| It was not long ago when the waterfowl | | | | On the other side they are somewhat confining |
| hunter's options for waterfowling blinds were | | | | and are definitely not for the |
| few indeed. Bedside's natural cover, the | | | | claustrophobic. |
| other common blind was the famous "pit". | | | | |
| | | | If you are in search of diving ducks |
| For a waterfowl blind "natural cover" is | | | | including canvasbacks, greater and lesser |
| still preferred. First and foremost a natural | | | | scaup and redheads, it is best to locate |
| cover is "natural". Whether as a hunter you | | | | dense beds of submerged food plants such as |
| are in hiding in cattails along marsh edges, | | | | sago pondweed or celery. This can be |
| in willow clumps surrounding potholes, behind | | | | difficult if you are not out on the water, |
| grasses in flooded timber or in the tall | | | | but watching for these birds from shore often |
| grass along slough margin its all for the | | | | reveals clues in their preferred feeding |
| same purposes in waterfowl hunting. On the | | | | sites. If you cannot locate feeding areas opt |
| other hand if there is a suitable natural | | | | for points of land that extend well into the |
| cover available - a convenient place to put a | | | | lake. These are good spots from which to |
| bucket on which to sit and adequate shooting | | | | decoy divers flying between their roosting or |
| lanes, you may well not even have to erect | | | | loading sites and prime feeding areas. |
| that hunting blind. | | | | |
| | | | Lastly there is one of the most effective |
| Today's commercial production line blinds | | | | blind styles available that is generally |
| come in more than several formats. Popular | | | | referred to as the "coffin blind" Though this |
| among goose hunters across Canada are so | | | | design has been part of the duck hunter's |
| called "goose chairs" , a one man blind that | | | | world for years, and is the basis for the |
| is little more than a modified reclining lawn | | | | sneak boat and similar hunting styles, it is |
| chair over which a super sized goose shell is | | | | only now with the introduction of commercial |
| hinged. To the birds these waterfowl or | | | | upland versions of this coffin blind into the |
| specifically goose blinds these look just | | | | marketplace. As the name suggests this type |
| like the rest of the decoys in your spread. | | | | of waterfowl and duck blind has a very low |
| The hunter sits back in the chair and with | | | | profile replicating the look of a coffin. |
| the goose shell pulled down over his body, | | | | Based upon the same lightweight frame over |
| and then peers through narrows slits in the | | | | which the camouflaged nylon is attached, it |
| shell to watch for the birds. When thee birds | | | | features two full length top loading doors |
| are in range the hunter just flips the shell | | | | that swing open to allow the hunter to swing |
| back over his head to shoot. These chairs can | | | | open and shoot. Coffin blinds have lounge |
| be quite effective though somewhat awkward to | | | | chair like suspension systems within them |
| shoot from, particularly for older hunters | | | | that allow the hunter's head to be somewhat |
| who may find it difficult to complete the | | | | inclined. They are actually quite comfortable |
| sit=up required before shooting. | | | | to lie in, even for extended periods. Pile in |
| | | | a little natural cover around a coffin blind |
| Relatively newer are waterfowl hunting blinds | | | | and it virtually disappears, especially from |
| that are little more than modified versions | | | | the perspectives of an incoming duck or |
| of modern backpacking tents. These consist of | | | | geese. |
| camouflaged nylon covers available in a | | | | |
| variety of patterns stretched over shock | | | | What is amazing is the level of camouflage |
| corded aluminum frames. They are easy to | | | | that these professional duck and waterfowl |
| erect, light and highly mobile. Depending on | | | | blinds create. The hunter can be virtually |
| their manufacture the can have a number of | | | | impervious and oblivious to the waterfowl |
| removable panels or openings through which | | | | around him. That is the whole point of the |
| the hunters shoot. These same blinds can be | | | | waterfowl blind to the hunter is it not ? |
| most effective in fooling those smart birds. | | | | |