# What got you started



## welderguy (Dec 8, 2015)

If you are new to duck hunting,say within the past 5 years,tell us what or who got you interested in this great sport.


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## Noodle7 (Dec 8, 2015)

I said I never wanted to sit on the water when it's freezing cold. My brother begged me for 2 years to go. All it took was once. Don't even care to deer hunt any more


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## welderguy (Dec 8, 2015)

Noodle7 said:


> I said I never wanted to sit on the water when it's freezing cold. My brother begged me for 2 years to go. All it took was once. Don't even care to deer hunt any more



In Georgia? Woodies?


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## Woadie (Dec 8, 2015)

I deer hunted a lot.   I had a few buddies of mine tell me that I had to try it.  They promised to take me if I made the investment.  Needless to say, I made the investment and they all disappeared.  I met some other guys and they took me on public land with them.  it was a rough couple of years.   Now I have a lease and a couple of other places to go.


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## dbean43 (Dec 8, 2015)

I'd been deer hunting awhile and my cousin invited me to come and watch on thanksgiving morning. It was a woodie shoot and I was hooked from just watching. I immediately went and bought a license


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## Core Lokt (Dec 9, 2015)

Life long deer hunter but 13-14 yrs ago a buddy got me into duck and spring gobbler hunting in the same year. Been doing both ever since. He was very stern on only shooting decoying ducks, NO pass shooting on long ducks. Glad I started with him because I'm anal about the same thing now as well.


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## welderguy (Dec 9, 2015)

Core Lokt said:


> Life long deer hunter but 13-14 yrs ago a buddy got me into duck and spring gobbler hunting in the same year. Been doing both ever since. He was very stern on only shooting decoying ducks, NO pass shooting on long ducks. Glad I started with him because I'm anal about the same thing now as well.



Imagine what duck hunting could be like if all the newcomers were taught that way.


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## rnelson5 (Dec 9, 2015)

Core Lokt said:


> Life long deer hunter but 13-14 yrs ago a buddy got me into duck and spring gobbler hunting in the same year. Been doing both ever since. He was very stern on only shooting decoying ducks, NO pass shooting on long ducks. Glad I started with him because I'm anal about the same thing now as well.



Decoying as in finishing or decoying as in getting close enough to shoot?????


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## buzzbaithead57 (Dec 9, 2015)

Lifelong deer, dove, quail, and turkey hunter. Moved to Arkansas to go to school and went with a couple of guys on the Black River at Dave Donaldson (they knew what they were doing). The next day I spent my life savings


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## deerbuster (Dec 9, 2015)

Duck Dynasty 

No but seriously, my brother did. I was a youngster (10) on my first wood duck hunt. I couldn't get enough that year and I have never looked back.


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## Beta Tau789 (Dec 9, 2015)

My first duck hunt was when I was 12. Dad took me with him, stand-by at Butler Island (The good old days when you could get on). It was the last Saturday of the season and probably the coldest day of the year. We drew the infamous Blind #1. I didn't have waders, so Dad put me in the aqua painted Jon boat they provide to get across the canal and broke up the ice (a rare occurrence this far south) to get us in the old rice patty. Dad draped some military mosquito netting around the boat and pushed me in a patch of brush while he set decoys and attempted to cover up that god awful colored boat with marsh reeds and anything else he could find. I don't remember seeing any ducks, but the snipe where like gnats, but I was too cold to shoot shivering under an old wool blanket. By the time the truck came around to pick us up, there was my dad standing in his old canvas waders wearing only a thermal shirt, because he had given me his flannel shirt sweater and coat to keep me comfortable. When I finally thawed out in the truck on the way home, I asked him when we were going again and the rest is history......


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## Core Lokt (Dec 9, 2015)

rnelson5 said:


> Decoying as in finishing or decoying as in getting close enough to shoot?????



no shooting on the water... most times they are only 3'-6' off the water wings cupped and feet down.  If it's a small group shoot when they get in range. If a large group sometimes the first 5,6,7 will land and we start with the ones in the air in the back and then go to the birds that got up to leave. 

