# Need some advice on duck hunting



## laxratnd (Jan 23, 2008)

Ok guys here is some background.

I started duck hunting about a year ago. I live in Long Island, NY so only way to duck hunt is in the back bays of salt water.

I am new to this and would love some help from you more experienced duck hunters out there. I would like to learn the right ways.

From what i have been told the big thing is to keep the wind to your back, is this a law or a suggested rule.

Also how should i set up a decoy spread and how many decoys should i put out. Right now i just put them out randomly and in no set order or spread. I am not sure if this is the right way to do but would love to learn the correct way.

I try to set the decoys about 20 yards in front of my boat.

The area i duck hunt in is marsh land in the back bays usually.

I am in the process of getting aids to learn how to duck call correctly.

If anybody out there can shed some light for me that would be greatly appreciated.

Thanks again

Stephen


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## goosebusters2 (Jan 13, 2006)

The best thing you can do is scout. If you're not where the birds want to be it makes it very hard to shoot birds. Scouting can also tell you how to set your decoys, try and recreate what you saw scouting when setting out your dekes. One more thing about decoys is try to create some sort of landing zone for the birds.


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## thebigpunn (Jan 15, 2008)

agreed! scoutin is key. see how many are in the water and try to mimic your spread to the amount and type of birds are there. see what times they are coming in, direction and so fourth. make sure you get a conservation guide for your state to check on shooting times and species numbers and type. it can be expensive and take the wrong species.


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## Honker Guide (Mar 15, 2007)

You need to keep the wind at your back as much as possible because the ducks will land into the wind. That way they don't have to approach you from behind and usually they don't like to approach over land. A good old saying is that if your friend likes to hunt with the wind at his back, you will need to find a new friend!!!


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## tommydailey05 (Sep 25, 2008)

Salt Water duck hunting is a total different ball game when it comes to tatics. I agree that scouting is the key, but it makes it hard when all the palces you want to hunt in the salt water basin marshes are huge. Try to go out about dark and just watch. It can help you find out where the roost is and you can plan you attack based on that. Next on the decoy situation. If you are where they want to be then you dont need any decoys. If you are hunting and there are alot of ducks in the area, then a large spead is not a bad idea. Once again it all depends on what species you are hunting. If you are hunting alot of sea ducks then a large spead is recommended. If you are killing alot of Paddle ducks (Mallards, Teal, Wigeon, Pintails, ect) then i would prefer about 3 dozen decoys if you are not where they want to be. I would also recommend a Robo Duck (if they are legal in your state). Now to the part that alot of people disagree wiht me about. Calling is what makes a GOOD duck hunter. This will take time and years to master. YOu will have to know when to call and when not to call. This will be very difficult for you due to your region, because of the different variety of waterfowl there. Usually most paddle ducks will come to a Mallard call but i have seen pleanty of pintails flare from it. As for how your decs should be set. Alot of ppl will say yea mimic the birds on the water. This does not always hold true. You tell me when a group of birds land they stay in one spot and dont move? Alot of experts will always say make your decoys in a J pattern with the hook of the letter J as your landing zone. If you are hunting big open water then really a pattern doesnt matter, but sometimes in a flooded field it does. I hunt alot of flooded timber and i dont put my decoys in any order i just throw them out. I hope i answered all your questions. Good luck and happy hunting.

P.S- Dont buy any Wal-Mart duck calls. If you are gonna learn buy a good one that you can learn on and stick with it for a long time. Hunter Grounds make a awesome duck call and i would recommend his calls. Not because i hunt with him and his dad all the time but because i have been in the shop and seen how they have been made.

Tommy
Gene Pecords Hunting Club (Horseshoe Lake)
Cache,Southern Illinois (Goose Capital of the World)


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## tommydailey05 (Sep 25, 2008)

Salt Water duck hunting is a total different ball game when it comes to tatics. I agree that scouting is the key, but it makes it hard when all the palces you want to hunt in the salt water basin marshes are huge. Try to go out about dark and just watch. It can help you find out where the roost is and you can plan you attack based on that. Next on the decoy situation. If you are where they want to be then you dont need any decoys. If you are hunting and there are alot of ducks in the area, then a large spead is not a bad idea. Once again it all depends on what species you are hunting. If you are hunting alot of sea ducks then a large spead is recommended. If you are killing alot of Paddle ducks (Mallards, Teal, Wigeon, Pintails, ect) then i would prefer about 3 dozen decoys if you are not where they want to be. I would also recommend a Robo Duck (if they are legal in your state). Now to the part that alot of people disagree wiht me about. Calling is what makes a GOOD duck hunter. This will take time and years to master. YOu will have to know when to call and when not to call. This will be very difficult for you due to your region, because of the different variety of waterfowl there. Usually most paddle ducks will come to a Mallard call but i have seen pleanty of pintails flare from it. As for how your decs should be set. Alot of ppl will say yea mimic the birds on the water. This does not always hold true. You tell me when a group of birds land they stay in one spot and dont move? Alot of experts will always say make your decoys in a J pattern with the hook of the letter J as your landing zone. If you are hunting big open water then really a pattern doesnt matter, but sometimes in a flooded field it does. I hunt alot of flooded timber and i dont put my decoys in any order i just throw them out. I hope i answered all your questions. Good luck and happy hunting.

