This will be my first year of what I would consider serious waterfowl hunting.  My only experience previously has been jump shooting one or two a couple of years ago and as a kid, but it was nothing serious though still have some of the gear from previous.  So now I have decided that I want to go full in and start.

What I have:
Shotgun and shells (gun has been patterned)
Waders and jacket
Call and instructional cd (I realize that this is a poor time to attempt calling being my 1st year and will mostly be sitting silent and putting motion into decoys)
A dozen and a half mallard decoys
1 Lucky duck motorized
Licenses (obviously)

So starting off what are some good tips to be successful this year?  Any pointers?

Also what can I expect?

Thanks in advance.

Waterfowl hunting has many forms. Do you have a blind? A canoe? a Kayak?
What will you need where you plan to hunt? Looking for ducks? geese?
Wood Ducks?
Mallards?
Teal?
Pintails?
You painting with a very broad brush, need more details.

Have access to a kayak from a buddy that will be joining me, his first year as well.  But looking to be able to just wade, so shallow waters.  Mainly planning on carrying and using the kayak for birds that are a long retrieve or picking up decoys.

Found plans for a portable blind using some camo net and pvc pipe that will be constructed prior to the season, but as of right now no.  Regardless we will either build the blind or just tuck into what's available and brush up the blind or what we find available.

Looking at just chasing ducks this year, specifically mallards.

Going to be sticking to public lands and what we have down here for walk in hunting areas, also as I am stationed in KS I have access to military training areas that aren't being used and are open for hunting.  Lakes, marsh and ponds will be the areas I'm looking at.  Will be scouting while small game and dove hunting as the areas are within close proximity.

I'm a relative newbee myself, but am really enjoying it.  I have a great group of guys that I hunt with and all have been very willing to help me learn.   My best advice is to find some guys/gals to hunt with and be a good hunting partner.  I.e. offer to help set up and recover decoys, offer to help out with any maintenance if you are all hunting on a lease, etc.   You may even ask if they need any decoys or other gear.  I found that the guys I hunt with had plenty of ducks for just about any spread they wanted to set, but were a bit low on full bodied geese decoys.  So I bought some and added to the collective pool that we all share.

As far as gear, just get comfortable with what you have and then you can add from there.  While I am a rookie, I have hunted enough now to know that all the money in the world won't buy you ducks or geese in your crock pot.   Even the high end guns don't aim themselves or pull the trigger for you, and even the most beat up old pump gun is capable of taking birds if the guy working it does his part.   I have found that areas where spending a bit more money is useful is in waders and coats, and also on ground layout blinds.  You can get some basic stuff pretty cheap, but it won't hold up to a few seasons of hard hunting.  That is the buy once cry once bit.  I now try to add once nice piece of gear each year and am slowly upgrading.  The nice thing is my old stuff is now a good back up or "buddy" set if we get a new hunter that doesn't have anything yet.


When you are in the field, be a good hunting partner as well.   Don't be afraid to ask when to shoot.  You don't want to be that guy sky busting birds that are way out of range and scaring them off.  You also don't want to be that guy that doesn't shoot at the gimme that practically lands on your blind on the side you should be covering.  When we hunt 3 and 4 man sets we have a basic field of fire, and usually one of the more experienced guys is the "lead."   When he's ready to shoot there is usually a "get em" or other noticeable movement indicating it is time to shoot.   Don't worry, you'll have some awkward moments where you both think the other guy is going to shoot and you fail to take some easy shots.   Like anything the more time you spend with them the more you'll start to know how everyone likes to do it.

As far as calling goes, the best thing you can do is to keep the call in the car/truck with you and practice when you are driving to and from work/school/the gym, etc.   It does take some practice but once you figure out how to say "Huuut" from deep in your stomach you can at least do a basic duck call.   Your hunting partners will tell you when they want you to call and when not to.   We've had times where just some overall chatter and noise seems to be the right thing and short of making some completely unrealistic sounds, the noise seems to bring them in.  Other times just a single good caller is needed to get birds to turn or come back into the spread if they are a little skittish.

A Canada goose call is either easier or harder depending on how you did on the duck call.  It takes a lot more air and inflection and hand position to do right, but once you get it down pat, it is pretty easy.   It will sound like you are trying to strangle a cat the first few times you do it but you'll get the feel for it.

You can absolutely do ok by yourself too, especially if you have access to land that has birds on it.  It is a little harder, but sometimes a good way to try without the pressure to perform.   I talked to a guy last year that killed more geese solo with a 6 decoy spread than he did when hunting with a group.  Where it gets tricky is hunting near water, where having a retriever is essential.  You can wade and retrieve birds on your own but are of course limited to the depth of your waders.



