# REAL advice for newbies?



## fishndinty (Feb 13, 2013)

Guys,
Now that the season is over, maybe we could make a thread together and all use our experience in the field to help the newer waterfowlers here with advice that has helped us with our calling, decoying, scouting, or shooting ducks and geese?

This is NOT a place to derail or to make fun...I hope we could eventually sticky this thread as an important source of information for all of us!

I'll go first with a few hard won pieces of advice:

Calling:
1. Listen to a CD (Buck Gardner's calling CD is great) or watch duck videos to listen to what a good hail, greeting, comeback, finishing call sound like.  If you can't make reasonable representations of those sounds with your mallard call, DO NOT CALL WITH IT!  You will scare more birds than you will attract.

2. Until you master a mallard call, use a 6 in 1 whistle.  With just a little practice, you can make the peeps of a teal, the locating call of a wood duck, the peep of a pintail, the who-whee-who of a wigeon, the whistle of a pintail, and the quack of a drake mallard.  Even expert callers should use these more, since their quiet sounds are great on windless days and for pressured birds.

3. For geese, mastering and using basic clucks and honks will allow you to call in Canada geese like crazy.  You don't need to be a contest caller.  Just learn to make a basic cluck and make it sound good.  Learn to sound like one goose and that's all you need at first.

Decoying:
1. Until you are ready to start burning 20$ bills like you have a drug habit, you DON'T need every species of decoys out there.  Buy a dozen mallard decoys if you hunt puddlers, or 2 dozen bluebill decoys if you hunt divers.  Unless you are good at repainting decoys, buy a type whose paint holds up well. (GHG Pro grade and G&H decoys have a great reputation for having durable paint)  Baby your decoys and keep them looking nice and clean.  It makes a difference!

2. Until you have enough decoys to put out any size spread you want, it helps to try to make your decoy spread look different from everyone else's in the swamp.  This might mean using only a few mallard decoys and a few bluebill decoys in a puddler spread, or it might mean using almost all goose floaters with only a few ducks off to the side (my current favorite duck spread).  Up on their breeding grounds, ducks are used to mixing with other species and with geese, so don't worry so much about it looking unnatural.  What looks unnatural to a duck is a swamp full of spreads with a dozen mallards each and a mojo.  Be different.

3. Learn to use a jerk string.  It will draw birds better than most duck callers can with a call.

Scouting:

1. Scout.  A lot.

2. Try to ask permission for new properties to hunt in the spring, when farmers are working fields.  Offer to help, and offer to share the harvest.  Farmers like game meat, too.

3. Don't post locations of public places you have seen ducks on the internet unless you want the ducks gone before you get back.

Shooting:

1. Skeet shooting is great practice, but for me it does not replicate the raw emotion of seeing ducks come in close.  Unless you are more cold-blooded than I am, you are probably gonna miss a lot at first because you are so excited.  Don't worry about it.  Practice to get a consistent gun mount and be thinking about mounting the gun correctly just before you go to shoot.  This will help calm your nerves a bit (I still miss from nerves; it's one of the things I LOVE about duck hunting!)

2. WATCH THE BIRD, then Butt, Beak, Bang! (This means swing your shotgun through the back of the bird and through the beak of the bird....once you see daylight, pull the trigger without stopping your swing.  This is much harder than it sounds!

3. For Geese closer than 30 yards, put the bead of the gun on the beak of the goose and pull the trigger without stopping the barrel moving.  Dead goose.

4. Don't shoot at anything taller than treetop high.  Don't shoot at anything more than 40 yards out.  If you need to, put a decoy at that range so you will know where it is.  This will keep you from crippling a bunch of birds to die slowly later on.


OK, there is my start. Let's all be supportive and take 15 minutes to write down our pieces of advice for the newbies out there!  Got a diagram of a spread that works for you? A tip for hitting fast moving teal?  Advice on loads or chokes?  Please post away!  Let's support one another in our efforts to enjoy this sport we all love!


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## Timbertalker (Feb 13, 2013)

Hunter etiquette is number 1 in my book. It's called respect. Do not set up a 100 yards from someone. 200 yards is EXPECTED but 300 is respectable. Swing shooting is a big no no. If some one is working birds don't shoot there swing birds. And if you have someone's swing birds flying over you, then you are probably too close anyways. Shoot your birds right! It's called hunting. Make the birds give up. If you are going out there just to shoot then find a dove Field or a skeet range.


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## fishndinty (Feb 13, 2013)

Timbertalker said:


> Hunter etiquette is number 1 in my book....



Great post.   All of us can use that reminder.  We should all do everything we can to be both legal and ethical hunters.


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## jabrooks07 (Feb 13, 2013)

timbertalker said:


> hunter etiquette is number 1 in my book. It's called respect. Do not set up a 100 yards from someone. 200 yards is expected but 300 is respectable. Swing shooting is a big no no. If some one is working birds don't shoot there swing birds. And if you have someone's swing birds flying over you, then you are probably too close anyways. Shoot your birds right! It's called hunting. Make the birds give up. If you are going out there just to shoot then find a dove field or a skeet range.



x 34,576,849,304,837

Go with someone you can learn from. Someone that has been doing it for a long time if available. Thats how I started ten years ago. Hunt legal, support DU. Don't just be a hunter but be a conservationist. Be selective with your shots, if you shoot at everything that flies, pretty soon you won't have anything to shoot at.


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## BeardsandSpurs (Feb 13, 2013)

This is a great thread...i'm just sitting back and taking notes!!!


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## ThunderRoad (Feb 13, 2013)

If you've been invited to hunt with somebody that has all the equipment or spot, be prepared to do all the work you possible can in the field. I have no issue picking up decoys, pullin the boat through shallow water etc. when hunting with another party of hunters. 