Took a guy in the first split, he is new to the sport. We had one group of 10-12 circle us 3 times inside of 30 and on the 4th try they got it right and came on in. It was killing him to not jump up and shoot on each pass. Sometimes they will circle and just don't get it right and leave. Sometimes they show up in your face and there they are. You know the drill. Just trying to teach someone the way I was taught. Doesn't mean it's right I guess..

I tell ya what, Since I started shooting the 20g I have really enjoyed it. Not that I didn't like it with the 12 but the 20 is fun to shoot and easy on the shoulder. Just an all around fun gun to me.


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## Core Lokt (Dec 9, 2015)

Took my oldest girl on opening day of first split. We hunted until 10 and never fired a shot. I was kind of glad it happened just to show her you don't kill or even shoot on every hunt. She's hooked already though. She bought herself a gun 2 seasons ago and has turned into a pretty good shooter I must say.


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## wray912 (Dec 9, 2015)

id say prolly bout the 3rd season of duck dynasty...then i bought all the duck commander dvds and the twin call pack and that really got me fired up...still workin on my beard and got a new facepaint design drawn up just got put ink to face and see how i like it...one question is 3 dzn dakotas too many for my 1/8 acre woody hole?


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## mizzippi jb (Dec 9, 2015)

welderguy said:


> Imagine what duck hunting could be like if all the newcomers were taught that way.



Amen


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## rnelson5 (Dec 9, 2015)

Core Lokt said:


> no shooting on the water... most times they are only 3'-6' off the water wings cupped and feet down.  If it's a small group shoot when they get in range. If a large group sometimes the first 5,6,7 will land and we start with the ones in the air in the back and then go to the birds that got up to leave.
> 
> Took a guy in the first split, he is new to the sport. We had one group of 10-12 circle us 3 times inside of 30 and on the 4th try they got it right and came on in. It was killing him to not jump up and shoot on each pass. Sometimes they will circle and just don't get it right and leave. Sometimes they show up in your face and there they are. You know the drill. Just trying to teach someone the way I was taught. Doesn't mean it's right I guess..
> 
> I tell ya what, Since I started shooting the 20g I have really enjoyed it. Not that I didn't like it with the 12 but the 20 is fun to shoot and easy on the shoulder. Just an all around fun gun to me.



I am not even going to try to lie. I will take a low passing shot when the birds won't finish. You know some days it does not seem to matter what you do, they just won't finish. I know some will disagree, but i don't get up early and go to watch the sunrise. I go to shoot ducks and everything else is a bonus. Now I am not talking about shooting at ducks that you need the hubble telescope to see, but a close passing shot is another bird closer to the limit to me.

Who knows.... Maybe I am what is wrong with todays duck hunters!!


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## dom (Dec 9, 2015)

rnelson5 said:


> I am not even going to try to lie. I will take a low passing shot when the birds won't finish. You know some days it does not seem to matter what you do, they just won't finish. I know some will disagree, but i don't get up early and go to watch the sunrise. I go to shoot ducks and everything else is a bonus. Now I am not talking about shooting at ducks that you need the hubble telescope to see, but a close passing shot is another bird closer to the limit to me.
> 
> Who knows.... Maybe I am what is wrong with todays duck hunters!!



i'm in the same boat. if you dont take a shot at a duck flying by that might not finish... well i guess we're just different. 

sky-busting is a different story.


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## welderguy (Dec 9, 2015)

rnelson5 said:


> I am not even going to try to lie. I will take a low passing shot when the birds won't finish. You know some days it does not seem to matter what you do, they just won't finish. I know some will disagree, but i don't get up early and go to watch the sunrise. I go to shoot ducks and everything else is a bonus. Now I am not talking about shooting at ducks that you need the hubble telescope to see, but a close passing shot is another bird closer to the limit to me.
> 
> Who knows.... Maybe I am what is wrong with todays duck hunters!!



Many don't even know the effective range of their shotgun.Or else they are over optimistic,one or the other.

How'd you get started duck hunting Robbie?