ETA...a few more things.

Subscribe to Ducks Unlimited.  It really is a good magazine with a lot of good pointers.  One of the hardest things is finding birds.  Because they are migrating they aren't in the same place for long.  Once you find them you might only have a few days if that to really hunt them.   Depending on your area, you can scout in the morning hunt in the evening or vice versa.  It really depends if you are hunting in feeding areas (birds will fly to those in the morning and leave in the evenings) or resting and roosting areas.

As far as getting a good blind, also remember that ducks, and especially geese have EXCELLENT eyesight.  Some say as good or better than birds of prey like Eagles and Hawks.  That means anything that looks a bit odd can give you away.  Being still is important, and also remembering that you need to put just as much into your overhead camo as you do to your line of sight camo.    That means potentially some way to hide yourself from above with only some small viewing ports.   Some light grasses and mesh matting is good for this as you can lay it on your head an it moves easily when you need to shoot.  But it also moves when you move, so a "tent" like set up is good for that.    Be careful not to completely trample any of the cover you might be in.  If you have trees or scrub brush that can be a good way to hide as well as the branches can break up the outline and provide some cover as well.


I'd say have a good face mask or be ready to paint your face with "war paint" to help as well.  Skin and eyes can reflect light and give you away, and a contrasting facial color relative to everything else (doesn't just apply to white / Caucasians) can also stand out.   Since where I hunt it is usually pretty cold out, I'll usually just wear a balaclava to help keep me warm and then if I need to put some face paint around my eyes to help.


Get a decent blind bag that you can put your shells and a few other items in, such as lunch / drinks etc.  I keep some spare dry socks and a spare set of dry gloves in there in a small sealable bag.  Thing worse than being cold and wet.   A small camo folding chair can help make you more comfortable, and a floating camo gun case is helpful too if you pack the gun your canoe or kayak.   Make sure it is camo though so it hides well.   We had one hunt where we had a couple of guys with black plastic hard cases and we had to hide those 100 yards away in the woods.

I know you already have waders, but make sure they are quality.  Whatever you do don't skimp on waders a $300 pair will pay off in the long run.

Ask me how my frostbitten feet know.

Good, quality waders, and expedition weight underwear.   You'll thank me later.   

Thanks for the advise so far from everyone.

Currently have the Cabelas breathable waders with thinsulate in the boots (duel use for fishing) which I plan on pairing with my issued light and medium weight cold weather tops and bottoms or my under armor gear.  Heavy weight socks will also be utilized.

Sounds like you may be military, so thank you for your service!

I will say that last year I bought some surplus cold weather ECWCS heavy weight under layers from Midway and they work great!  I essentially wear the bottoms under my waders and they are easy to slide in and out without bunching up.  The top fits nice under my water proof jacket.  The only thing I noticed is that they can be too warm if it is say warmer than 40F and we're doing a lot of slogging through mud or water to get to our set.  I've actually had to take off my jacket to keep from building up too much sweat.

What is the insulation rating on the waders?   I have fairly thin waders (3.5mm) and 800 gram that are ok but need the extra socks and under layers on really cold days.  Most of my buddies have at least 1200 or 1600 gram insulation and will wear either sweat pants or thin under-armor pants under them and regular thick hunting socks.

Also, go ahead and get a few wader repair kits now so you have one for WHEN (not if) you end up ripping your waders.  It will happen in the field and while you can't repair in the field most of the time (usually needs to be dry and have some heat to activate the adhesive) you can patch them up when you get home and be ready to hunt the next morning.

600 grams in the boots.  Maybe picking up some neoprene waders at a later date if I find that I need it.

Not sure of the temps there in Kansas where you are hunting, but given your background I know you will make sure you have enough in your under layers to keep you warm.   600grams won't last long in 32 deg water if you end up setting up in a flooded field or marsh with floaters.  We had a set last year where the water would freeze around us after about 15 minutes, and every 30 minutes or so we'd go out and bust the ice forming around the decoys to ensure the ducks had a good landing pad if they came in.  We only got a few that day as even the ducks thought it didn't look like much fun to be in that water.



I know I'm really rambling a lot, but man the feeling you get seeing ducks coming in and winglocking on your spread is really awesome.   We had a couple of times where we just watched them land in the decoys on the really good days where we had thousands of birds around.  We figured they made our spread look that much more real!   Even though those days are few and far between, it does make it worth it.

And I hope you plan to eat the ducks / geese you kill.   The divers are a little "fishy" but the mallards are incredible, and geese done right is better than a thanksgiving turkey.   If you have some success be sure to cross post here in case we missed it!

Nope, any advice starting off good advice.  Also appreciate it.  I have considered getting another pair of waders for if they are needed to weather that I would consider too cold or just as a back up.  Luckily the military has given me a special skill of being comfortable in horrible environments, lol.  

