Tips for duck/goose hunting.

[D-Rock425]

Always use a 10 gauge never can have to much gun.

[LOVEMYLABXS]

Gasman you've asked many good questions but let's try to break it down a bit so say let's start with decoys.

Seeing that you say you are very new to waterfowling we need to know a bit more about the kind of hunting you plan on doing as in will it be mostly small lakes/ponds. big water or maybe off shore type hunting do you plan on hunting fields or flooded fields?  will you be packing in then will it be what you can carry on your back or can you use a cart? Will it be mostly ducks or geese or maybe a bit of both?  These things will make a big difference in the type of deks you will need.

DON'T go overboard on spending to start with  seems simple but if the addiction really sets in you can spend and update later. Guess I'll start with figuring that like most you'll be hunting mostly puddleducks (mallard, gaddies, widgeons). If this be the case and it's small water a dozen inexpensive deks can get you a good start. Remember it's not just the cost of decoys here you'll need line and anchors and a bag to carry them in. Should down the road and you find you're getting hooked and want to update you can just add to these or try to sell them and get some of your money back. Another thing you can do is give them to a youth/kid that is wanting to get started or maybe a newbee you know  .

Don't forget if you plan on hunting water you will more then likely need some waders ( yea you can just toss deks out and not have to wade but sooner or later you'll have to pick them up). Waders come in a lot of price ranges but you may not want to scrimp to much you'll want something you can get a lot of years out of and even if you don't become addicted to waterfowling you can always use them for fishing. 

Hope this helps as a start.
Mike

[gun-dog]

Well It has been said a few times already but scouting is the most important aspect.  Find the ducks and be courteous to other hunters.  I always get up long before shooting hours and have my spot secured.  As far as a decoy spread goes, I guess it just depends on where you are hunting.  In my experience when I am hunting on big water I will use a large decoy spread that will be seen by the ducks from a long way away.  On the ponds I keep it simple, no more than what I can carry on my back.  Calling can be a bear for beginners as well.  I say that tongue in cheek because I too am a beginner.  This is only my 4th season hunting ducks.  I have become a very good caller because I practiced almost every day!!!  Drove my family crazy, but it was well worth it.  If you put in the time the birds will fall from the skies. 

[gasman]

Nice video I found.

http://youtu.be/taXSQJbwJBE

http://youtu.be/0uCvzUDL5H0

This is the call I picked up.
http://youtu.be/0uCvzUDL5H0

Another tip to remember. Keep the wind to your back.

[Glockster]

My tip is have fun!  There are way many more ways to hunt ducks besides the traditional throw out a 2 doz spread of mallard decoys with a landing zone in the middle and blow your duck call all day style.

If things are slow or another hunter beats you to 'your' spot, go jump shooting.  It's a great way to learn new areas and I find sneaking on ducks is just as challenging or more than sneaking on any big game animal.  I especially like doing this in EWA where there is a lot of public land with hidden pockets of great duck water.  Also, you don't have to get up 3hrs before LST to hunt this way.   

My second tip is let the ducks teach you how to hunt instead of the hollywood hunters and internet experts.  Watch how real unpressured ducks sit on a pond.  Listen to the calls and noises they make when they're feeding, vs when they're resting, vs when they're alarmed by something.  Try to immitate this with your decoy spreads and calling.  They will also teach you the kinds of water they like to sit on (it varies by species and time of year).   

My third tip is learn how to hide.  Think about how your blind looks from above not the sides.  My favorite thing is to not have a blind at all and just hide in the natural vegetation.   Try hunting alone sometime. 

[rtspring]

Find an area with no real easy access, and unpressured ducks!

[Black Plague]

practice your calling outside ....it sounds way different in your truck.... spend a day not shooting the ducks just to see what they really do .... go out with experienced hunters.   practice , practice , practice...reading....practice ....experiment.  enjoy

[vandeman17]

Anyone willing to share there tips or tacktics for duck hunting?
Personally I am new to duck hunting. This will be my second season and have learned much but know there is much more to learn.

What tips would you share with others?
Not places to hunt, but how too or what not to do......

Like; dek. set up....when to call... how to call.....kind of calls work best for what ducks.... how to set up a dek. pattern........which deks. to use.......how far to place the deks. from your blind/boat, etc....best tool to break ice......chokes to use for what distance....wind direction set up....etc.....

You get the idea........

Pete- We always have a spot open for you to join us so just let us know when you want to go and we can try to help you with what we have learned over the years. 

[gasman]

Anyone willing to share there tips or tacktics for duck hunting?
Personally I am new to duck hunting. This will be my second season and have learned much but know there is much more to learn.

What tips would you share with others?
Not places to hunt, but how too or what not to do......

Like; dek. set up....when to call... how to call.....kind of calls work best for what ducks.... how to set up a dek. pattern........which deks. to use.......how far to place the deks. from your blind/boat, etc....best tool to break ice......chokes to use for what distance....wind direction set up....etc.....

You get the idea........

Pete- We always have a spot open for you to join us so just let us know when you want to go and we can try to help you with what we have learned over the years. 

You bet I will 

Had a blast with you guys last years and would love to do it again. Hopefully we can get in to more ducks and geese 

[vandeman17]

I am sure we will. You were along on our slowest day of the season by far and also one of the slowest drives because of the dang snow!  We will keep you posted when the birds start showing up thick and get you out there again. 

[gasman]

A few more questions came to mind.

So how do you set up your Deks.?

Keep each species seperate or bunched together?

How far in from the shore line, wich are close to shore, and wich are farther away from shore?

What pattern to set the Deks. in or does a pattern really matter at all? ( seen somewhere to set up in a "J" pattern to get the birds to land n a specific area)

[vandeman17]

Those are tough questions Pete. For us, it depends on the location, time of year, amount of wind and direction of the wind. In general, the only actual species we keep together are the geese and we set them up off to the side of the rest of our spread. The only other one we sometimes separate are the teals.

We don't like our decoys too close to shore as we don't want the birds attention to be close to us. I also try not to put them much farther then we shoot because then it gives me a reference point to know how far I can shoot.

One thing that we try to think about is don't put the decoys where you want them to land but more where you don't and leave an open area where you want them to land. 

[gasman]

  Adam......Hoping to be in touch with you and possibly hook up next month to kill some birds 

It seams that new questions come to mind every tie I go out. Each person has a differace of opion on how things should be done, thats why I ask questions I do. What works for one situation may not work for another, so it is good to have multiple opions for different senarieos.

I have looked up thinks on teh comp. but most info I have come across are for river ad flooded fields and I dont hunt those to often (unless I am with Vanderman17) most my hunting so far has been lakes and marshes, mostly marshes.

Hey Adam, hows the weekend of the 12th of Nov, sound for you? My wife is gone all weekend so I will be  free man 
And do you mind if I bring Low97ram with me, he has been my main hunting partner 

[vandeman17]

November 12th sounds good to me and you can bring him along too. I will put it on my calendar and we can figure out where we want to hunt the few days prior to the 12th. Hopefully we will be getting some new birds by then and we can get you guys some good shooting. 

[gasman]

November 12th sounds good to me and you can bring him along too. I will put it on my calendar and we can figure out where we want to hunt the few days prior to the 12th. Hopefully we will be getting some new birds by then and we can get you guys some good shooting. 

That sounds awsome 
Probably gong to be stayng over in a hotel, so if guys want to do mare then 1 day trip, I am game (sat. Sun.  ) up to you.