If you cant call dont bring them. In GA, you aint gonna go out with a whistle and bring in widgeon, GWT, and pinnies. Unless you have a spot that HOLDS BIRDS just hunt and shoot. No need to call most times in GA. 

When you are hunting with someone else's dog, act like it is yours...this will keep you from getting wrapped on the beak for shooting a cripple while the dog is making a retrieve.

In waterfowling, one thing can be said about any purchase: buy quality the first time, so you dont have to buy crap a second time. just spend the money for good stuff. period.

Stop posting the names of public spots. Thats why this place is a joke.


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## fishndinty (Feb 13, 2013)

ThunderRoad said:


> If you cant call dont bring them. In GA, you aint gonna go out with a whistle and bring in widgeon, GWT, and pinnies. Unless you have a spot that HOLDS BIRDS just hunt and shoot. No need to call most times in GA...



A whistle with a few teal peeps might get your decoys noticed and it's something fun to do that is not likely to spook birds...


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## ThunderRoad (Feb 13, 2013)

fishndinty said:


> A whistle with a few teal peeps might get your decoys noticed and it's something fun to do that is not likely to spook birds...



This aint the midwest hoss. 90% of birds killed here are gonna be wood ducks. They are either comin or goin. If it aint wood ducks, its ringnecks...questionable at best there response to any call.


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## jabrooks07 (Feb 13, 2013)

i've turned my fair share of woodies with a quick tooweet... albeit not with a whistle. Don't let anyone tell you that woodies dont respond to calling.


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## tradhunter98 (Feb 13, 2013)

I am glad people r coming together to help a new hunter a little more!!!!!!!!


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## krazybronco2 (Feb 13, 2013)

study what each ducks like on the water and flying. ducks unlimited has a pretty good duck id page. the last thing u want is to over shoot your limit of anything


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## carolinaboy (Feb 13, 2013)

Advice. Read books about the old days and how they use to hunt it is a great place to start.  Becoming better at duck hunting is like many other things in life, it takes time and you learn from your experiances. I never had anyone to help me learn. Me and my buddies learned on our own. I have 3 other guys that I hunt with localy I never take anyone else except a few youth hunters. Every day we are hunting we take notes of what worked and what didn't work. You have to be very vercitile and try things that no body else trys. If you cant blow a duck call dont take it, I cant blow one so I never take one. Scouting is by far the most important aspect of duck hunting. If you know where they want to be you can kill them without decoys or calling. There have been numerouse times where we have found birds using an area gone in and set up on them. When they started coming in they didnt want to be where we were so we didnt shoot the few we could came back the next day and limited out. But to me the most important part of hunting is keeping your mouth shut. You say something to one person and you can ruin a hole or even a hole lake or river.


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## Blindside (Feb 13, 2013)

carolinaboy said:


> But to me the most important part of hunting is keeping your mouth shut. You say something to one person and you can ruin a hole or even a hole lake or river.



Most of these rubberheads will disagree with your statement. They should come on over to SCDUCKS and talk about lakes and specific spots.


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## Folsom (Feb 13, 2013)

loose lips sinks ships


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## wray912 (Feb 13, 2013)

Quit freakin skybustin....newbs have to get their heads around the fact that its not all about how many birds you hit the ramp with its how many you put in the decoys...i would rather come out with two mergs that were shot cupped up n feet down than a full limit that were all 60 yd shots


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## jabrooks07 (Feb 14, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Quit freakin skybustin....newbs have to get their heads around the fact that its not all about how many birds you hit the ramp with its how many you put in the decoys...i would rather come out with two mergs that were shot cupped up n feet down than a full limit that were all 60 yd shots



x2 earn your ducks! It will make you appreciate them so much more!


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## fishndinty (Feb 14, 2013)

jabrooks07 said:


> x2 earn your ducks! It will make you appreciate them so much more!



Ok...we get it...don't skybust or give out info on the internet.  Give us something that we can use to more effectively decoy or call ducks into range...spend a little time and write down a few tips.  Help these newbs out so they don't have to skybust anymore.


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## ThunderRoad (Feb 14, 2013)

Go to the potty before having your morning coffee and throwin in a dip. Especially in the timber. Thats what we call a one hitta quitta...


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## ThunderRoad (Feb 14, 2013)

dont skybust or give out spots on the net


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

fishndinty said:


> Ok...we get it...don't skybust or give out info on the internet.  Give us something that we can use to more effectively decoy or call ducks into range...spend a little time and write down a few tips.  Help these newbs out so they don't have to skybust anymore.



To learn to call better practice get CDs. Go to a refuge to listen to what ducks actually sound like. As far as decoying go watch the birds. I often scout two days to hunt one. I may find birds one day go back the next to watch where they come from where they sit and how they react to the birds already on the water.


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## nickf11 (Feb 14, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Quit freakin skybustin....newbs have to get their heads around the fact that its not all about how many birds you hit the ramp with its how many you put in the decoys...i would rather come out with two mergs that were shot cupped up n feet down than a full limit that were all 60 yd shots





jabrooks07 said:


> x2 earn your ducks! It will make you appreciate them so much more!



Amen. Best part of duck hunting is watching birds work and finish. Not blasting away and burning shells. Once newbies really see this they'll appreciate duck hunting for a lot more than just shooting.


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## TailCrackin (Feb 14, 2013)

Some of this years lessons from my first season trying public land.  Have shot our leased wood duck hole for 5 or 6 years so not new to that but the piedmont public land game is a whole different ballgame.    

#1 - a hole you used to walk to .5 mile through the woods may be accessible by several groups via a 2 minute boat ride after a good weeks worth of rain....learned this the hard way.  

#2 - hunters who drive boats to duck holes carry big lights to shine you off as you stumble thru the woods to said hole

#3 - you get to the hole 45 minutes before LST on a thursday and have it all to yourself...go back saturday at same time and you are 3 hours late for both that hole and your 3 backups...See lesson #1 above.

