not be frozen enough to walk in after one week of cold weather. I think I will stay out of the swamp this weekend but I bet the ice will be better this weekend.

[catman71]

do you ever notice if you walk in the cattails you will go thru more and if you walk in the open water you will go thru less but when you do it is deeper? i hate that feeling you get for the 1/2 second while you are going down before you touch the bottom. if you want birds tho you need to get in there. Good luck.

[mpester]

I think the decomposition in the reeds gives off some heat. I bet that is why you will go in more in the reeds than out in the open water part of a swamp. Also, the darker colored reed will take in heat from the sun. I bet it would not have been as easy for me to get out of the water if I had not been in the reeds.

[Fish_Off]

I went out Thursday to a slough in SE Minnesota and went right through no more than a couple steps in. Continued on only to fall in agian, but this time I didn't touch bottom. I was too busy watching the dog and ended up rate by a muskrat house. I went through and thankfully grabed the muskrat house. Never felt the bottom and I was up to my arm pits. Thats the deepest I've ever gone in, but the day was still a success we got 3 birds and should've had our fourth only to miss him when we were no more than 50 yards from the truck.