# ROOSTING BIRDS



## shawn114 (Aug 22, 2003)

What is the definition of roosting birds, and what do I look for when scouting roosts vs. transition slough's. I would hate to mistake a roost for a transition slough and hunt it. Also, when finding a roost, how far away can you hunt from the roost for passing birds to and from the roost?


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## mallard (Mar 27, 2002)

The way I define a roost is,the place where they leave very early in the morning and usually return very late in the evening to stay the night.Of course they may return to the roost after there morning feed like geese do.Transition sloughs are loafing areas they use in there feeding areas.Decoy the fields and transition sloughs for good oportunities without burning out the area after one good shoot.


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## diver_sniper (Sep 6, 2004)

i also have a few questions about roosts. does it have to be thousands of ducks for it to be considered a roost? if i run into 150 mallards on a pond just sitting around in the middle of the day is jumping that ruining a roost? if ducks are on a pond when it gets too dark to see does that mean i should leave that pond alone because it is a roost? thanks


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## Bob Kellam (Apr 8, 2004)

Guys
Go to the home page of this site, and go to articles left hand side of the page. look up the article "Duck Hunting tactics for North Dakota" it was written by Chris.

Great article.
Have a good one!


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## Ryan_Todd (Apr 11, 2004)

a roost is anywhere the birds roost during the mid day and evening. leaving the roosts alone is your best bet. that is a great article that chris wrote.


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## shawn114 (Aug 22, 2003)

yea Ryan, It is a great article. I'm glad I put up the new post. I have printed copies to my two friends that are going to be hunting with me. They dont understand about roosts at all. I want them to learn the right way. The Nodak way.


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## Field Hunter (Mar 4, 2002)

You're right Duke..........deleted!


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## Nodak Duke (Oct 14, 2003)

Get off it... You don't have to bring a NR issue into something that has nothing to do with it. Don't you ever get sick of it? Some of you are like a bad CD that keeps on repeating over and over again. I have seen plenty of residents who are strictly jump shooters and roost shooters as well. Let's stick to the point here. :roll:


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## german wirehair #1 (Aug 23, 2004)

I'm getting the Idea that you fellows up there really hate us NR's. Thats to bad I have been hunting all my life and have never hunted a better or prettier place than the great state of North Dakota. Every body I met was just as nice as they could be. I never felt unwelcome. You boys don't know how good you have it up there. Come down here to SC and we'll show you what no ducks looks like. We can kill a boat load of wood ducks any time but big ducks most years are few and far between. I'm leaving here Oct 15th for the 1800 mile drive and can't wait to get there. Both my dogs are ready too. Black lab for waterfowl and my GWP for upland. See ya'll soon


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## Ron Gilmore (Jan 7, 2003)

Education of what is a roost and the value of a roost is a great topic for the beginning of the waterfowl season. Not all waterfowlers will be field hunters nor should they have to be. Jumps shooting while not what I prefer anymore is still a valuable way to hunt.

Understanding what waters to hunt or not hunt is what needs to be stressed again before the opener. Duke you are right about it not being isolated to NR only that hunt roosts. It boils down to what has been taught about hunting.

I started out strictly as a jump shooter or sneak hunter, as this was what I was taught. With that method of hunting I was also taught not to shoot the ducks in there bedroom. We jumped the transition sloughs or pass shot along the edge of feeding area's. Leaving the big groups of birds alone was a lesson I learned after burning a roost and not having any ducks left the next day.

For those that are coming here to hunt for only a 5-7 day period or the opener hunter that moves to pheasants the next weekend, all that is being asked is to think of other hunters coming later. Be that a RH or a NR.

Simply put most waters that need a boat to hunt are roosting area's especially with the low water conditions in parts of the state. If you do hunt these waters do not hunt them all day or for the duration of your hunt. For those that have look at the amount of ducks you saw the first day compared to the later days. Guys from WI I meet two years ago where struggling to fill their possession limit after a 5 day hunt on the same water.

They had hunted all day the first day and ate up a bunch of birds that night thinking they would fill again the next morning. Sun came with fewer birds, then Monday with even less, and Tues with a single shoveler. They never left that body of water.

The friends I hunted with never used the same water back to back even the transition area's and never had a problem finding ducks using the area's they hunted. Nor did the others that used them in the same manner later.

We tend to do what we know and what we did where we are from. So when things like this get pointed out just remember it is not to spoil your hunting here but to educate hunters in general on what is the best approach to puddle ducks in the Dakota's.


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## nodakoutdoors.com (Feb 27, 2002)

german wirehair #1 said:


> I'm getting the Idea that you fellows up there really hate us NR's. Thats to bad I have been hunting all my life and have never hunted a better or prettier place than the great state of North Dakota. Every body I met was just as nice as they could be. I never felt unwelcome. You boys don't know how good you have it up there. Come down here to SC and we'll show you what no ducks looks like. We can kill a boat load of wood ducks any time but big ducks most years are few and far between. I'm leaving here Oct 15th for the 1800 mile drive and can't wait to get there. Both my dogs are ready too. Black lab for waterfowl and my GWP for upland. See ya'll soon


There's always a few bad apples, and unfortunately they have to spoil all the topics with the endless R/NR dribble.

Don't let the bitter few ruin it for you, you're always welcome.


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## german wirehair #1 (Aug 23, 2004)

Thanks Chris 28 days and counting.


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