shooting ducks in the wind
 

I posted this over in the openwheel forum after a fellow started a discussion of an arrow he found sticking out of his roof.

One of my old lunch buddies was stationed in the Aluteuans between korea and nam. He had been in rotcy at Purdue before so he was a second leutenant IIRC. There were like 100 guys stationed there and it was a 3 mile long rock with an air strip and a big radar tower. The guys would get bored and go out and kill the local wildlife for sport. They got so good at it he had to tell them that anything they shot had to be eaten at the next practical meal.

So one day he was out hunting ducks. Just to keep it interesting there was about a 60 mph wind (maybe not quite that much) and when the ducks took off flying into the wind they weren't as fast as the wind so ended up flying backward in relationship to the ground.

Question: Do you lead the duck at its nose or tail?

First to answer correctly gets a beer next time I see you.

Shootin'
 

I dunno but I'm subscribed to find out .

I never really took to hunting, I didn't mind slaughtering cows and we'd BBQ a pig in a buried bathtub every Summer but I didn't have the heart (nor skills to be honest) to shoot them .

You would still lead them I suspect. As the high wind is a factor. Even if in relation to the ground the ducks where traveling backwards.Just by somewhat less I suspect.

I do not hunt out of choice and have no issues with those that do.

I will hold off on answering.

I never saw a duck with a nose!

I believe you will find nostrils high on their bill.

I would shot in front of them (bill end) and swing in the direction of the wind at their ground speed. The wind should take the shot into dinner. But how far depends on the wind speed, your load and their distance and altitude. We had some good wind recently and I enjoyed the eagles and other predator birds hovering motionless and stationary. Not sure why they didn't need to flap at all? I saw a group of ducks trying to migrate south into a strong wind and every time they got above a tall tree line it blew them back and they had to try again. 1 and then 2 more broke out eventually, but the rest of the 100+ never went anywhere for the hours I watched.

I asked him again today about this story. He actually did it himself. He said you had to lead the ducks the normal distance but of course you were swinging south instead of north.

I hunted Ducks once, fun. We had a lab that got the ducks. I love Duck, and goose, but with goose you need a bath towel in your lap, and short sleeve's

one time being hungry and camped, I shot and cooked a mud hen. My ex wife was my lab, meat looked good. But I know why it's called mudhen. you can't eat it.

I thought it was a trick question/riddle. I guess I'll cancel my reservations at the Lafayette Brewing Co.

i used to park a radio controlled glider in the wind just above the house.

It would just remain there for as long as I wanted it to. Or the constant wind continued. It was stationary but the wings where providing constant lift in the airstream. Possibly there as also a balance achieved from the air being fed up the roof slope ahead of it as well.

Did I say yes on this one? It is a yes.

yAy I win !!!! Which one of your cars do I get?

More targets are lost by shooting behind than in front .