P.S- Dont buy any Wal-Mart duck calls. If you are gonna learn buy a good one that you can learn on and stick with it for a long time. Hunter Grounds make a awesome duck call and i would recommend his calls. Not because i hunt with him and his dad all the time but because i have been in the shop and seen how they have been made.

Tommy
Gene Pecords Hunting Club (Horseshoe Lake)
Cache,Southern Illinois (Goose Capital of the World)


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## laxratnd (Jan 23, 2008)

Hey, thanks for the advice, i really appreciate it all. So far i shot a nice black duck this season and a whole bunch of brant, But there are some many brant in my area that if you dont shoot any of them then its pretty sad. I have taking a few shots at some mallards and the funny part it that i see that i hit them when the feathers fly but they dont come down. haha. But so far the season is going well and iam till learning and trying different things.

thanks guys

stephen


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## tommydailey05 (Sep 25, 2008)

What kind of shot are you using when duck hunting? I tend to use 3 inch 3 shot when i hunt flooded corn fields and rice fields. I use 4 shot in flooded timber due to having to shoot through alot of brush sometimes so i like how #4 patterns. Also the right choke for the situation is key also. If you need any more advise give me a holler!


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## laxratnd (Jan 23, 2008)

I am using number 2 shot, 3 1/2 most of the time and sometimes 3inch. I am using kent fast steel and winchester xpert. That is because thats what i have so much of and got them at really good prices. I am using a rem 870 with a kicks high flyer xfull choke in it but i just got a new shotgun so still getting use to it. I know part of my problem is i am not leading the bird enough, any advice on that part. But when iam on they drop like flys but when iam off, they fly away every time. lol.

the other problem is that we have so many freshwater pounds right around us that we can not hunt so alot of the ducks like to hang in there. So i am really waiting for this cold weather to come in and freeze up the ponds to get the birds out in the salt water. OH and the geese just about never land in the saltwater. I guess all the school fields and golf courses and fresh water ponds dont help.

thanks again

stephen


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## tommydailey05 (Sep 25, 2008)

Leading a bird depends on alot of different things. Wind spead and the dirrection the bird is traveling with the wind. Also the distance plays a factor as well. If a duck is within 30 yards of me and flying from right to left or left to right, i tend to place my bead right in front on the birds beak. If he is flying directly at me I place the bead aboove his head since he will fly into the pattern that way. Trying to explain how to lead a bird and when to squeeze the trigger pretty much takes time and practice. IO would advise some trap shooting with inexpensive shells before blowing off expensive shells in the field trying to learn. Something else i could advise you about is FOLLOW through. Alot of vetern duck hunters will teach you about follow through. Once you squeeze the trigger on a bird keep following the bird even if it is dead all the way to the weater or field. This will help you on follow through. This is the first thing my Grandfather tought me about the art of wing shooting. I believe that follow through is one of the biggest reason hunters miss birds. Also the lead is sometimes of also due to the size of the bird. Like a mallard may seem like he is 40 yards away but is really 60 because he is a bigger bodied duck compared to lets say a wood duck. A wood duck may only be 40 yards away but because of his body size he appears 60 yards away. Like i have said before in my last post Duck hunting takes years to master. If you were here in Southern Illinois i would take you out hunting one day and i could help you but since you are up there i have to resort to this forum post. Try going to a sporting goods store and picking up a video on wing shooting. Tim Grounds has a video out there on the market. His video shows you as you would look down the barrel opf your ole shotgun and it is in real hunting conditions. this may help you alot.


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## laxratnd (Jan 23, 2008)

Hey tommy,

I am not new to shooting at all and i know all about trigger squeeze and follow through. Ive been shooting precision 3 position smallbore rifle and precision air rifle since i was a little kid and shoot for college now. So these techniques i do practice and always live by.

I do go trap and skeet shooting a pretty good amount and its very rare for me to not hit a clay. I guess iam just not in the grove for shooting ducks yet this season, still early in the season.

I am really use to custom fit rifles due to the nature of what i shoot for precision shooting, and i just picked up a benelli super black eagle II which fits me really nice and i can adjust it also.

I know my problem and i kick myself when i do it, is that i tend to rush. I never rush when iam shooting comps but i rush sometimes when duck hunting and that is why i screw up and miss. So ill be working on that this season just to take a few extra seconds to get that shot perfect.

thanks again for everything tom.

stephen


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## 9erfan (Oct 18, 2007)

I am using a rem 870 with a kicks high flyer xfull choke in it but i just got a new shotgun so still getting use to it.


> stephen,
> not sure, but you may be 'over-choked'--be careful with steel and an xfull choke. typically, a mod choke will provide a 'full' choke result when used with steel. my apologies if you're ahead of me on this one, but you can really do some damage to both gun and body if this one is screwed up. good luck, and may the "rush" never leave you when the birds are over the decoys!!!


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## laxratnd (Jan 23, 2008)

Hey, i know all about the issues with chokes and steel shot. Its usually windy and you usually get pretty far shots, thats why i use the xfull choke, plus i just wanted to see how it performed out of my gun and on game. i am fully aware about watching out because you can damage the gun, but i have gone over everything with the maker of the choke, and after many rounds the choke is in great shape.

But now i shoot a benelli super black eagle II with the modified choke in there so that should work great until i can get a drake killer.

stephen


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