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Guide for preparing for duck hunting season
Wild duck hunting may be the most popular game fowl
hunting sport in the world, and it is becoming more popular each
year because of technological advances in all the various kinds
of hunting equipment that make duck hunting so productive. The first
step in preparing for duck hunting season is to obtain a list of
areas where duck hunting is permitted from the state in which you
prefer to hunt. You should also check with them about their licensing
requirements and any other requirements pertaining to duck hunting.
According to the U.S. Fish and Wildlife Service, the top 10 most
popular states for duck hunting are:
1. Arkansas
2. Louisiana
3. California
4. Washington
5. Illinois
6. Minnesota
7. North Dakota
8. Texas
9. Idaho
10. Tennessee
In the region known as the Mississippi flyway where ducks head
south every fall along the longest river in the United States, massive
flocks of ducks migrate into the Mississippi Delta, which is a huge
duck hunting area that contains swamps, bayous and flooded forests.
Arkansas is located inside the Mississippi flyway and it is famous
for its excellent duck hunting. Because more ducks are harvested
in Arkansas than in the entire rest of the Mississippi flyway (more
than 70,000 duck stamps are sold in Arkansas every year), Arkansas
is known as the duck hunting capital of the world. Eastern Arkansas
has long been one of North America's most popular duck hunting destinations
simply because it is also one of North America's top destinations
for ducks. In Louisiana, duck hunting season generally occurs between
November and February because numerous species of ducks migrate
there to feed and rest during the winter. California features excellent
duck hunting all along the Klamath River basin where the largest
single concentration of ducks in California occurs. In Texas, pintail
ducks, redheads, scaup, teal, bufflehead, widgeons and gadwalls
can all be found in great abundance on the flats of the Aransas
Pass. When preparing for a successful duck hunting trip, performing
preliminary research about migratory patterns and local feeding
areas is always a good idea.
Duck hunting weather
One way that experienced hunters prepare for duck hunting is by
paying close attention to weather reports because they know that
certain kinds of weather influence their chances for a successful
hunt. A low pressure system moving into an area means that rain
is on the way and whenever winds intensify, ducks move to protected
areas like river backwaters, lake coves, green timber openings and
the lee side of islands. During rainy weather, ducks look for shelter
and that limits their locations as more and more ducks move into
fewer and fewer areas. Stormy weather is good for duck hunting because
the cloud cover eliminates shadows from the sun that reveal the
location of a hunter and there’s also no glare from metallic
gun barrels that can frighten ducks and cause them to fly away.
Whenever visibility is limited by rain, clouds, fog or heavy snow,
ducks tend to stay grounded. In these types of weather conditions,
experienced hunters keep sounding their calls because they know
that ducks will reveal themselves as they rise up and fly toward
friendly calls. Because of all these factors, what most people call
bad weather is good weather for duck hunting.
Duck blinds
Successful duck hunting depends upon the ability to remain hidden.
Duck hunting blinds are camouflaged structures that are designed
to conceal duck hunters. There are two common types of ground blinds
that are used for land-based duck hunting; pit blinds and layout
blinds. Pit blinds are solid structures that are placed into a hole
in the ground or on the bank of a body of water. Layout type duck
blinds allow a hunter to have a low profile in a field without digging
a hole and usually consist of a metal frame covered with canvas.
Ground blinds are easy to set up, they can be comfortable, and they
are lightweight and portable. High quality ground blinds have roofs
that can keep out rain, snow and bright sunlight, and even reduce
a hunter’s scent. Many types of ground blinds fit into a compact
pack, and they are easy to carry and pop up with minimal effort.
Because they are easy to set up and take down, a duck hunter can
move back and forth between several promising roosting areas and
feeding locations within the same day. Camouflage netting is available
in a variety of patterns and is comparatively inexpensive. Floating
duck blinds are used for water-based duck hunting. An amazing variety
of camouflaged boats have been developed to function as floating
duck blinds because the most common habitats for ducks are in the
inland water wetland areas.