Have had duck before and enjoyed it, definitely plan on eating anything that I get.  Will do on and success stories if I get any.

Yep, I think you are far ahead of the curve compared to most guys out there when it comes to being able to manage less than ideal conditions.  Good luck!

Spend most of your time scouting.  If you are running a small set up and not a huge permanent blind with 1000 decoys, finding where the birds are is the most important thing you can do.

if you're hunting traditional cattail marshes or ponds surrounded with brush, the main component to hiding is standing still and covering your face.  You can wear bluejeans and red flannel as long as you aren't silhouetted and the sun isnt shining on your face.  

Motion on the water is important on calm days.  Whether you use a jerk string, kick the water, or use a powered shaker or decoy, some type of motion to create ripples will really help add realism to your decoy spread.  Look at drone footage of live ducks on the water and you'll see exactly what I mean.

Don't get caught up in the notion that you need to buy the most expensive decoys or calls.  Buy what you can afford and have confidence in what you use.  Use the weather to your advantage.  Even the most pressured ducks get dumb during those classic cold snowy days that we see in paintings.

Don't wade into an unknown environment in the dark.  Midday trips into new waters help get your bearings and you'll be able to figure out the depth of the water you are hunting to make sure there are no holes, dugouts, bogs, etc.

Dabbler ducks - mallards, gadwall, pintail, wood ducks,wigeon, teal, shoveler all like shallow water for feeding.  they do most of their water based feeding in 6-24" of water.  Divers can be anywhere depending on the food sources.  Mallards, woodies, pintail, wigeon, and greenwing teal will often feed in dry fields as well.  Field hunting can be some of the most fun you can have, but there is the additional investment into more specialized equipment; blinds or backboards & camo, field decoys, motion decoys, etc.  It's worth it though when you have 5,000 mallards turning down from the stratosphere into your dekes.

If you are seeing mixed species of ducks where you hunt, learn to use a 6 in 1 whistle.  More species can be called to with a 6n1 than a standard hen mallard call.  with the 6n1 you can call woodies, pintail, wigeon, teal, divers, drake mallard, etc.  Don't spend all day doing 25 note hail calls to every bird you see in the sky.  Sometimes not calling is the answer, especially if the birds are already working, and keying in on your spread or motion.  
For general duck & goose calling instruction, there are lots of good tutorials on youtube, but there is a lot of terrible instruction as well.  You'll just have to figure out what works for you.  I do suggest having 2 calls on your lanyard, that way if you are having issues with freezing or sticking, you can quickly switch calls and stay on the birds.  

Good luck and enjoy yourself.  The best part of waterfowl hunting is the friendships and experiences you'll have along the way.  You can stay as generalized in your pursuits as you want, or focus on specific styles of hunts targeting specific species.  Your interests will vary through the years.  You'll spend more gas money just driving around on township/grid roads than ever thought possible.  You'll slam on the brakes any time you drive by a slough full of birds.  You'll slam on the brakes any time you drive by a garage sale and notice a bag of mallard floaters sitting out.  You'll make some of the craziest shots you've ever taken with a shotgun, and you'll miss the easiest layup shots on birds feet down in the decoys resulting in wanting to throw your gun in the water.  good luck and have safe season.

Thanks everyone for the tips and suggestions.  

If anyone has anymore they would be appreciated.

Get some Gadwall and or Widgeon decoys too. Teal are usually a good add on.
Blowing sour notes hurts your hunt, but a little noise will never hurt. Teal/ pintail whistles are hard to mess up.
Chest waders. I prefer stocking foot with wading boots (good ones)
Good rain gear and layers - in Texas it can go from 30-60 in a couple hours, and visa versa.

Wait until you can see their feet, if there are people around you, and you don't sky bash, they'll be back.
DON'T SKYBASH

Seen enough of that on public dove fields.  Never understood someone's thought process on shooting something out of range that either educates the bird or causes a wounded bird.

If I know I can make the hit and they're within range I take them, if not they pass.

Fort Riley?

Focus on the small ponds (they are small) on the western portion of the training area, the closer they are to food plots with grain or beans the better,

Mallard, gadwall and wood duck decoys will probably be your best bet, most of what I ran into was mallards

Dont waste your money on any extra "waterfowl camo" the 7 layer system in multicam is fucking tittys for duck hunting, and even though I'm retired it's what I use.

Don't go overboard with the decoys, you won't need a whole bunch, and just a couple sitting on the water near a food plot will be enough to make any ducks coming from either of the lakes or the larger ponds swing in to see if they are missing something.