#4 - leave empty hulls at your hole and you will have company saturday morning...either other hunters or law enforcement...or both

#5 - if you get to a public hole before daylight, hole is vacant of other hunters but there are decoys on the water....they are there for a reason

#6 - walking out .5 mile with wet waders on a 30 degree morning is no fun...see lesson #5 above.

#7 - as soon as the wood duck action slows and you start cutting up in the blind...this is when the big ducks will show up...they also like to arrive when you are picking up dekes, unloading guns, taking an aqua dump
, etc.

#8 - dont allow someone else to retrieve your jerk rig...they will break it


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## duck-dawg (Feb 14, 2013)

TailCrackin said:


> Some of this years lessons from my first season trying public land.  Have shot our leased wood duck hole for 5 or 6 years so not new to that but the piedmont public land game is a whole different ballgame.
> 
> #1 - a hole you used to walk to .5 mile through the woods may be accessible by several groups via a 2 minute boat ride after a good weeks worth of rain....learned this the hard way.
> 
> ...



Picking up empty shells should be a given...along with all other trash you bring in. The marsh isn't a trash can, and your mom isn't going to come behind and pick up after you.

Now as far as the aqua dump goes, don't be giving away secrets...that's the single most effective way to draw in ducks. There won't be a bird in the sky, but the second you drop your waders and "release", birds will materialize out of nowhere.


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## Timbertalker (Feb 14, 2013)

^^^^ that all sounds like common sense to me?? 

As far as tips go. You just need to get with someone and let them teach you. Everyone has different ways of doing things. When it comes to calling and decoy spreads there are 1000 different ways to do it. I know what works for me and others know what works for them. I just throw my decoys how ever they fall (looks more natural to me) others set up j hooks and V's. Some people don't make much noise on a call some make allot. Hunt with people and figure it out what you think works the best. Don't be afraid to ask to hunt with people. I know when I hunt, I would rather you come ask to hunt with me then to set up right beside me.


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## TailCrackin (Feb 14, 2013)

duck-dawg said:


> Picking up empty shells should be a given...along with all other trash you bring in. The marsh isn't a trash can, and your mom isn't going to come behind and pick up after you.



It should be...but you see it at just about every hole you visit on the ONF.


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Quit freakin skybustin....newbs have to get their heads around the fact that its not all about how many birds you hit the ramp with its how many you put in the decoys...i would rather come out with two mergs that were shot cupped up n feet down than a full limit that were all 60 yd shots




I don't know bud....I'd be pretty happy with a limit at 60 yards ...did it a few times in TX myself.


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## fishndinty (Feb 14, 2013)

GADawg08 said:


> I don't know bud....I'd be pretty happy with a limit at 60 yards ...did it a few times in TX myself.



This is a thread for newbs who should not be shooting at birds that far out.


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

fishndinty said:


> This is a thread for newbs who should not be shooting at birds that far out.



i will just say that (and this goes for anyone, not just newbies) if you are fully capable and comfortable with the shot and your range, by all means take 60 yard shots....now don't get me wrong, I have shot my share of ducks at 10, 15, 20 yards cupped with landing gear down, which is how i prefer to shoot them. I enjoy in your face action just as much as the next guy, BUT if the ducks just aren't coming into what some guys consider their "range" I am fully comfortable and believe in my shooting and equipment enough to make a clean kill at 60 yds.


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

If birds won't do it right I have no problem shooting them out there a little ways. But if you are not comfortable with the shot don't do it. There is a lot of self restraint with duck hunting. 60 yards is a lot further than most think. You can get lucky and kill a few at that distance but with steel it's risky maybe some other shot.


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

carolinaboy said:


> If birds won't do it right I have no problem shooting them out there a little ways. But if you are not comfortable with the shot don't do it. There is a lot of self restraint with duck hunting. 60 yards is a lot further than most think. You can get lucky and kill a few at that distance but with steel it's risky maybe some other shot.



yeah carolinaboy, up until I found a GREAT choke/shell combination I was a little hesitant to shoot that far. However, if its very windy, I dont care how comfortable I am with the shot Im not gonna take it. I guess the point Im tryin to get across to the new guys would be to not take a shot you aren't comfortable/confident with. And with duck huntin (especially wood ducks), a lot of times you have just a split second to make a decision. It all comes down to judgement


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

Not knocking it I am the first one to sling a barrel just get a little hesitant. Seen a few birds I thought I missed fly off a few hundred yards then roll over dead.


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

i've seen ducks take a load at 15 yds and fly off and I've seen ducks stone dead at 60


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

Yes, this is why they need to allow lead shot.


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

carolinaboy said:


> Yes, this is why they need to allow lead shot.


 
agreed


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## wray912 (Feb 14, 2013)

GADawg08 said:


> i will just say that (and this goes for anyone, not just newbies) if you are fully capable and comfortable with the shot and your range, by all means take 60 yard shots....now don't get me wrong, I have shot my share of ducks at 10, 15, 20 yards cupped with landing gear down, which is how i prefer to shoot them. I enjoy in your face action just as much as the next guy, BUT if the ducks just aren't coming into what some guys consider their "range" I am fully comfortable and believe in my shooting and equipment enough to make a clean kill at 60 yds.