Duck hunting decoys
Decoys are a very important part of duck hunting equipment, and
preparation for successful duck hunting depends upon proper placement
of the decoys. Most duck hunters use standard sized mallard decoys.
Proper placement of duck decoys is not as simple as just tossing
out decoys within shotgun range. The species of duck and their natural
decoying tendencies play an important role in setting the spread
of decoys correctly for successful duck hunting. Puddle ducks prefer
to land in calm water on the outside edge of a decoy spread. Diver
ducks will typically fly over distant individual decoys and land
toward the front of a spread. Decoys need to be spread out properly
to attract the particular type of duck being hunted. Duck hunting
experts advise to distribute the diver and puddle duck spread within
shotgun range, and also to spread out some diver duck decoys up
to 100 yards away for increased visibility. The number of decoys
in a properly placed duck hunting spread should vary according to
the type of duck being hunted. Diver ducks fly in larger groups
than puddle ducks and require more decoys to get their attention.
However, the more decoys a hunter puts out, the more decoys a hunter
has to pick up and the less mobile a hunter will be. More mobility
leads to better duck hunting results. Duck hunters often use a decoy
bag to carry their decoys, additional clothing, food and other duck
hunting equipment and gear.
Duck hunting clothing
Duck hunters usually dress warmly in the morning but because midday
heat can make duck hunting uncomfortable, they often wear a T-shirt,
a chamois shirt, and a down vest that they remove in the afternoon.
A good waterfowl shell bag comes in handy for storing the vest when
the daytime temperature rises, and also for storing pliers, gun
oil and ammunition. As part of their hunting clothing, duck hunters
often own two pairs of waders. During the early duck hunting season,
they wear vinyl waders. During the colder months, they switch to
neoprene. Waders can be more useful than hip boots for a novice
duck hunter because they can be used in more situations than hip
boots. If the water isn't too deep, chest waders serve the same
purpose as hip boots and hunters find that they can hunker down
in a wet marsh or stand by a cypress without getting wet. Vinyl
waders are less expensive than neoprene waders, and they are more
abrasion resistant, looser, and allow more air circulation. On the
other hand, neoprene waders fit better and they avoid the feeling
of wearing a heavy vinyl bag.
A waterproof jacket and gloves are very important items of hunting
clothing because they keep hunters warm and dry. The most popular
jacket for duck hunting is called a "4-in-1." It is a
short jacket that can be tucked inside the waders to keep the hunter
dry. A 4-in-1 jacket has a zip-out lining which is removed when
hunting in mild weather and zipped back in when the weather becomes
cold. It often has a layer made of Gortex that waterproofs the jacket,
and is usually topped by another synthetic layer that makes the
jacket resistant to wear and tear. The best camouflage clothing
is also made to be waterproof and weatherproof. A camouflage backpack
is a very good idea for carrying additional clothes and other miscellaneous
items. Other specialized clothing related items that are popular
with duck hunters include hunting backpacks and hunting fanny packs.
Preparing for goose hunting season
There are many types of geese, including Canada geese, Ross’s
geese, white-fronted specklebelly geese, snow geese and blue geese.
The Great Lakes region maintains a very large population of Canada
geese. Ross’s geese are found during the winter primarily
in California, and their population is increasing on the east coast
and in the lower Mississippi Valley. White-fronted specklebelly
geese spend their winters mostly in the Central Valley of California,
in Louisiana, and on the Gulf Coast of Texas. Because white-fronted
specklebelly geese possess keen eyesight and the ability to accelerate
quickly while in flight, they present a challenge to a goose hunter.
Until recently, blue geese were considered to be a separate species,
but they are now recognized as a genetic variation of the snow goose.
