# how to scout



## beretta1201 (Oct 19, 2009)

i have a few questions about scouting. all I've ever done is drive around when i have time, and look for ponds that have birds in it, and then hunt it the next day, and Ive managed to do pretty well, but i have the rest of the week off and i plan on putting some miles on scouting for this weekends hunting trip. so here are my questions.

1.) when is the best time of day to sout ponds? feilds?
2.) how do you idetify a roost
3.) what do birds like to eat the most?
4.) where is the best place to find ducks? normally i hunt central nd north of 94.

also, i am new to field hunting, so any other info you have to offer would be nice. thanks in advance for all the info.


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## Duckslayer100 (Apr 7, 2004)

1) If you want to hunt water and are afraid of bumping a roost, scout in the middle of the day. Generally puddle ducks slip out early in the morning to feed and then return to water later before again leaving to feed toward sunset. Generally if you find a small slough with birds on it around noonish, its a good bet it's a transition slough and not a roost. Mind you this isn't a RULE, just a place to start. Find a bunch of sloughs that fit that idea and check them out again in the morning or in the evening. If they have little to no puddlers at that time, you got a transition slough. 
2) See question 1
3) Fleischkuekle at the Sunlak Inn :wink: 
4) Scout like you plan and hopefully you'll be able to answer that for yourself. My advice? Google World around where you plan on hunting and look for water. Water = birds.

Good luck.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

The best scouting is going to be right before sundown, and right after sunrise.
The birds like to eat whatever is available. Right now a fresh cut bean field, or silage corn field would be the ticket. But again find the birds and they will show you.
Normally the bigger waters will be the roost and the smaller sloughs and potholes are the transitional waters.
Drive around until you find a big flock of birds working a field or pothole, get permission if required, put your decoys right were you saw the birds feeding the night before.
If you are going after Green heads I think this is the best tactic. If you want more of a mix bag hunting the smaller sloughs and potholes will offer that.
The main thing is to drive around as much as possible find the birds and be where they want to be.
Things to buy if you don't have them. I would recommend a Mojo mallard, some sort of blind(keeps you out of the mud, and warm), and a good duck call and a dog. This all takes time to build up, just start some where.


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## beretta1201 (Oct 19, 2009)

thanks for the info guys. i have a mojo, call, blind and dog. how do you guys hide your dogs in the field.


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

I have a GHG Ground Force dog blind. It works good. Just stubble it in like your regular blind.


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## Behr360 (Oct 19, 2009)

My name is Nolan and I am 17 from minnesota. I was in Napoleon, ND for the non-resident opener. the ducks seemed to like the wheat and bean fields if they are harvested. The best time of day to scout that we found was right before dark and we saw them leaving the field and going to thier roost. We hunted that field the next day and the four of us limited out by 9:30am. If u field hunt make sure you the same color of the field. We took weeds and stuble from the field and put that in our laydown blinds. Have fun and good luck.
Nolan[/quote]


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## Nick Roehl (Mar 7, 2002)

Behr360 said:


> My name is Nolan and I am 17 from minnesota. I was in Napoleon, ND for the non-resident opener. the ducks seemed to like the wheat and bean fields if they are harvested. The best time of day to scout that we found was right before dark and we saw them leaving the field and going to thier roost. We hunted that field the next day and the four of us limited out by 9:30am. If u field hunt make sure you the same color of the field. We took weeds and stuble from the field and put that in our laydown blinds. Have fun and good luck.
> Nolan


[/quote]

Good info there Nolan, just keep the town names out. :beer:


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## Behr360 (Oct 19, 2009)

Ya I thought about that after the fact. but thanks .
Nolan


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