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John N. Felsher's Waterfowl Hunting Adventures
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A coot shoot can turn a slow day in
the marsh into a memorable hunt
the marsh into a memorable hunt
TOP: Daniel Felsher spots a flock of coots and prepares a stalk while
hunting off the St. Johns River near Geneva, Fla. CENTER: The
birds grow nervous and flush as Daniel prepares to fire. BOTTOM:
Daniel shows off part of his kill during his coot shoot.
hunting off the St. Johns River near Geneva, Fla. CENTER: The
birds grow nervous and flush as Daniel prepares to fire. BOTTOM:
Daniel shows off part of his kill during his coot shoot.
Duck hunters largely ignore them unless they grow bored from
staring at empty skies, but the American coot or mud hen can turn a
humdrum day into an exciting and fulfilling hunt.
Often called poule d’eau meaning “water hen” in Cajun Louisiana,
huge flocks of Fulica americana populate many lakes and rivers. They
thrive in most freshwater marshes or impoundments and may enter
brackish or salty systems, but generally prefer sweeter water. Since most
waterways belong to the public, sportsman can usually find a good coot
spot not far from home, but check local regulations before hunting an area.
Not really a duck, but a member of the rail family, coots look like
black or slate gray chickens with white pointed bills and lobed rather than
webbed feet. When swimming, they bob their heads like chickens. Although
seemingly weak fliers, coots do migrate from Canada as far as South
America. In many places, especially along the Gulf or southern Atlantic
coasts, coots may stay in the same area all year long.
Since they don’t usually fly far even when spooked, coots offer the
perfect game for jump shooting from small boats. Coots generally fall under
the same federal regulations with the same seasons as ducks, so people
cannot shoot them from boats under power or sail, but a canoe, kayak or
pirogue makes the perfect platform for a coot shoot. Coots seldom decoy,
although they may swim into a spread or make an occasional low pass, so
jumping remains one of the few effective means for hunting the slate-
colored birds.
Coots often raft up in open water where they can see great
distances. Not the smartest of game birds and rarely hunted, they may
allow a person in a canoe to approach well within shotgun range. When
scared, they frequently bunch up together, creating excellent opportunities
for multiple kills with the first shot. They must run across the water some
distance to become airborne, making easy targets for second and third
shots.
When flushed, they might scatter, but seldom fly more than a few
hundred yards. Regularly, they land within sight of the hunters. After
dispatching cripples, picking up the dead ones and letting the flock settle
down for a few minutes, sportsmen can often make another successful
sneak on the flock. If they disappear, look for coots feeding around patches
of aquatic grass or hiding near broken reedy shorelines, coves, points or
other irregularities.
Even though people can often approach coots with little stealth, take
precautions anyway when paddling up game. Hug shorelines or keep
islands, tall canes or other available cover between the boat and the birds
whenever possible. Take the inside curve on any bends.
As silently as possible, dip the paddles into the water. A strip of
rubber bicycle tube stretched along a gunwale reduces paddle noises. In
very shallow, hard-bottomed areas, use paddles almost like push poles,
sculling along without lifting the paddles from the water. Water dripping from
a paddle can alert birds because sound travels long distances over water,
especially on still mornings.
Canoeists can team up for a hunt or go solo. When hunting alone,
paddlers can stretch their shotguns across their laps or put them in some
other convenient place for easy access when targets come into range.
When hunting in pairs, only keep one gun loaded at a time for safety
reasons. One person acts as paddler and spotter, positioning the shooter
in the bow seat for a good shot.
When jump shooting, the shooter might want to use a full choke to
make the most of long shots or a modified choke for all-around shooting.
Since sportsmen must use non-toxic waterfowl loads for coots, high-
powered No. 4 steel or No. 6 in Hevi-Shot, bismuth or tungsten make good
coot loads.
Contrary to popular opinion, coots taste great -- either fried, stewed
or grilled. Of course, everything tastes great when smothered in Cajun
spices. They also make a fantastic gumbo. Although omnivorous, they eat
mostly plant matter, but do consume a few invertebrates, small fish or other
aquatic animals, just like most ducks.