Try to place the decoys so that you are sitting with the wind from your back, often they will want to land into the wind. Keep your eyes open, and constantly scan, they will come from where you least expect it.

Do NOT sit directly behind your robo duck, put it off to a side, otherwise when they lock on to it you will be the next thing they notice right behind it.

Good decision on the call, don't worry about bailing and all of that crap, simple quacks just to get a passing ducks attention should do fine, even more for you because you aren't likely to be competing with 20 other hunters.

Late season there will be friggin cold, your gonna want to step up your boot insulation game

I'll check my old Riley hunting map with all of my grids and notes on it tommorow if I can find it and tell you if any spot stuck out more than any others to me while I was there.


I also had occasional luck smacking pairs and singles on that little pond where the water crosses the road off Williston point road blow the aha, nothing series, but occasionally.

Correct, Fort Riley.  Thanks for the tips and if you have that information it would be appreciated.

Grew up in Lawrence waterfowling pretty much my whole life.  Never really made it out as far west for ducks as Ft. Riley.  If your looking for green heads and you plan on wading out in flooded fields those breathable waders won't be enough you'll freeze your nuts off.  You're going to have to get some good neoprene ones.  It gets too cold late season to go without.  If you're planning on doing more layout blind hunting on the banks and not sitting in the water dressing like you would for the tree stand should be fine.  Are you a Kansas native? or have you just been there since you got stationed at Ft. Riley?

Only been living here since being stationed here.

gatcha.  well if you haven't spent a winter out there yet it can be a little shocking how cold it can get.  especially late season.  I would invest in some good neoprene waders.  Kansas has like the second lowest percentage of public hunting land in the country so i would really try and spend some time getting on the good side with some locals who have little ponds you can hunt on.  Most of the public land (since there is virtually none) is so full of hunters that it can be pretty off-putting sometimes.

Been here since 2014, moved around a lot prior but spent my younger years behind enemy lines in New York State so cold is normal.  Found a good sale going on with Cabelas and had some of their coupons so used them to purchase a late season/back up pair of their supermag waders, 5mm neoprene and 1600 grams in the boots.

those should do pretty good in the water as long as you got some good base layers on and you're sitting on something to keep your ass out of the water.  good luck on the ducks!

Thanks.

Went out on the opening weekend for early teal season.  No luck in the surrounding area and haven't been seeing any birds, only groups I saw were during opening of dove season when they buzzed the dove mojos I set out.

I would like to thank everyone for their advice and suggestions.  Myself and 2 others, both brand new hunters (only experience was dove season prior), headed out to one of the local hunting areas for opening day of Low Plains, Early Season.  After two morning hunts it resulted in the group getting our first ducks, also several coot (one of the guys in the group likes the taste and asks that if we feel like it to shoot some).

Notable moment of the first day resulted in decoyed 4 teal into the spread of decoys we threw out, myself and the other two ended up getting all 4 of them (myself getting 2 of them).  First day results for the group: 5- Blue-wing teal, 4- Coot

Second day results for the group: 1- Red Head, 1- Blue-wing teal, 3- Coot

Attached File


I'm hooked now and am defintely looking forward to the future hunts.  Also my SBE3 with 26" barrel worked great, love these guns.  My second one is currently on it's way back from Rob Roberts (cerakote and camo job, trigger work) and should have it this weekend to take out for a hunt.

Outstanding,  congrats on the success!

Congratulations on the successful start.  I think a lot of guys are going to be in for great seasons this fall based on what I've seen so far for staging birds and migration through Sodak.

Update:

Participated in 11 hunts so far.  Totals for the year are sitting at:

GWT- 9
BWT- 7
Redheads- 4
Gadwall- 7
Wigeon- 3
Mallard- 1
Pintail- 1
Greater Scaup- 1

3 hunts have even resulted in limits.  I’m loving this pursuit, only thing that could make it better would be a band.

Sounds like you have had some great success.  What are you doing with them after the hunt, come up with any good duck breast recipes yet?

You could easily hunt ducks for 50 years and never shoot a band.  I've hunted ducks since I was 10.  I'm 35 now.  in 25 seasons of harvesting an above average number of ducks I've personally shot 2 banded ducks, and 5 banded geese.  I've been on hunts where another 5-6 banded ducks were harvested, and 10-12 banded geese were harvested.  Fastest way to get a band is to target big canadas in september.  whether resident birds or molt migrators, the band to bird ratio is about as high as you'll see vs. other species.

This is an awesome thread! This is my 4th Waterfowl season so its always great to read something like this. I love the information and best of luck to yall!

Haven’t been trying much lately, attempted duck tacos and have just been making jalapeño poppers out of most of them.  Waiting on the Mallards to show up more before I start plucking and cooking them whole.