New to duck hunting

[steve04]

Does anybody have any advice or is willing to help out  a newbie duck hunter?

[h2ofowlr]

You may want to see which guys are from your area and shoot them a PM.  They may help with some general info.  They typically keep their good spots fairly private, but general info might be a starting place.  You will definitely learn as you go.

[steve04]

Anyone from around tri cities willing to give some general info/tips? Send me a pm.

[h2ofowlr]

Anyone from around tri cities willing to give some general info/tips? Send me a pm.

The effort may rely on you.  Homework time!  Go through the posts in the waterfowl section and look for locations near you and shoot them a PM.  You might get 2-8% response just asking on the open forum.  You may get 90-100% response if you seek them out and send them a PM.  Just trying to provide a friendly heads up.

[steve04]

Thanks h20fowlr

[jeepster]

Get a good pump 12, make sure it shoots 3.5 inchers (you never know what you will want to hunt later, perhaps geese?) get it off the used rack, use the $ you saved by getting a used gun on dekes, and get your self a good quality pair of waders (splurge on these) and a jacket. Being warm and dry is just important as loading your gun. And you don't need a dog to duck hunt.

When buying dekes, especially when starting out, get a doz or 2 of the cheap ones, and get a doz of nice ones in different poses, add variety and realism by having your ducks do different things, maybe get some teal and wigeon dekes too to add size variety. You don't need decoys to hunt ducks either.

I don't get the decoys out for a few more weeks because there are so many great spots to jump shoot. If you have access to a farm field with a ditch, chances are there are tons of ducks. Get up early, put yer waders on, walk out in the field and follow the ditch, but stay a ways away from it and periodically take a peek in the ditch- if it flies, it dies

As far as duck calls.... Get a duck whistle, it's pretty much idiot proof, if you can figure out how to make it go wooWEEwoo, you are golden. I'd say get a duck reed call that comes with a instructional CD, so you can play it in the truck and practice calling when you drive, your neighbors and wife will appreciate not hearing you sound like a hurt special ed duck. Stick with the duck whistle your first year, don't use the reed call...you will scare more birds away with it than shoot. I found this call at the bottom of a pond once it dried up, and I've got more ducks with it than I can count... starting out, a duck whistle is the only call you need

http://www.basspro.com/Duck-Commander-Pintail-Widgeon-Duck-Call/product/10210321/?hvarAID=shopping_googleproductextensions&om_mmc=shopping_googleproductextensions&kpid=10210321

So in recap, what's most important is staying dry and warm, invest in a good pair of waders and a jacket, don't get caught up in a gear buying frenzy, don't over complicate it... jump shooting keeps it cheap, simple, and fun.

Before you gear up, go to Wal-Mart and get a value brick of shells and a box of clays, get dialed in on your gun....just cuz you are new to duck hunting, doesn't mean you have to shoot like it

[jeepster]

And don't forget, the more you do it, the better you get. Gotta put the time into it to get good

If you drive by and see guys gearing up early in the morning, it never hurts to ask if you can hunt with them and get some lessons.... usually they say their party is full, but you never know who might help you out, I've had some of my best days hunting with complete strangers, just remember to shut up and listen to what they say, don't talk too much and be a good shot

Duck hunting can be as simple as a flannel shirt, some rubber boots and a box of shells or it can be complicated as tens of thousands of dollars invested in a fancy gun, a sweet boat, over priced dog and a 500$ jacket.

I forgot to say if there are a lot of guys out hunting and there is a lot of hunting pressure, go find yourself a ditch that has a pond at the end of it roughly the size of your living room and some bushes to hide in, toss 1-3   decoys in, and maybe a mojo wind spinner. Less can often be more when it comes to ducks especially as the season goes on. Ducks will see that pond with 2 birds in it and think it's a nice quiet place to take a nap after they've been shot at all day on the big waters and dive right in only to get sent to duck heaven

KEEP IT SIMPLE