NEBRASKAland Magazine is dedicated to outstanding photography and informative writing with an engaging mix of articles and photos highlighting Nebraska’s outdoor activities, parklands, wildlife, history and people.
Issue link: http://mag.outdoornebraska.gov/i/1293505
October 2020 • Nebraskaland 51 my fi rst duck of the day. I grabbed him, as ducks continued to circle the entire wetland, and placed him in the biggest patch of open water I could fi nd — an area no wider than a backyard swimming pool, and hid in the same cattails that tried to kill me earlier. A minute later, a lone drake cupped his wings straight toward my "decoy." Soon after, I had two decoys sitting in that same open water. The birds continued to work the wetland for the rest of the afternoon. Eventually, I had to make the longest 300-yard walk I've ever made because my legs were cramping with every step, and I was in dire need of water. Once I was able to hydrate, I returned to where I had shot the mallards so I could photograph the sunset. As I did just that, I watched duck after duck roost in those same cattails. I planned to go back the following morning, yet a blizzard ripped through central Nebraska overnight, covering the wetlands and freezing the ground. Hard-headed, I went the next day, hoping that the water was still open. And even though it wasn't, and there wasn't a duck in the air, it forced me to do something very important when hunting the Rainwater Basin. I kept driving gravel roads to fi nd other publicly accessible wetlands. I found more than I could ever need. One of the most exciting adventures of my hunting life occurred less than 300 yards from a gravel road in sight of farmsteads and within earshot of blacktop. But when those mallards erupted from the water, there wasn't another sound in the world. N For the most up-to-date information on water level information, visit O u t d o o r Ne b r a s k a .o r g / w a t e r fo w l checklist/ and click on Wetland Conditions. Basin Tips • Bring extra clothes. Hunting the Rainwater Basin isn't necessarily easy. I've gotten wet every time I've hunted or scouted them since this first day. I've stepped in over my hip boots (which I should have left at the house), slipped on muddy ground, or sweated until I was sopping wet. • Be in shape. These can be long, difficult walks. Prepare for such. • Don't go alone. This was my mistake, and it could have cost me. Then, two weeks later, I went to another wetland and a similar situation happened. The problem is this: Are you smart enough to stop chasing ducks when you have to? I'm not. I should have known this. I won't hunt these places by myself again. • You'll need supplies. These include f ood: water, Onyx app, charged cell phone, decoys (enough to fill a vest) and calls. To remember my fi rst day on the Rainwater Basin, I snapped a quick photo with my phone. The fl at terrain and shallow water were not indicative of how diffi cult a hunt it was.