I wasn't talkin about bein able too...meant it more along the line of shooting others swing birds if they're not workin anybody that's one thing but if they're workin your neighbor let em work cause odds are the ones they don't kill will be lookin at you next(as far as ringers and blue bills)


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## GADawg08 (Feb 14, 2013)

wray912 said:


> I wasn't talkin about bein able too...meant it more along the line of shooting others swing birds if they're not workin anybody that's one thing but if they're workin your neighbor let em work cause odds are the ones they don't kill will be lookin at you next(as far as ringers and blue bills)



I completely agree.....I don't hunt a whole lot of public  land but when I do, we are never close enough to have to worry about it. But with land being scarce, and more and more people having to hunt public land I definately see where you guys are coming from about letting birds work and not shoot swinging birds


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## wray912 (Feb 14, 2013)

GADawg08 said:


> I completely agree.....I don't hunt a whole lot of public  land but when I do, we are never close enough to have to worry about it. But with land being scarce, and more and more people having to hunt public land I definately see where you guys are coming from about letting birds work and not shoot swinging birds



Yea divers just swing so wide and when one group starts sky bustin em or take Hail Mary shots then everybody's hunt is ruined


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

This guy and his jokes.


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## Woods Savvy (Feb 14, 2013)

Advice for a newbie, Disappointment is the product of improper expectation.


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## fishndinty (Feb 14, 2013)

Woods Savvy said:


> Advice for a newbie, Disappointment is the product of improper expectation.



You guys are SUCH killjoys.  Give us some SPECIFIC tips.  Anything that has helped shallow your learning curve or scratch out a few birds more in a tough season?


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

Those are the things you have to learn on your own. It makes it more fun.


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## northgeorgiasportsman (Feb 14, 2013)

My observation as an outsider looking in (and a wannabe duck hunter), in duck hunting more than any other sport do the "veterans" want to keep new blood out of the sport.  Now this isn't true of everyone of course, I've already received good advice from veterans on here who give generously of their wisdom.  But there are far too many who want to discourage beginners, perhaps because they want all the ducks for themselves and any new hunters are merely competition.  People are quick to forget that they were novices once too.


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## carolinaboy (Feb 14, 2013)

No, do you just want everything given to you. That is part of the sport learning as you go. If it was easy why would you want to try. I bet you think everyone should get a trophy just for playing a sport, not for winning.


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## across the river (Feb 14, 2013)

northgeorgiasportsman said:


> My observation as an outsider looking in (and a wannabe duck hunter), in duck hunting more than any other sport do the "veterans" want to keep new blood out of the sport.  Now this isn't true of everyone of course, I've already received good advice from veterans on here who give generously of their wisdom.  But there are far too many who want to discourage beginners, perhaps because they want all the ducks for themselves and any new hunters are merely competition.  People are quick to forget that they were novices once too.



I don't think veterans in anyway want to keep newbies out of the sport.  A large percentage of duck hunters hunt on public land.   People are hesitant to give out specific spots because they don't want competition on the land they hunt.    If you want help, ask specific questions related to the area you are hunting, the specific situation, or even general questions about how to do something, and I feel confident you will get plenty of help.   Asking where to go to hunt, or how many birds are on a particular lake, and you will get a lot of smart remarks. You would be better of asking someone to take you to there private impoundment.  Similarly, go ask someone on the deer hunting forum to tell you where you can kill a 140" buck, and doubt you will get a lot of nice responses. 

The most important thing you need to understand when hunting Georgia is YOU ARE NOT IN THE FLYWAY.  The guys you watch on T.V. or in a video are.  They are often just hunting birds that are just flying through the area during migration.   You are hunting birds that have been sitting in a specific spot for the last few days, and you want to kill them when they come back tomorrow morning. If you are just trying to luck up on some birds that happen to migrate through and "call them in", you are in for a lot of long mornings. There aren't enough migrating through Georgia to do that. How you call( you shouldn't ) or how you set you decoy spread up on a Georgia hunt are far less important than where you setup.  Scout, scout, and scout some more.  Find the birds and setup on them in that exact spot.   If you do that, you can leave all of your calls at home, and hunt over six spray painted clorox jugs, and you will kill far more ducks than the yahoos with a brand new echo call and 3 dozen hot buy mallards who random sets up and blows hail calls at ring necks and coots all morning.  Do this, figure it out, get some ducks under you belt, and then you can start making some trips west where you might actually need you call.


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## triton196 (Feb 14, 2013)

Rule 1. keep a knife available on your wader strap if you fall in and water fills em up you may need to cut em off quick. 
Rule 2 dont over call. 
Rule 3 dont move and hide good including your face once a duck sees you its over. 
Rule 4 Do not sky bust ! do not sky bust ! do not sky bust!
Rule 5 Show respect to other hunters and dont over hunt a spot once a week is good enough!
Rule 6 go to the mississippi flyway and hunt its an experience of a lifetime. 
Rule 6 keep your mouth shut about your spots unless its with a trusted huntin buddy 
Rule 7 invite me hunting ill show you the rest lol.


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## fishndinty (Feb 15, 2013)

triton196 said:


> Rule 1. keep a knife available on your wader strap if you fall in and water fills em up you may need to cut em off quick.
> Rule 2 dont over call.
> Rule 3 dont move and hide good including your face once a duck sees you its over.
> Rule 4 Do not sky bust ! do not sky bust ! do not sky bust!
> ...



Love it.


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## jabrooks07 (Feb 15, 2013)

Im diggin rule 7!


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## ghadarits (Feb 15, 2013)

*Close is good cupped with gear down is best.*

I' ve never hunted with anyone other than my nephews and a couple of friends that all have less experience than me. I hunt as much by myself as I do with a partner. I don't kill or even get shots at ducks every time I go so when I do I want my opportunities to count. 

1.	This is very important to be aware of as a new water fowl hunter steel does not have near the range of lead. I say this comparing pheasant hunting with lead shot to duck hunting with steel shot. I consistently take pheasant at 60 yards but do not like to shoot at ducks any farther than 40 yards due to the diminished knock down power of steel shot. That’s just my personal comfort level I would expect better shots to take farther shots and be successful. 

2. Being a responsible hunter means knowing what your capabilities are. Pattern your gun with different chokes and sized shot until you find a combo that works for you in your comfort shot range. Know your limitations before you go. 

