Regardless of the cause—heavy rain, tides, or an unexpected quick thaw—high water inundates the ground, creating a shallow water haven usually filled with food for ducks and geese. Sheet water hunting can offer fast and furious shooting with decoying birds. One thing I’ve learned from hunting sheet water here in southwest Washington is that pintails and wigeon seem to prefer the larger, more open holes, while the mallards don’t hesitate to tuck in among the clumps of flooded bunch grass.