Duck hunting for dummies.

[Turkeyslayer 1300]

I can work a duck call and goose call but not very well, would I be better off calling sparingly and relying on the decoys more or should I use my mediocre calling skills more frequently.I hunt a series of ponds that some days are packed (weekends) and others (week days) empty.My normal blind is centred between two of these ponds My decoys consist of 15 mallards ( hens and drakes) 6 wood ducks (hens and drakes) and 2 widgeon decoys and a single goose decoy any help designing a spread and thought on call frequency would be appreciated.

 

[sjemac]

I can work a duck call and goose call but not very well, would I be better off calling sparingly and relying on the decoys more or should I use my mediocre calling skills more frequently.I hunt a series of ponds that some days are packed (weekends) and others (week days) empty.My normal blind is centred between two of these ponds My decoys consist of 15 mallards ( hens and drakes) 6 wood ducks (hens and drakes) and 2 widgeon decoys and a single goose decoy any help designing a spread and thought on call frequency would be appreciated.

I only call until I get their attention. If they are coming, I only use a low feeding chuckle. Tips and tails is the rule. Only call to wing tips and tails unless you can MASTER the feeding chuckle. No calling is better than bad calling.

On packed days, don't call at all. Trust me you will get more birds than the other 15 rotten callers on the marsh.

Keep the goose well separate from the ducks and better yet get 2 more and keep them in a distinct group from the duck decoys.

 

[7.62mm]

I can work a duck call and goose call but not very well, would I be better off calling sparingly and relying on the decoys more or should I use my mediocre calling skills more frequently.I hunt a series of ponds that some days are packed (weekends) and others (week days) empty.My normal blind is centred between two of these ponds My decoys consist of 15 mallards ( hens and drakes) 6 wood ducks (hens and drakes) and 2 widgeon decoys and a single goose decoy any help designing a spread and thought on call frequency would be appreciated.

I find ducks are way more sensitive to bad calling compared to geese, geese will come into anything even remotely sounding like a goose. Keep calling to a minimum. When you see ducks coming to your spread, I tend to lay off the calls, or if I do call, its more of a "feeding chuckle" then a loud call. I find most newbies at the calling game call far to often and far to loud for the situation. Ducks normally circle a potential landing area a couple of times before they commit themselves, where as geese that haven't been shot at usually drop right into a spread.

Decoys, I tend to use more Hens than Drakes in my spreads, I just find the Drakes are too loudly painted, than anything you see in nature. Leave a decent pocket for the decoying ducks to land in, and focus their attention on. I do like to put out confidence decoys while I am duck hunting. A couple pairs of goose decoys, set away from your main spread works well in my opinion. Best thing is not to be set on one setup, if things aren't working change it up, obviously they don't like something, try to figure out what it is.

Also, I might add that movement is key. Keep your movement to an absolute minimum until you are about to shoot.

Hope this helps
7.62mm

 

[Grouse Man]

No calling is better than bad calling.

Absolutely. You can even get their attention by standing up and waving your arms for a second, then get back under cover.

 

[Jay]

All good advice so far. A couple others that I have learned.... I have had as few as 6 decoys out in situations like you describe. If they are set in the open, out of the weeds, the ducks flying by WILL see them. If you are in the weeds, then more decoys and possibly a spinning wing decoy will attract more attention. Also, you talk about putting out goose decoys. From what others have told me, ducks hesitate to land over geese, so keep them seperate as the other guys suggest. My guess is that a goose could put a good beating to a duck it thought was "to close"...

Cheers
Jay
P.S. I have had geese come into 2 spinning wing decoys before, just at dark and last shot. Like they were on a tow line to! It was amazing!

 

[gofish247]

I am not a great caller as well. When I see a flock in the distance I will use a hail call, but once the ducks are in close I keep quiet and still and let the decoys do the rest. I use six mallards (3 drakes, 3 hens) and three goose decoys. Hoping to get a wind powered spinning wing decoy for this year to add to the spread.