# Question on shooting a duck roost.



## Flint Hunter (Dec 3, 2004)

We have approximately a 5 acre duck pond on our property.  It is located in the middle of a 50 acre peanut field.  The pond is surrounded by a 10-15 yard thick ring of oak trees.   Wood duck are coming into the pond in huge numbers and are using as a roost site.  What is the best way to shoot this roost site.  Is it to try to surround the pond and sneak in early morning before they fly-off, or to hunt it as they fly in at night.  My concern at night is that we may not be able to find the duck we down without a dog.  Any suggestions?


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## Shaun (Dec 3, 2004)

Just be sure that you know that legal shooting hours for waterfowl end at sunset. Woodducks hardly ever come into a roost pond during legal shooting hours. Hope that this helps.


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## Big A (Dec 3, 2004)

best thing to do is to sneak in really really really quietly and catch them coming off the pond. This is how I hunt my woodducks.


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## bigunga1 (Dec 3, 2004)

the only LEGAL way to hunt this pond is to get on the upwind side of it on a cloudy morning....

the usually take off into the wind "unless spooked" and they will leave BEFORE LEGAL shooting time on a clear day...

if you need further assistance or company please let us know...

you could go out around 8 am and wait for them to come back from feeding.... some , but not all will come back during the morning... 

good luck...


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## NO LIMIT (Dec 3, 2004)

soona s you shoot one time in the morning they are all gonna clear the pond!

go in their one afternoon and bust em!


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## bossgobbler (Dec 3, 2004)

If you want to hunt the pond legally, then you have three options:
                   A.  Shoot them in the morning as they come out.  It is true that you run the risk of all of them leaving after the first shot, but you should have some fast and furious shooting for a few minutes.

                    B.  Shoot them coming back in later in the morning.

                     C.  Shoot them in the evening--remembering that shooting hours are over at sunset.  You won't get many woodducks in early but there may be some.

If you want to shoot them in the afternoon after hours, then remember that you were warned that this is illegal.  

Best thing is to be there when they leave and then wait for some of them to come back.  

bossgobbler


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## Flint Hunter (Dec 3, 2004)

Thanks guys!  Great advice.  I want everything to be legal.


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## UWGduck (Dec 7, 2004)

bigunga1 said:
			
		

> the only LEGAL way to hunt this pond is to get on the upwind side of it on a cloudy morning....
> 
> the usually take off into the wind "unless spooked" and they will leave BEFORE LEGAL shooting time on a clear day...
> 
> ...



Couldnt had said it better myself


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## duck-n-deer (Dec 8, 2004)

Another option that wasn't mentioned........evening hunt on a rainy day. We have had some luck on roost ponds with this method. We get in the pond a few hours before sunset and the bad weather tends to bring them in early, make sure you know the sunset time for your area and i would stop shooting 5 min. early just to make sure.


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