Duck Hunting Tips
Hunting ducks as well as goose hunting either for food or just for the sheer excitement is shared among millions of outdoor enthusiasts. In fact, duck hunting has evolved into a sport with hunters showing their interest from all over world. Usually hunting migratory game birds requires a Waterfowl Stamp in order to hunt waterfowls. Another requirement that duck hunters have to adhere to would include not using toxic shots to make their kill.
An effective duck call is worth its weight in gold, and you should know which duck call performs best for the species of duck or goose you wish to hunt. For example, duck calls made for mallards may vary from other duck calls like those made for pintails, diving ducks, Canadian geese, snow geese etc. Another important aspect to remember is that the duck call that you have would vary for a drake or a hen. Whenever you see a flock of ducks flying towards you, it would be probably better if you don’t use your duck hunting call. The best time to do this is when the ducks are not paying attention to you. You should be aware while using duck calls because the device may get sticky. In order to avoid this situation, using products like Aquapel by rubbing it on the reed will prevent the device from failing at the worse time.
Another trick that you can use would be using decoys, preferably something colorful that would attract the birds. Adding some sparkle on your decoys has the ability of attracting even those decoy shy ducks so that you can get the perfect shot. Using a blue or even a green prism strip can help you in bringing the ducks in those few crucial yards, to help you capitalize and take your shot. One recent invention is the spinning wing decoy, it is essentially a duck on a stand that has remote controlled moving wings. It proves very effective in the field but some people question the ethics of using it, as it may be too effective. Some hunters feel that the playing field of experience is equalized by a newcomer using a motorized decoy. Some traditionalists beleive that using electronics is not ethical. Here is a great forum thread on the debate: HuntingBC.ca
A hunting blind can also help you get to your desired position without spooking the ducks. It acts as great cover to avoid being detected by the ducks. If you are one of those duck hunters who like to stalk their prey, well, patience is more than a virtue in this respect. When you’re in the water, maintain caution taking care of aspects like the waves leaving your knees which could create water ringlets and if the ducks will observe this they would simply take off.
If you don’t have a hunting dog to retrieve your ducks, it is advisable that you carry a casting rod so that you can get the dead duck out of the water, especially if the water is too deep to wade in. On the other hand, if the water is shallow, using waders could probably be the best option. Click to watch a funny video on my dog training in the field.
Camouflaging your appearance certainly increases your success rate. Make sure that the clothes you wear are earthy colors like brown or dark green so that the ducks won’t notice you easily. Using wetlands camo to break up your appearance is a good option. To camouflage your face, you can use the cork of a wine bottle. Just use your lighter and char the end of the cork and then simply massage the residue on your face.
For shooting ducks and geese, guns like the 12 gauge shotguns are probably the best for shooting down ducks and if you want, a 10 gauge would work well for geese. In your 12 guage you can use a #2 or #4 steel shot in a 3″ shell.
Many hunters use semi-automatic shotguns, side by side, or pump action shotguns. In case of taking any shots, just remember that the further shot distance that you take; the larger shot sizes you will need.
Be sure to try some tasty wild duck recipes the next time you get back from the field.