# ROOSTING DUCKS



## Phil The Thrill (Oct 21, 2005)

mY BUDDY THINKS THAT MESSING UP A DUCKS ROOST IS ANY TIME HUNTING A DUCK ON THE WATER. dAY, eVENING, lUNCH, aFTERNOON. hE SAYS THAT IF YOU HUNT DUCKS ON WATER IT WILL SCARE THEM OUT OF THE AREA FOR GOOD. i JUST CANT SEE THE DIFFERENCE BETWEEN HUNTING THEM IN A FIELD OR ON WATER WHEN THE THEY "ROOST" ON WATER AND ON LAND AND FEED ON WATER AND LAND. SO HE IS GETTING MAD AT ME FOR WANTING TO HUNT DUCKS ON THE WATER. PLEASE WRITE BACK SO WE CAN ALL PROVE THIS DUMB *** WRONG!


----------



## ADN (Sep 27, 2005)

Ducks have three general uses for water: Roosting, resting, and feeding.

There can be various combinations of these three in one place. However, I know of one lake in my area where geese roost on at night but wood ducks go there to feed in the early morning and late evening. The wood ducks roost in a different area and only use the lake for feeding. Also, birds will use a loafing pond during the day if they don't want to fly all the way back to their roost after feeding. If the food is close to the roost the birds may just return to their roost in the mid day.

So, I probably didn't convey my point to well, but, no, not every place is a roost. But, I would err on the side of cautious if I wasn't sure if a pond was a loafing area or a roosting area.


----------



## always_outdoors (Dec 17, 2002)

first things first. Turn off the caplocks on your computer. It indicates you are shouting at everyone.

This is a touchy subject on this site and will probably get everyone all worked up about it. It has been hashed over and over again and I would suggest going back through posts on this site and reading through those.

IMHO there are just too many definitions of a roost buster on this site.

To me a roost buster is one that either drives by and jumps the pond from the road early in the morning or comes in early in the morning walks out to where the ducks are sitting and blows the roost and walks back to the truck to go somewhere else. This type of hunting usually ruins it for both the field and the pond hunter (especially if the pond hunter got in there earlier that morning).

Personally I enjoy hunting over water. I don't consider myself a roost buster becuase I go in early and try to get around the ducks and set up close to them and not shoot until later in the morning or when the ducks are returning from the field. The other enjoyment of pond hunting is you are not limited to the species of waterfowl you hunt. Not every species of duck is going to come into a field.


----------



## DuckerIL (Dec 9, 2005)

Here's my take on it from a NR...... I've been up to ND the last couple of years.... strickly field hunting (with permission and the lack of a huge spread) with good success and even on slow days could not have had a better time. Looking forward to many more. Hunt water exclusively here in Illinois so I'm sure there is appropriate opportunities for doing the same in the great state of ND...... that being said, I'm staying in the fields for a couple of reasons. I'm really still learning the field hunting style (enjoying the heck out of it) and have read a bunch on this site regarding what a roost is or isn't, etc, etc.... As such, I'd much rather err on the side of caution, hunt the fields, not contribute nor be a cause of the Resident/Non Resident issue, field/roost issue. Quite content having the opportunity to head North for a week or so and enjoy the people of ND and partake of a little duck hunting. Thanks


----------



## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Here is a good explanation from A Delta Waterfowl Biologist.

Question:

Where do ducks sleep? Do they sleep on land or water and why?
-Jon

Answer:

Ducks generally use three types of areas: open fields (for food), a wetland near their feeding field (also for feeding, as well as washing and drinking), and a roost site (for sleeping). Roosts are found in areas where the birds feel safe and are seldom disturbed. These resting areas may be found over a mile from the feeding field. Depending on what is available, roost sites are usually medium to large ponds, or wide rivers.

To avoid predators, waterfowl are most often seen sleeping on the water, with their head turned around backwards and nestled into their feathers, to keep their unfeathered bill warm. As if sleeping on the water isn't safe enough, ducks also have a habit of sleeping in a line where the ducks on the ends sleep with one eye open, watching for predators.

Many duck species may also be seen sleeping on land near their roosting pond, often standing on one leg with the other tucked up into its feathers. Again, this is done to stay warm.

Exceptions to these sleeping habits include the Harlequin Duck, which tend to roost on rocky shores to avoid sleeping in rough water, and Wood Ducks, who usually roost in trees. Stiff-tailed ducks, such as Ruddy Ducks, have difficulty walking on land because their legs are set far back on their body and are almost never seen sleeping out of the water. In fact, Ruddy Ducks are so comfortable sleeping in the water that, if you're very quiet, you may see one blowing across a wavy pond!


----------



## NDTerminator (Aug 20, 2003)

Every body of water isn't a roost. I have absolutely no qualms about hunting sloughs, but leave roost water/sloughs alone. There are times during the season when birds begin using a slough I hunt to roost, at which time I stop hunting it. Because I live here in ND I know the areas I hunt intimately I know the traditional roosts and can identify & recognize these temporary roosts when they pop up during the season...


----------



## Bob Aronsohn (Mar 21, 2005)

I hunt Mallards in a creek where they roost in the evening. I don't shoot them then I just wait for them to go feed in the morning, I watch to see where they lifted off from and go in and set out my decoys. I wait for the stragglers to drop in and when I get my limit I get outa there! Never has hurt a thing in all the years I've hunted that spot! They like to loaf in that area after they feed so it's a natural for them to come back just a few at a time.

Bob A.


----------



## honkbuster3 (Jan 11, 2006)

Generally, In my experiences every time somebody trespasses on my land and jumps shoots the roost, they don't return and I have to wait for another wave in the migration. So I say you shouldn't hunti the roost, you want the birds to feel safe on their roost and I wouldnt mess with them. :beer:


----------



## goalieman (Apr 17, 2006)

I have been going to ND for 5 years now and it took me awhile to get a good grip on the whole roost,transition areas. Now that I do, I see why hunters get upset about hunting the roost.it's all about getting educated on the subject.


----------