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## rnelson5 (Dec 9, 2015)

welderguy said:


> Many don't even know the effective range of their shotgun.Or else they are over optimistic,one or the other.
> 
> How'd you get started duck hunting Robbie?



Well my dad nor any family ever hunted at all but I grew up in the woods. Me and a buddy had a little swamp on a neighbors land that we were deer hunting as kids. We knew ducks flew in there but had no idea about duck hunting or ducks for that matter. Well, it took me until Xmas day one season to kill my first duck which was a drake woody. I learned more by trial and error those first couple of years than I could have ever been taught I believe. After that, I just started networking and accumilating "stuff" for duck hunting and that is pretty much it. One thing I am good at is research. For example, I spent about 3 hours last night on the www looking at potential out of state places, making phone calls, etc. It is cyber scouting I guess you would call it, but it works. My wife swears I am going to leave her for a duck....There is a wealth of info to be had from this forum and others like it. You just have to know when, where, and how to ask. You also have to know how to weed through the junk if you catch my drift. I may know a fair amount about duck hunting, but I am always willing to listen and try something new, especially if it is coming from someone with experience.


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## awoods (Dec 9, 2015)

Grandpa and dad started bringing me duck hunting as my first hunting activity. They thought since I was a boy that I would do better in the duck blind than in a deer stand - I could fidget / talk more, and there would be more action to keep me entertained. It worked, I was hooked after that...I almost hunt year round between GA and MS.


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## wray912 (Dec 9, 2015)

rnelson5 said:


> I am not even going to try to lie. I will take a low passing shot when the birds won't finish. You know some days it does not seem to matter what you do, they just won't finish. I know some will disagree, but i don't get up early and go to watch the sunrise. I go to shoot ducks and everything else is a bonus. Now I am not talking about shooting at ducks that you need the hubble telescope to see, but a close passing shot is another bird closer to the limit to me.
> 
> Who knows.... Maybe I am what is wrong with todays duck hunters!!



I agree with that to a point...some people think inside 80 is in range and dont understand what swing birds are...i know you do but some dont...if somebody is 200 yds away from me and birds are working their spread and swing inside 40 yds of me theyre in range but then it messes those guys up at having a chance of the same birds droping the landing gear on them...now if they are shooting at birds that are workin them and just not letting them work thats their own problem and i aint waitin on em haha


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## welderguy (Dec 9, 2015)

Killer,you haven't told us how you got interested in duck hunting waaaay back when you had to use trash bags for waders and shoot homemade slingshots.Come on what's the story?


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## mguthrie (Dec 9, 2015)

I was deer hunting a piece of land with a small lake on it and had over a hundred ducks fly over me and land in the lake. When I got down I walked by the lake and there were 200 woodies and ring necks on it. Didn't know what they were at the time. I went and got some steel shot and a liscence and sat on the end of the dock pass shooting a couple days later. Me and a buddy ended up killing 50-60 ducks that first year. I've hunted from the ga coast to maryland and out to Arkansas since then. I think I got some kind of illness that first year that I still can't shake


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## king killer delete (Dec 9, 2015)

I got decoys older than most of you guys. 10 years old in the delta it's just what folks did.


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## across the river (Dec 9, 2015)

welderguy said:


> Imagine what duck hunting could be like if all the newcomers were taught that way.



I don't have to image.  I remember what it was like 20 years ago before there were any newcomers.   There weren't many people duck hunting at all, at least not where I was at.  People weren't camping out on every point.  No one set up right beside you at daylight.  The only other boats you even had to worry about was the occasional fisherman.  It was a far cry from public land hunting today.


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## awoods (Dec 9, 2015)

king killer delete said:


> I got decoys older than most of you guys. 10 years old in the delta it's just what folks did.



What part? My mom' side is from greenwood and dads side was just up the hill in Carroll co. most of our folks are still out there. You probably hunted out there when it was private or hunting club run - the WMAs. My grandpa used to be part of the leflore co hunting club. I think it still exists.