3. Mentioned earlier in another reply scouting is the #1 thing you can do to improve your experience. If you aren’t in a place the ducks want to be then it doesn’t matter how many decoys you have or how good a caller you are its not going to be as good as it would if you were in a place the ducks want to be. If you find a place that has ducks in it while scouting and see them there several times you have found gold don’t blow it by shooting at ducks out of range or over hunting it. Duck hunting is just like every other hunting you will not be successful every time you go and really good spots are few and far between. 

4. Also mentioned in another reply but vey important stay hidden because if a duck that’s been shot at even thinks it sees something out of place you can kiss that duck and any of its friends goodbye.

5. Make the most of your opportunities, take a friend to share the experience with, Thank the Good Lord for giving you the day to enjoy in the outdoors, Leave the place you hunted better than when you got there. 

6. Be respectful of others setup if they are there before you the chances are they got up a lot earlier and made the extra effort it took to be there and setup before you got there.

7. Two more things. Mojo's don't always help sometimes they scare ducks and if the winds not making ripples on the water you better have a jerk string on one or two decoys. Movement in your spread is key on no wind mornings.

If anyone needs a partner and would take me with them I would be very appreciative and be happy to split all expenses and effort. It would be extreamly helpful to go with someone that has more experince and different ideas on duck hunting.

Good luck next season.


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## pak (Feb 15, 2013)

As a fairly new duck hunter(3 years) I would have to say the one thing that has helped me kill more birds than anything is SCOUTING, this is 10x as important when hunting public land.  

Just as others have said already, especially here in GA, if you want to have a successful hunt you have to be where the ducks want to be.


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## Woods Savvy (Feb 15, 2013)

Timbertalker said:


> Hunter etiquette is number 1 in my book. It's called respect. Do not set up a 100 yards from someone. 200 yards is EXPECTED but 300 is respectable. Swing shooting is a big no no. If some one is working birds don't shoot there swing birds. And if you have someone's swing birds flying over you, then you are probably too close anyways. Shoot your birds right! It's called hunting. Make the birds give up. If you are going out there just to shoot then find a dove Field or a skeet range.



When did three hundred yards become respectable?


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## duck-dawg (Feb 15, 2013)

Woods Savvy said:


> When did three hundred yards become respectable?



When a number of hunters decided 50 yards was a perfectly acceptable distance to set up from someone, even though those same guys usually feel they can hit and kill birds out to 80.


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## Woods Savvy (Feb 16, 2013)

The snag was never cut hints the name snag before the big tree fell a couple of years ago in the Jake it would not shoot a south wind. The snag was the south wind hole.


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## The Fever (Feb 16, 2013)

I am not sure if my advice has been posted already but here it goes anyways, because if you are reading this as a topwater reading it twice wont hurt. Always remember you are trying to mock what ducks sound and look like in real life. 5 people hail calling does not sound real, 5 people chuckling and soft quacking sounds more like it. Read the birds. If your calling doesent win them, its the wrong call. Cover is your best friends. If you can see the duck, the duck can see you. They see better than we do and from an angle we don't share. If you find a good duck spot don't tell anyone, not even your pastor. If hunting a small pond, do not put your decoys where you want the ducks to land, put them where you don't, they will light in the open water. This is regard to super small water. This trick works really well for small wood duck holes. Invest in warm clothes and worry less about the camo style or age. If you are cold on public water you aren't going to kill ducks because you aren't staying. Don't get on here asking a bunch of simple questions. Use the search function and if you have a unique question that has not been posted ( you wont) then ask it. Pick up on who one here are gentlemen. Larry, thunderroad, Mr russel to name a few. These are stand up guys who I have never seen put a guy down. Realize I named only three and that the majority of them are human like myself and get burned and worn out from the countless hours and tend to speak our minds, regardless if it is the time or place. Also remember there is a boy named Kenny. Search the name and read. The story is great but if all you get from it is the story about Kenny you need to ready it again until you realize what also happened. Last but not least (for now) remember that there are thousands of men and women who sacrifice a lot to enjoy duck hunting. I work 40 hours a week, pay for college out of pocket, help coach a football team, make time for a wonderful girlfriend, and take care of my family obligations. So when I find time to hunt I expect others around me to value it on just as high a regard and not ruin a hunt. You will get there too one day and realize how mad it will make you. If a man beats you to your spot, you lost out. If a man pulls sky high birds to his spread and you don't get a shot, you lost out. Strap on your big boy underwear, get up earlier the next time and be grown. Prepare for a miserable life, but its worth every sunrise. Good luck topwater. (one day you will shed this title, it is a right of passage)


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## kmckinnie (Feb 16, 2013)

The Fever said:


> I am not sure if my advice has been posted already but here it goes anyways, because if you are reading this as a topwater reading it twice wont hurt. Always remember you are trying to mock what ducks sound and look like in real life. 5 people hail calling does not sound real, 5 people chuckling and soft quacking sounds more like it. Read the birds. If your calling doesent win them, its the wrong call. Cover is your best friends. If you can see the duck, the duck can see you. They see better than we do and from an angle we don't share. If you find a good duck spot don't tell anyone, not even your pastor. If hunting a small pond, do not put your decoys where you want the ducks to land, put them where you don't, they will light in the open water. This is regard to super small water. This trick works really well for small wood duck holes. Invest in warm clothes and worry less about the camo style or age. If you are cold on public water you aren't going to kill ducks because you aren't staying. Don't get on here asking a bunch of simple questions. Use the search function and if you have a unique question that has not been posted ( you wont) then ask it. Pick up on who one here are gentlemen. Larry, thunderroad, Mr russel to name a few. These are stand up guys who I have never seen put a guy down. Realize I named only three and that the majority of them are human like myself and get burned and worn out from the countless hours and tend to speak our minds, regardless if it is the time or place. Also remember there is a boy named Kenny. Search the name and read. The story is great but if all you get from it is the story about Kenny you need to ready it again until you realize what also happened. Last but not least (for now) remember that there are thousands of men and women who sacrifice a lot to enjoy duck hunting. I work 40 hours a week, pay for college out of pocket, help coach a football team, make time for a wonderful girlfriend, and take care of my family obligations. So when I find time to hunt I expect others around me to value it on just as high a regard and not ruin a hunt. You will get there too one day and realize how mad it will make you. If a man beats you to your spot, you lost out. If a man pulls sky high birds to his spread and you don't get a shot, you lost out. Strap on your big boy underwear, get up earlier the next time and be grown. Prepare for a miserable life, but its worth every sunrise. Good luck topwater. (one day you will shed this title, it is a right of passage)