Coots may stay rafted up all day, so sportsmen don’t really need to
start after them before sunrise. After leaving the blind in the morning, a
short paddle through a good marsh or impoundment may produce a limit
rather quickly. Widespread, abundant, tasty, easy to kill and seldom
hunted, coots make the ideal game bird to cap off one of those days when
ducks or geese won’t cooperate.
staring at empty skies, but the American coot or mud hen can turn a
humdrum day into an exciting and fulfilling hunt.
Often called poule d’eau meaning “water hen” in Cajun Louisiana,
huge flocks of Fulica americana populate many lakes and rivers. They
thrive in most freshwater marshes or impoundments and may enter
brackish or salty systems, but generally prefer sweeter water. Since most
waterways belong to the public, sportsman can usually find a good coot
spot not far from home, but check local regulations before hunting an area.
Not really a duck, but a member of the rail family, coots look like
black or slate gray chickens with white pointed bills and lobed rather than
webbed feet. When swimming, they bob their heads like chickens. Although
seemingly weak fliers, coots do migrate from Canada as far as South
America. In many places, especially along the Gulf or southern Atlantic
coasts, coots may stay in the same area all year long.
Since they don’t usually fly far even when spooked, coots offer the
perfect game for jump shooting from small boats. Coots generally fall under
the same federal regulations with the same seasons as ducks, so people
cannot shoot them from boats under power or sail, but a canoe, kayak or
pirogue makes the perfect platform for a coot shoot. Coots seldom decoy,
although they may swim into a spread or make an occasional low pass, so
jumping remains one of the few effective means for hunting the slate-
colored birds.
Coots often raft up in open water where they can see great
distances. Not the smartest of game birds and rarely hunted, they may
allow a person in a canoe to approach well within shotgun range. When
scared, they frequently bunch up together, creating excellent opportunities
for multiple kills with the first shot. They must run across the water some
distance to become airborne, making easy targets for second and third
shots.
When flushed, they might scatter, but seldom fly more than a few
hundred yards. Regularly, they land within sight of the hunters. After
dispatching cripples, picking up the dead ones and letting the flock settle
down for a few minutes, sportsmen can often make another successful
sneak on the flock. If they disappear, look for coots feeding around patches
of aquatic grass or hiding near broken reedy shorelines, coves, points or
other irregularities.
Even though people can often approach coots with little stealth, take
precautions anyway when paddling up game. Hug shorelines or keep
islands, tall canes or other available cover between the boat and the birds
whenever possible. Take the inside curve on any bends.
As silently as possible, dip the paddles into the water. A strip of
rubber bicycle tube stretched along a gunwale reduces paddle noises. In
very shallow, hard-bottomed areas, use paddles almost like push poles,
sculling along without lifting the paddles from the water. Water dripping from
a paddle can alert birds because sound travels long distances over water,
especially on still mornings.
Canoeists can team up for a hunt or go solo. When hunting alone,
paddlers can stretch their shotguns across their laps or put them in some
other convenient place for easy access when targets come into range.
When hunting in pairs, only keep one gun loaded at a time for safety
reasons. One person acts as paddler and spotter, positioning the shooter
in the bow seat for a good shot.
When jump shooting, the shooter might want to use a full choke to
make the most of long shots or a modified choke for all-around shooting.
Since sportsmen must use non-toxic waterfowl loads for coots, high-
powered No. 4 steel or No. 6 in Hevi-Shot, bismuth or tungsten make good
coot loads.
Contrary to popular opinion, coots taste great -- either fried, stewed
or grilled. Of course, everything tastes great when smothered in Cajun
spices. They also make a fantastic gumbo. Although omnivorous, they eat
mostly plant matter, but do consume a few invertebrates, small fish or other
aquatic animals, just like most ducks.
Coots may stay rafted up all day, so sportsmen don’t really need to
start after them before sunrise. After leaving the blind in the morning, a
short paddle through a good marsh or impoundment may produce a limit
rather quickly. Widespread, abundant, tasty, easy to kill and seldom
hunted, coots make the ideal game bird to cap off one of those days when
ducks or geese won’t cooperate.