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## mizzippi jb (Dec 9, 2015)

awoods said:


> What part? My mom' side is from greenwood and dads side was just up the hill in Carroll co. most of our folks are still out there. You probably hunted out there when it was private or hunting club run - the WMAs. My grandpa used to be part of the leflore co hunting club. I think it still exists.



He's more Vicksburg I believe


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## Coopersdad0614 (Dec 9, 2015)

Had buddies in high school that did it and never would take me. Wanted to go for years but never had a spot and getting a duck hunter to take you along is like trying to get grass to grow in the sahara. Finally on some deer hunting land a few years ago we noticed some woodies coming to a flooded creek on the property. Last year we finally decided to try em. And each time we went it was a solid 20 minutes of shooting ducks at daylight. After the woodies had flown there was a flock of geese that likes to hang out on the other side of the property around a catfish pond. We would set up a decoy or two and try to get em to come over. And when they did we would shot them too. I don't even know if we do it right. None of us are great shots, and kills were few and far between, but it got me hooked. Went and bought me a new 12 gauge this year and started shooting more. No binelli but it gets the job done. Really want to try some WMA's and maybe drive out to MS or AR one day for a weekend trip.


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## Core Lokt (Dec 10, 2015)

rnelson5 said:


> I am not even going to try to lie. I will take a low passing shot when the birds won't finish. You know some days it does not seem to matter what you do, they just won't finish. I know some will disagree, but i don't get up early and go to watch the sunrise. I go to shoot ducks and everything else is a bonus. Now I am not talking about shooting at ducks that you need the hubble telescope to see, but a close passing shot is another bird closer to the limit to me.
> 
> Who knows.... Maybe I am what is wrong with todays duck hunters!!




Nothing wrong with shooting a passing bird within range if you want.  I have been known to do it myself especially on big ducks because we don't get many but I like watching the birds work. i know I have let many go by not shooting that didn't finish. 

I try to learn when a group can't get it right, or more than one group I start looking at my decoys trying to figure out what is wrong with them and will get out and change things up. Sometimes it's a little as moving a couple decoys, the flapper if it is out or changing the entire spread. Some times it works and some times it doesn't.  I have said more than once "we should have shot them" LOL. 

Good luck to everyone and stay safe


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## bruiserbuckgrower (Dec 10, 2015)

I grew up in the dove fields with my dad and grandad, they had all but stopped duck hunting by the time I came along. But I can still remember the the first time I heard the whistle of a duck flying thru the dove field and I was pretty much hooked then at 5 years old. Mainly hunt woodies on the river or in a farm pond but want to start doing some traveling for other species. I have a 20 month old son and a 6 month old lil girl and every bird that goes over the boy says duk Dada haha


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## Mathu54 (Dec 10, 2015)

Cusin of mine lives in  Arkansas.   He got married and for a Bachelor party  took a group of us duck hunting.  We killed a 5 man limit of mallards... 17 drakes, 3 hens  with one banded drake from North Dakota.   It was on public land,  on a sweet 16 wma.... i have returned every year.    Unfornatley, Ga isnt quite on the Arkansas level, but i manage to kill a few wood ducks on our WMAs from time to time.   Ill be making my trip  january  10-16.    Duck hunting is addictive and i spend alot of time scouting and going door to door asking for permision with no sucess... but we did manage a banded drake woodie on a WMA her last year.   I average one limit a year... other than that im happy to just get a few shots off.


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## king killer delete (Dec 11, 2015)

mizzippi jb said:


> He's more Vicksburg I believe



Yep , Vicksburg


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## emusmacker (Dec 12, 2015)

Don't really remember exactly, but when I was in high school I'd hear my cousins dads talk duck hunting in Arkansas. I also remember the beauty of a drake wood duck and decided I wanted to hunt them. A friend of mine would load an old 10 foot jon boat into a wood hauling trailer and hook it to my dads, old Farmall tractor and haul it to the creek or river. Had loads of fun, and killed lots of ducks.  Then discovered other ducks, hunted them too.  My son is 13 and he is obsessed with it.  

I must admit, I have no problem taking a waterswat.  No shame in my game.


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