WOW! What a post!  Nice Good advice, I feel like I could do it now.


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## Timbertalker (Feb 16, 2013)

Woods Savvy said:


> The snag was never cut hints the name snag before the big tree fell a couple of years ago in the Jake it would not shoot a south wind. The snag was the south wind hole.



You knew what I meant. And Thats cause I wasnt in there. when you get as good as me you dont have to worry about wind. Either way it's 300 yards.


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## The Fever (Feb 16, 2013)

kmckinnie said:


> WOW! What a post!  Nice Good advice, I feel like I could do it now.



lol just doing my part....let me know if you ever want to tag along...


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## clent586 (Feb 17, 2013)

Woods Savvy said:


> Advice for a newbie, Disappointment is the product of improper expectation.



Where in the world did you pull that wisdom from?? You have a famous quotes book laying around the Hacienda....

My word of wisdom is not to let Yankees tell you how to inject your wisdom........and don't use drugs


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## Rack Buck Junkie (Feb 17, 2013)

This is all great info. I have only been duck hunting for a few years, but have hunted deer and turkey for over 20 years.

I try to read as much as I can about the sport, especially threads like these to learn from the guys who have been doing this a while.

I will offer a few things that I have learned:

I didn't kill a duck my first year hunting.  I attribute this mostly to not hunting where ducks are. Scout, scout, scout!

Leave room for ducks to land in your decoys...found this out the hard way.

Ducks like to fly into the wind.

Don't sky bust. It is much more fun to watch them circle and wait for the landing gear to come down!


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## derek054 (Feb 18, 2013)

Just to be clear I'm not saying that the advice that has been posted already is wrong or trying to bash it. I'm just saying try it and then try your own things and figure out what works best for you and your hunting situation. Here is my last season experience. I had been 6 years since I hunted and my buddy talked me into getting back into it with him. This is a very addicting sport and expensive. Scouting is the key to everything like everyone has said. This year is the first year I really got into calling. Started to learn how to call in late July. I went half the season not taking a call hunting because everything I read said "if you can't call don't take one". After watching ducks fly up the river past were we would setup I decide what would it hurt to try and do some simple quacks when I would see some ducks and had success. I believe its all about trial and error! If you don't try to call or how setup decoys how will you know if you are doing it right? Do whatever kills ducks for you! For example I had a good friend here that I hunted with a couple of times say mojo's didn't work here all you need is a jerk string for motion. Well I tried that no luck. Got a mojo and it worked. What works for one man might not work out for another so you never know till you try. North Ga ducks work different than South Ga ducks. Just get out there and try different techniques. Last piece of advice is ALWAYS RESPECT PEOPLES PROPERTY! If they are nice enough to let you hunt at least you can do is take care of it. If you see trash on it and its not yours pick it up. You never know the owner may see that you are respectful and let you hunt the following year.


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## wray912 (Feb 18, 2013)

The Fever said:


> I am not sure if my advice has been posted already but here it goes anyways, because if you are reading this as a topwater reading it twice wont hurt. Always remember you are trying to mock what ducks sound and look like in real life. 5 people hail calling does not sound real, 5 people chuckling and soft quacking sounds more like it. Read the birds. If your calling doesent win them, its the wrong call. Cover is your best friends. If you can see the duck, the duck can see you. They see better than we do and from an angle we don't share. If you find a good duck spot don't tell anyone, not even your pastor. If hunting a small pond, do not put your decoys where you want the ducks to land, put them where you don't, they will light in the open water. This is regard to super small water. This trick works really well for small wood duck holes. Invest in warm clothes and worry less about the camo style or age. If you are cold on public water you aren't going to kill ducks because you aren't staying. Don't get on here asking a bunch of simple questions. Use the search function and if you have a unique question that has not been posted ( you wont) then ask it. Pick up on who one here are gentlemen. Larry, thunderroad, Mr russel to name a few. These are stand up guys who I have never seen put a guy down. Realize I named only three and that the majority of them are human like myself and get burned and worn out from the countless hours and tend to speak our minds, regardless if it is the time or place. Also remember there is a boy named Kenny. Search the name and read. The story is great but if all you get from it is the story about Kenny you need to ready it again until you realize what also happened. Last but not least (for now) remember that there are thousands of men and women who sacrifice a lot to enjoy duck hunting. I work 40 hours a week, pay for college out of pocket, help coach a football team, make time for a wonderful girlfriend, and take care of my family obligations. So when I find time to hunt I expect others around me to value it on just as high a regard and not ruin a hunt. You will get there too one day and realize how mad it will make you. If a man beats you to your spot, you lost out. If a man pulls sky high birds to his spread and you don't get a shot, you lost out. Strap on your big boy underwear, get up earlier the next time and be grown. Prepare for a miserable life, but its worth every sunrise. Good luck topwater. (one day you will shed this title, it is a right of passage)



Attention newbs!!! read this several times....to be named a duck hunter is earned through hard work and trial and error, not watching dynasty and wearin max4 everywhere you go....you are a top water until proven otherwise not the other way around


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## fishndinty (Feb 18, 2013)

Rack Buck Junkie said:


> Leave room for ducks to land in your decoys...found this out the hard way.
> 
> Ducks like to fly into the wind.



