Keep losing ducks

[Ajj828]

Today I went hunting with 3 other guys we ended up with 4 wigeons and 3 buffleheads. We lost 3 birds total for the day. They just get crippled, dive, and we never see them again. Any tips for crippled birds? I know a dog is the best answer but I won't be getting one until next year haha. I'm using a 26 inch benelli nova with a modified choke and Kent fast steel #2s. I'm using Kent because bimart currently has them $4 off a box. Saturday I plan on using Kent #3 with an improved cylinder. Any tips for getting nice clean one shot kills on the ducks?

[bowNarrow]

Pattern your gun with different shells and see what's  best for the yardage you shoot

[Curly]

Shoot at close range.  20 - 35 yards.

[CoryTDF]

Shoot better.  LOL

[jackelope]

Shoot at close range.  20 - 35 yards.

Agree....wait till they get closer?

[boneaddict]

Patience and or better ammo

[C-Money]

Hammer them if they swim once they hit the water. Sometimes, you just lose a few. Good advice above as well

[Ajj828]

Shoot at close range.  20 - 35 yards.

That's about how far we've been shooting them. Maybe we are leading them wrong and hitting them with the edge of our pattern

[brew]

Pattern your gun with different shells and see what's  best for the yardage you shoot

2nd that...if you switch to an improved cyliner from a modified the shot pattern should be wider therefore you may have less pellets actually hitting the birds (although switching to # 3's from #'2's will give you more pellets).  i've shot those Kent fast steel in #3's with a 3 1/2" shell and that load shoots best out of my Binelli SBE II...don't buy "better/more expensive" ammo without patterning your gun with the loads that you have first.

[270Shooter]

Shoot them in the face.

[waoutdoorsman]

Pattern your shotgun and choose the ammo that shoots the best, took me awhile to buy into the whole "pattern your shotgun" idea-i mean its a shotgun right? But it does make a huge difference and really shows whats going on each time you pull the trigger-and may explain cripples due to holes in the pattern. Also ducks are tough, if the head is up after they tumble down to the water Shoot again! Especially if its a diver- once they play the diving game its usually game over for us without dogs. I shot a diver last week that had half his noodles hanging out his head and that son of a biscuit tried flying out of the boat after i picked him up. I don't know if its the headless chicken effect, or if they are tough as nails or both

[206]

You guys aren't leading them enough.  And think angles when pulling the trigger.

[PatoLoco]

I think a lot of duck hunters don't really know what 30 yards actually looks like. Most of the time when I'm hunting I will pace out 30 or 35 yards and either put my flutterwing there or a noticeable decoy, so I have a good idea what's in range. Plus you have to take into account their elevation above the ground. And ducks always look closer than they are until you pull up to shoot and you're like oh crap that's further than I thought. For most adults, a good long step is about a yard.

[HuntandFish]

I would suggest going up in shot size, #4 and 5's, and go the other way with the choke, modified or full. You are most likely suffering from not enough pellets in to wide of a pattern.

Quality of ammunition is usually not a large factor, good shooting and proper matching of shot size and choke (shooting over decoys, pass shooting, jump shooting, all require different set ups) to your soothing situation are important.

In regards to recovering wounded diver ducks, first and best advice is don't shoot them, not the best table fair.....use a boat and stay back so they do not come up quickly for air and than drop back down. Than whoever is shooting the full choke with 3.5's waits for them to pop back up for air and finishes them with a well placed 40 yard shot!

Good luck!

H&F

[lokidog]

I think a lot of duck hunters don't really know what 30 yards actually looks like. Most of the time when I'm hunting I will pace out 30 or 35 yards and either put my flutterwing there or a noticeable decoy, so I have a good idea what's in range. Plus you have to take into account their elevation above the ground. And ducks always look closer than they are until you pull up to shoot and you're like oh crap that's further than I thought. For most adults, a good long step is about a yard.

The yardage duck is a great idea.  I do this when I can.  I also bring my rangefinder and hit a few things up and down the shore to give me reference points.

Shoot at close range.  20 - 35 yards.

That's about how far we've been shooting them. Maybe we are leading them wrong and hitting them with the edge of our pattern

Honestly, I've not noticed much difference between types of shell with the same choke in the gun, but it is a good idea to figure out where you are hitting in relation to your sight as well.  Also, I would suggest doing some skeet shooting which might help figure out if you are shooting behind them.

And finally, I bring a handful of steel #6 along and keep them close so I can cram one in quickly for a finishing swatter shot if needed.  The denser wad of pellets seems to help hit them in the head when they are in the water and be sure not to aim too low as the water will absorb the energy of the pellets.

