Opening day disaster. Might switch to field geese for duck hunting

TheCoachZed

TheCoachZed

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Opening day of duck hunting was an absolute disaster, with no birds.

Thinking of leaving the marsh and trying something new.

Maybe field geese. There was a guy close by to is who was using field geese and he shot as many ducks, or more, as the guys in the marsh.

Anyone else ever try that? I have definitely shot ducks off field geese before, just never targeted them that way, especially on opening day
 
jlovie said:
I've had ducks light in my spread but never on purpose, meaning I didn't set up goose decoys to entice ducks. I call it a happy accident, which pretty well sums up my waterfowl hunts in general.
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I have definitely heard of it being done and seen it on YouTube and other places.

Gotta change something up, and get away from the too-early shooting and the skybusting. I had a good blind and a good decoy spread yesterday, and didn't have a single bird decoy in over two hours of first light, first day. Pretty hard when everyone else shoots at whatever is within 80 yards, no matter whether they can hit it, kill it or retrieve it.
 
TheCoachZed said:
I have definitely heard of it being done and seen it on YouTube and other places.

Gotta change something up, and get away from the too-early shooting and the skybusting. I had a good blind and a good decoy spread yesterday, and didn't have a single bird decoy in over two hours of first light, first day. Pretty hard when everyone else shoots at whatever is within 80 yards, no matter whether they can hit it, kill it or retrieve it.
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I've heard guys shooting in a next door field at flocks absolutely nowhere near where they are set up. Zero chance of a solid hit, stupid on a lot of levels. I think I remember reading somewhere that ducks will light with geese but not vice versa? I have no experience to back that up but I wonder if it's a safety in numbers thing, or if the ducks feel more comfortable landing with larger birds?
 
I don't understand what is meant by saying "I shot ducks off field geese " but I often hunt ducks by using shell type goose decoys in fields. I don't own any duck decoys meant to be used in the fields. It is completely normal here in Saskatchewan to have mixed flocks of Mallards & Pintails, Canadas and Snows feeding in the same field. Yesterday was typical. Hunting a nearby harvested pea stubble field my brother and I placed our spread of several dozen Snow goose decoys downwind, in a Vee formation and somewhat fewer Canada goose decoys at the upwind point of the spread. Snow and Ross' geese will pass over the entire spread and try to land at the front of the vee, Ducks will decoy to the outside edge or front of the Canada goose decoys. We had an action packed morning, shot our limit of 16 ducks and another half dozen snow geese and a few Canadas.
 
Longwalker said:
I don't understand what is meant by saying "I shot ducks off field geese " but I often hunt ducks by using shell type goose decoys in fields. I don't own any duck decoys meant to be used in the fields. It is completely normal here in Saskatchewan to have mixed flocks of Mallards & Pintails, Canadas and Snows feeding in the same field. Yesterday was typical. Hunting a nearby harvested pea stubble field my brother and I placed our spread of several dozen Snow goose decoys downwind, in a Vee formation and somewhat fewer Canada goose decoys at the upwind point of the spread. Snow and Ross' geese will pass over the entire spread and try to land at the front of the vee, Ducks will decoy to the outside edge or front of the Canada goose decoys. We had an action packed morning, shot our limit of 16 ducks and another half dozen snow geese and a few Canadas.
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Errr, I mean I've hunted over field geese decoys, and shot mallards that came in for a peek. I don't get much opportunity for field hunting, but I've seen it happen. Not so much in PEI where I grew up, but certainly here in NB.

I have field geese shells and a few floaters, and I have a lot of unpainted silos in the basement. Need to get around to painting them, although I'm not sure if goose silos work on ducks.
 
Use goose decoys and a duck spinner for the ducks and you will kill plenty if they’re using the field.

We shoot a lot of ducks with just goose decoys and a duck spinner.
 
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The best duck decoy is a goose. Last two times out we both shot our limit of ducks with geese decoys and a spinning wing duck. Remember to turn off the spinner if you want geese to come in. Especially white fronts.
 
Absolutely field hunt ducks. I hunt fields for ducks 99% of my duck hunting outings. Don't even own a pair of waders or canoe, duck boat etc any more. If the water is deeper than I can walk in regular rubber boots the ducks get a free pass. The best duck shooting in the world is sheet water on a field. They eat it up like a bunch of kids on a box of smarties!!
 
TheCoachZed said:
Do goose silos work on ducks?
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I’m sure things vary depending on where you are hunting but around me they sure do. Ducks seem less discerning than geese in my experience, at least in the fields. Duck spinners are great for drawing in ducks but geese are wary of them so do yourself a favor and get a duck spinner with a remote - that way when you hear the geese coming you can shut down the spinner. I love goose hunting and shooting a few ducks at first light before the geese are even out of bed!
 
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