These are simple, but amazing and overlooked pieces of advice we should all remember as we set our decoy spreads.  

To them I will add that we should not be complete slaves to wind direction when setting our decoys.  We have to balance how the ducks should land based on wind direction with being able to hide well and with being where the birds want to be!  In MY experience, hunting where the birds want to be (where you saw them yesterday) trumps everything.  Even if the wind makes it harder for them to land there, they will find a way to land there anyway.  Set up where the birds want to be and give them as much space as you can to land where you want them to.


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## fishndinty (Feb 18, 2013)

wray912 said:


> Attention newbs!!! read this several times....to be named a duck hunter is earned through hard work and trial and error, not watching dynasty and wearin max4 everywhere you go....you are a top water until proven otherwise not the other way around



It IS hard work.  I sometimes go through stretches where I feel like it's not worth it.  One good shoot where you figure them out and pile them up can make up for a whole season of struggle.  KEEP THE FAITH.


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## fishndinty (Feb 18, 2013)

derek054 said:


> Just to be clear I'm not saying that the advice that has been posted already is wrong or trying to bash it. I'm just saying try it and then try your own things and figure out what works best for you and your hunting situation. Here is my last season experience. I had been 6 years since I hunted and my buddy talked me into getting back into it with him. This is a very addicting sport and expensive. Scouting is the key to everything like everyone has said. This year is the first year I really got into calling. Started to learn how to call in late July. I went half the season not taking a call hunting because everything I read said "if you can't call don't take one". After watching ducks fly up the river past were we would setup I decide what would it hurt to try and do some simple quacks when I would see some ducks and had success. I believe its all about trial and error! If you don't try to call or how setup decoys how will you know if you are doing it right? Do whatever kills ducks for you! For example I had a good friend here that I hunted with a couple of times say mojo's didn't work here all you need is a jerk string for motion. Well I tried that no luck. Got a mojo and it worked. What works for one man might not work out for another so you never know till you try. North Ga ducks work different than South Ga ducks. Just get out there and try different techniques. Last piece of advice is ALWAYS RESPECT PEOPLES PROPERTY! If they are nice enough to let you hunt at least you can do is take care of it. If you see trash on it and its not yours pick it up. You never know the owner may see that you are respectful and let you hunt the following year.



I think that might be what I like best about duck hunting.  In real life I am a scientist for my job.  I love the idea that every new day duck hunting is an experiment.  Sometimes trying new things leads to productive results, and sometimes the experiment crashes.  As time goes on, our hypotheses (guesses) about birds become more reasoned as we conduct more and more experiments and make more and more observations over the years.


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## DamonRossFoster (Feb 19, 2013)

All this talk about skybusting...      I don't know or care if they were newbies, kids, democrats, etc.; But, as an example: A couple of jack ssas' were tucked around the corner from my buddies and I on closing wknd.  We personally watched them fire at EVERY bird that came within, literally, 100 yards!  I even watched them take down a cormorant at treetop  level.                                    

This is the kind of trash we're all dealing with here, and why so many on this forum are apprehensive (to put it lightly) toward newbies.  Like I said, I don't know if these guys were new or just special needs but either way they deserve a boot in the A and at least a ticket from Green Pants.   

There were plenty of birds that day, working decoys.  But, as is typical of late season they were weary; and swung high and wide.  Then, low and behold, were shot at.  Nevertheless, I know from experience that these morons ruined probably no less than thirty peoples' hunt that morning; as they were set up on an island, centered (and exposed, of course) around every other hunter in an exceptionally large area.   I'm pretty sure those guys can't read so they're not on this forum.  And that, is why, including this message itself, it seems so futile to even bother trying to get a positive message to the skybust mafia.  Better luck getting Feinstein to give tax breaks to owners of multiple semi autos.

Oh yeah, and as for positive advice...  IF you're new to duck hunting (because you were drinking with your friends and thought duck dynasty was cool) Just go and buy everything Drake Brand. Hats, Coozies, waders, jackets, stickers, etc.  That way the rest of us can distinguish the who's who of waterfowl hunting.  

Geez, bunch of feminine hygene wash recepticles.


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## kmckinnie (Feb 19, 2013)

The Fever said:


> lol just doing my part....let me know if you ever want to tag along...



I just mite do that. Thanks


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## fishndinty (Feb 19, 2013)

DamonRossFoster said:


> All this talk about skybusting...      I don't know or care if they were newbies, kids, democrats, etc.; But, as an example: A couple of jack ssas' were tucked around the corner from my buddies and I on closing wknd.  We personally watched them fire at EVERY bird that came within, literally, 100 yards!  I even watched them take down a cormorant at treetop  level.
> 
> This is the kind of trash we're all dealing with here, and why so many on this forum are apprehensive (to put it lightly) toward newbies.  Like I said, I don't know if these guys were new or just special needs but either way they deserve a boot in the A and at least a ticket from Green Pants.
> 
> ...



There is certainly more drama to waterfowl hunting on public land than almost anything I have ever experienced.  I have seen a dog get shot, fistfights, arrests, yelling matches, and all manner of poor behavior.  The Golden Rule would fix it all if people would just think about it.


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## Vmarsh (Feb 19, 2013)

Timbertalker said:


> when you get as good as me you dont have to worry about wind.



man got more compasses than lewis and clark


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## nickf11 (Feb 20, 2013)

DamonRossFoster said:


> All this talk about skybusting...      I don't know or care if they were newbies, kids, democrats, etc.; But, as an example: A couple of jack ssas' were tucked around the corner from my buddies and I on closing wknd.  We personally watched them fire at EVERY bird that came within, literally, 100 yards!  I even watched them take down a cormorant at treetop  level.
> 
> This is the kind of trash we're all dealing with here, and why so many on this forum are apprehensive (to put it lightly) toward newbies.  Like I said, I don't know if these guys were new or just special needs but either way they deserve a boot in the A and at least a ticket from Green Pants.
> 
> ...



