Duck Hunting Newbie

BritChaser

BritChaser

Well-known member
I plan to duck hunt for the first time this season. A cousin has about a mile of river frontage in north central KS in the late zone that I am told should be a dandy place.

I welcome any advice. Thanks.
 
Well I'l tell you I'd kill for that much River front access!! Consider yourself lucky!
 
Not sure if you have bought a call or not but don't over call if you have. You just need to call enough to get their attention and then a few clucks and quacks to keep them coming.
 
Spence said:
Well I'l tell you I'd kill for that much River front access!! Consider yourself lucky!
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X2,

Bring them in close, cupped and landing gear down. You will catch on quick. Best advise I can give is dress warm, Because the best waterfowling is during the worst weather. Best of luck. :)
 
Scout regularly. Find out where they "want" to be. Use good camo, blend in. Set your dekes so they will land in front of you. Play the wind as they will be landing into any stronger winds. Use decoy chord that blends into the river bottom. Nothing like a bunch of straight lines out there to flare the big boys. If you can't call well, don't call. Enjoy the heck out of it. Its plenty fun! Oh yeah, take some kids along. Might as well be starting the "next generation" while you're out there!
 
Prairie Drifter gave good advice....Scout, and scout, and scout. The absolute best duck call is having the wind at your back, your dekes out front with a landing hole, and being where the ducks want to go! Get well hidden, be still when ducks are working, and don't look up at them. If you don't know how to use a duck call but feel you must have one and learn I would suggest a Haydels DR85. Simple and effective at less than $20, easy to blow, and a great sound. Learn to blow a few simple quacks and you will get it done.

If they are landing, shoot at their toes, if taking off, shoot at their nose, have fun, have fun!

BobM
 
Like others have said SCOUT! You will not get near as many opportunities at birds if you are in the wrong spot. Sometimes ducks prefer a spot that may look identical to the one you are hunting only a few short yards away for no other reason then that is what they like. The key is to be where the ducks want to go/be. If you want to get the full experience a d feel as if you're are contributing member of the hunt then I would suggest getting an inexpensive call to get your feet wet. RNT makes several calls ranging from the inexpensive more user friendly to the more advanced. Many of these entry level calls will come with an instructional video of sorts to get you going. Practice blowing the call often. I like driving around in my truck practicing this way my wife doesn't grow tired of my calls. You can never practice too much. Dress warm and be ready to be uncomfortable but be ready for some of the best wing shooting there is.
 
I'm sure you'll have lots of success. I think everybody gave you some great advice. My only tip from past experience is that those little chemical handwarmers are worth their weight in gold! Also, bring one more layer of clothing than you think you will need, because sitting in the blind shivering makes waterfowling a very unpleasant activity.

Also, I'm sure you are an ethical hunter and conservationist, but from experience I feel compelled to remind you... You should give plenty of thought to how you plan to recover the birds that get shot. The faster the water is moving means the fewer birds that should be taken out of each bunch and the closer you should let them come before taking a shot. It will make you sick to your stomach if you make a nice shot and then watch your bird float away because the river is too swift and the dog doesn't have time to get there because he is retrieving another bird.:( We usually set our decoys slightly upstream of where we sit in hopes of dropping the ducks upstream of us. Let whoever has the retriever decide how many and what types of shots will be taken that day. If it's wading water, this may not be much of an issue, but if it's swimming water you will definitely want to have a good plan in place.:thumbsup:

Duck huntin' is fun!:thumbsup:
 
Gentlemen, I have been all over the internet on duck hunting and haven't found 1% of the great advice you have given me. Thank you!
 
Posts above have covered most of the advice I have. You may want to pattern some steel shot and decide which choke/load to use. 3" Fasteel in 2 (late) or 4 (early) with an I/C choke from my extrema is deadly on ducks.
 
BritChaser said:
Gentlemen, I have been all over the internet on duck hunting and haven't found 1% of the great advice you have given me. Thank you!
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"The problem with information you find on the internet, is that the author can't be truly verified." - Abraham Lincoln;)
 
jsdriggs said:
I would add that duck hunting gear is extensive and expensive! Go a bunch of times wiith friends who have all that stuff. Help them get the gear out there, set up, and have a great time.
After three or four hunts, you will know if you like it or not. And most importantly, IF YOU LIKE EATING DUCK! :eek:Everyone likes shooting ducks, but aquiring a taste for them is not widespread. Make sure you enjoy eating them before you shell out the money because, as you know as a sportsman, it is irresponsible to shoot something you don't eat..
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I appreciate this advice because we should not shoot what will not be eaten. I am going to simply try to jump some ducks along the river this year, cook 'em up, and then see what my opinion is of duck hunting. The only thing I have bought, and it didn't cost much, is a float vest for my dog that has a handle on the back.
 
BritChaser said:
I appreciate this advice because we should not shoot what will not be eaten. I am going to simply try to jump some ducks along the river this year, cook 'em up, and then see what my opinion is of duck hunting. The only thing I have bought, and it didn't cost much, is a float vest for my dog that has a handle on the back.
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jsdriggs advice is spot on.

BC the vest for the dog was a good investment.:thumbsup:
 
Do NOT over cook your ducks! They're good several different ways, but over cooked, they're not. Also, you will get a HUGE increase in enjoyment if you decoy them over jump shooting them. There's just something about them wanting to join you that bumps the thrill. Shoot, decoys are about 24$ per dozen. Shells are almost that much. There are a lot of days I don't use over a dozen.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
Do NOT over cook your ducks! They're good several different ways, but over cooked, they're not. Also, you will get a HUGE increase in enjoyment if you decoy them over jump shooting them. There's just something about them wanting to join you that bumps the thrill. Shoot, decoys are about 24$ per dozen. Shells are almost that much. There are a lot of days I don't use over a dozen.
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Thank you! I thought before I spent more money on a sport I may not want to pursue, I would simply try to jump a few, eat them and see if I enjoy them.
 
BC, again I want to stress, try decoy hunting before you decide to like it or not. If you have to come down here and let me take you to get that done without buying or borrowing a bag of decoys, I can get-er-done. When some part of my body gives out preventing me from chasing roosters, I will find a good duck spot and sit in the decoys with a Boykin slogging them out for me.
 
Prairie Drifter said:
BC, again I want to stress, try decoy hunting before you decide to like it or not. If you have to come down here and let me take you to get that done without buying or borrowing a bag of decoys, I can get-er-done. When some part of my body gives out preventing me from chasing roosters, I will find a good duck spot and sit in the decoys with a Boykin slogging them out for me.
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Thank you so much!
 
Neoprene dog float vest came in from Cabelas today. It fits and looks functional and provides some camo on the dog. Ready.
 
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