I think your #3s will do better as at those ranges, they have plenty of energy for clean kills and a higher pellet count.  I would even say, if you are decoying and shooting at less than 30 yards, #4s will work well also.  When decoying, I will often put one or two #4s in with a #3 as my third round. Try to buy ammo that has the same velocity as each other as that will be what is determining the consistency of your leads.

[WSU]

Shoot them in the face.

This sounds smart ass but is spot on. Shoot a tight choke and learn to center them in the pattern

[Bill W]

My guess would be the ones you lost were buffleheads.  Those were the hardest ducks for me to kill outright.  Most had to be swatted.

[Ajj828]

Yes they were I chased a crippled one across the pond in a kayak and wasted 4 shells

[lokidog]

My guess would be the ones you lost were buffleheads.  Those were the hardest ducks for me to kill outright.  Most had to be swatted.

They are tough little buggers.

Yes they were I chased a crippled one across the pond in a kayak and wasted 4 shells

Try that 6 shot, you'll be surprised, unless you are trying to swat at 70 yards....

[JJB11B]

Mallards use to dive to get away from my old dog, couldn't shoot them when they surfaced cuz the dog was way too close

[lokidog]

Mallards use to dive to get away from my old dog, couldn't shoot them when they surfaced cuz the dog was way too close

I depth charged one once. It was about two feet down and heading into the river current.  I think I disoriented her a bit with a shot straight down at her.   

[JJB11B]

Mallards use to dive to get away from my old dog, couldn't shoot them when they surfaced cuz the dog was way too close

I depth charged one once. It was about two feet down and heading into the river current.  I think I disoriented her a bit with a shot straight down at her.   

that had to have made one heck of a splash

[NW-GSP]

Go with a tighter choke that way if you miss it will be a clean miss, when you hit them you will hit them hard

[sakoshooter]

I their head comes up after they hit the water, shoot them till their head is down and they're dead. 6's are good for swatting them. I've got great dogs and they're no guarantee  on a cripple that dives.

[Brad Harshman]

Go with a tighter choke that way if you miss it will be a clean miss, when you hit them you will hit them hard

Do this until you pattern your gun.  And be patient.  Wait for them to get within 30 yds. 

[Henrydog]

All of the above and the fact that no matter what the eviro liberals say.....steel does not kill like lead. 

[addicted2hunting]

Try to focus on the bill of the duck, doing so will cause your mind to do a better lead and not be shooting most of your pattern behind the bird.

And if you have a swimmer when they hit the water I swat them one more time.

[Bill W]

All sorts of suggestions for this guy.  Tighter choke, closer in, aim at the bill....   Kent Fasteel shout pattern pretty tight out of a modified choke.  Most mfgrs say to not use their factory full choke with steel.  He's already using Modified. 

I have a dozen #6 shot that may get tested out tomorrow morning.  Where we will be is mostly puddle ducks and they are easier to kill than divers.   I may be able to pass on the results if we have to swat anything.

[Bullkllr]

We used to use #8 target loads in lead for close range swatters. You can get cheaper steel in 7/7.5 and those work well too. High pellet count for head/neck hits is what you're looking for. Only problem with swatter loads is getting one loaded before the divers dive.

[Ajj828]

All sorts of suggestions for this guy.  Tighter choke, closer in, aim at the bill....   Kent Fasteel shout pattern pretty tight out of a modified choke.  Most mfgrs say to not use their factory full choke with steel.  He's already using Modified. 

I have a dozen #6 shot that may get tested out tomorrow morning.  Where we will be is mostly puddle ducks and they are easier to kill than divers.   I may be able to pass on the results if we have to swat anything.

Let me know how it goes

[lokidog]

All of the above and the fact that no matter what the eviro liberals say.....steel does not kill like lead.

It does when used as steel, not lead....  Sure, it has limitations, but is shooting ducks at under forty yards vs sixty necessarily a bad thing?   

[Brad Harshman]

Years ago when we were specifically hunting divers I switched to 3.5", 3 shot.  My kill rate was much better and I attributed it to the longer shot string.  Pass shooting divers is tough and having a longer shot string for them to "fly through" decreased the wounded cripples.  I also learned a lot from hunting on steeper banks and shooting down on the birds.  You could see where your shots were hitting both good and bad.
 Lesson is, you've got to take time to figure out what works.  Investing time at the range or setting up in a situation where you can get feedback, will increase your hunting success and your satisfaction at the end of the hunting day.
It's frustrating to wound the birds, and even worse to lose them.  Its great you're looking to get better.  I applaud you for it.  The birds deserve to be respected and killed swiftly.
God Bless and Happy Thanksgiving.

[Wacenturion]

Shoot at close range.  20 - 35 yards.