AMEN!! Amen to everything in that post. There is a FINE line between being a newbie and being an idiot. And so many times on public land, I've seen people on the idiot side of that line. Which is why I'm very apprehensive. I get even more apprehensive when someone gets on this website asking "is it legal to hunt on (insert lake or river name) when the question can be easily answered in the regs or by making one phone call. If these people are too stupid to figure that out, whose to say they are smart enough to even know what sky busting is? Or better yet, the difference between a duck, goose, seagull, cormorant, osprey, etc. I worry about some people... And the fact that they potentially could be near me with a firearm...


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## Rich M (Feb 20, 2013)

Ever notice how all the preseason scouting changes the minute the guns start going off?   Scouting is over-rated.  Scout a couple times during the season, not before.  1 trip pre-season is all you need to see where the birds are using, then get in the flyways.

Not everyone who says they know what they are doing does.

A honey-hole is worth a lot - enjoy 'em when you find 'em.

After a while you'll stop worrying about shooting your limit.  Until you do that, you really don't understand the sport.   Best I can describe it, the bragging about limit kills is gone, the stress over someone sky-busting is gone, the racing thru the early dark is less chaotic and rushed, the birds aren't merit badges.  It is a new way of thinking.  You hunt smarter, not harder and you enjoy it more because the rewards are different.


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## carolinaboy (Feb 21, 2013)

Maybe I am just young but my view is totally different. With all the time and money I put into hunting I want results. If I do something I do it to the best of my ability. I scout just as hard preseason as I do the day before the last day of the season. I don't always strive to kill limits every day. There are times I will see a hole I know we can kill a 4 gun limit of ring necks but pass it up to shoot a hole that has less birds but maybe is holding cans or redheads. But it all comes down to what makes you happy.


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## fishndinty (Feb 22, 2013)

Scouting is not over-rated.  It is the number 1 thing you can do to ensure success.


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## LOVEMYLABXS (Feb 23, 2013)

It's kind of hard to give advice when I live in a different area but some things are the same no matter where you live.

If someone takes you to a spot don't tell everyone about it seems pretty simple don't it but it's happened to me. If somebody takes you and it's public land atleast ask if they will be there on the day you want to go also. No they can't stop you but heck maybe they'd take you and show you some of their tips. 

Alway police your are trash and empties after you're done from empties to trash. I once was cleanin up someone elses mess and found a box of shells with only one missing turned out not to be to bad of a spot and killed a few birds thanks to them showing me they had good luck by leaving all the empties liein around. 

Know your limitions 
This can range from how far you can kill to just knowing how deep the water is to do you have a dog and can you get the bird you knocked down ( is it to deep to wade to or are there gator or snakes that might keep you from retrieving a bird). 

How many and how do I set the deks up? 
Many things come into play here depending on weather it's large water or small. 
Here again I can't help iffin it's large water cause I don't hunt but mostly small lakes and ponds. This is because I hunt mainly where you have to pack in (novechicle travel) so what I take normally is maybe 6 to 12 ducks and a couple  of goose deks. 

How to set up? 
I always try to get the sun to my back so the birds have to look into it instead of me, I would also like the wind to my back if at posible (birds like to land into the wind when they can) but then again some places you might hunt won't offer you this. You just got to take what offered and make the best of it. Depending on how many deks you have and the kind of birds you're hunting and can use could determine how to set up. Open water and divers is not my area of specialtiy so lets talk about a small pond or lake. If hunting out of a boat or you can drive in the more the merrier but hey you might be hunting birds that have seen this since they left the north. Sometimes just a couple show a more relaxed setting I've used as little as 2 ducks and 2 geese and killed limits yea not the normal but hey that day it worked. You just got to be flexable. In flexable I'm not only talkin numbers but how and where . Be ready to move things around. An example was the first time I took my to be wife so she could she what it was that made me want to go out in nasty weather and hunt ducks and geese. We set up with half a dozen ducks to one side and 4 goose deks to the other. IT DIDN'T WORK. it had in the past but not this day so I went out and moved them all closer together. Sure enough the next 4 small (4 to 8 geese) came in on a string and within a half hour I had my 4 bird limit of geese. You just got to be willing to spend the time and work to move things around to what the birds want to see that day. By the way this was on a public lake within a 1/4 mile of the road and most don't hunt it cause they don't see birds as they drive by but I knew some would use it sure it's not the X but I knowing some would and was willing to try I got birds..... On this partiular lake/pond I have several spots to set up if it seems they don't want to be where I am I'll pick up and move. This applies to another spot I like where if I'm on one pond but they seem to want ot be on another pick up and move. I know on heavyly hunted waters you don't have this option so you just got to be ready for some change maybe just pull some of deks so you don't look like everyone else.

I guess what I'm sayin is get out and try different things and don't be afraid to try something else what works today won't always work tommrow. Just remember you goto be out there and not give up. You'll never get anything by setting on you computer trying to figure out why others are killin birds and you aren't. 

I do believe havin a dog (even a medaorker dog is better then no dog) will always give you a bud that's willin to go and can give you a lot of enjoyment to watch them improve and enjoy doing a job they LOVE. I can think of nothing else better then watchin a young dog find out they love what you do and just get better at it each year.

Chase with his 1st retrieve at 5 months then this year 3 years later to me it just don't get any better.

Remember you don't have to kill a limit to have a great day just enjoy the time you get to spend being alive and havin the chance to get out.... learn from you mistakes


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