Snow geese travel in huge flocks that often number in the thousands,
and this is why they are the type of goose that is most often hunted
in the United States. South Dakota and Missouri are two of the most
popular states for snow goose hunting during the spring. The Sand
Lake National Wildlife Refuge in South Dakota normally reaches a
maximum yearly population of about 700,000 snow geese and many smaller
staging areas throughout the state hold more than a few hundred
thousand geese. The Squaw Creek National Wildlife Refuge in Missouri
normally reaches a maximum yearly population of about half a million
snow geese. The two other most popular areas in Missouri for goose
hunting are the Swan Lake Refuge and the Smithville Reservoir. February
is the best time for goose hunting in Illinois, Missouri, Kansas,
Colorado and Nebraska. During March, productive snow goose hunting
occurs in Iowa, Nebraska, South Dakota and North Dakota. When April
arrives, usually only South and North Dakota are productive for
goose hunting. Snow geese are also hunted in New Jersey, Delaware,
Maryland, Pennsylvania and many other states. Snow goose populations
have more than tripled in the past 30 years, from just over 800,000
geese in 1969 to about 2.8 million today. Performing preliminary
research about migratory patterns and feeding areas for geese in
the state in which you prefer to hunt is always a good idea in terms
of preparing for a successful goose hunting trip.
Goose hunting blinds
Goose hunting blinds have evolved from military camouflage netting
draped over home-made metal frames into pre-manufactured portable
layout blinds. High quality goose hunting blinds are covered with
camouflage material and often have stubble straps sewn into the
blind. The biggest advantage of a layout type goose hunting blind
is portability because the layout type enables hunters to move to
new locations and hunt exactly where geese were spotted the night
before. The low profile of the layout type goose hunting ground
blind allows hunters to remain inside their decoy spread without
being seen by the geese. A hunter’s ability to call geese
from inside the decoy spread without being seen is crucial to achieving
a productive hunt. Ameristep offers high quality goose hunting blinds
that are built with 100% waterproof Durashell material, which is
extremely resistant to abrasions. Ameristep goose hunting blinds
feature a ripcord release system that springs the blind doors open
for a quick shot at incoming geese.
Goose hunting decoys
The type of decoy used in goose hunting is different from the type
used in duck hunting. Sometimes silhouette decoys are the only option
a goose hunter has. The silhouette goose decoy is a two dimensional
decoy that seems to disappear when viewed from above. The advantage
of using silhouette decoys in goose hunting is that geese see the
decoys disappear when they are directly above them and then reappear
as soon as they are not directly over the decoys, and this perceived
movement tends to attract them. The disadvantage of having silhouette
goose decoys seem to disappear when viewed directly from above is
that high-flying geese do not see the all the decoys within a decoy
spread. Goose hunting experts advise to spread silhouette decoys
by at least 10 feet and separate them into two or more different
groups 20 yards apart or more because there should always be silhouette
decoys within sight of incoming geese. Increasing the distance between
individual silhouette decoys tends to prevent incoming geese from
being completely above or nearly above an entire silhouette decoy
spread. This tactic makes incoming geese feel safer and approach
the goose hunting location more readily. There are also various
types of shakers and swimming decoys available that can be efficient
if used properly. Creating the impression of too much movement within
the goose hunting area can frighten off incoming geese. However,
placing goose decoys and waiting for geese to approach is most often
considered to be a waste of time by experienced goose hunters. Instead,
most hunters use goose callers as a more effective means of luring
geese close enough for a good shot.
Goose hunting calls
There are two types of non-mechanical goose calls; the flute call
and the short reed call. When goose hunting over water, it is recommended
to use a flute call because it is quieter and mellower than a short
reed call. When goose hunting in open fields, short reed calls seem
to work better. Successful goose calling depends upon knowing when
to use a caller even more than it depends upon knowing a particular
way to make the call. If a flock of geese flies in a disorganized
manner, if they fly relatively low and break formation, or if they
flap their wings at a fast rate, they are likely to respond to calling.
However, the art of goose hunting has changed. Until recently, the
use of recorded goose calls was outlawed as a method of luring migratory
geese to hunters. But with the overpopulation of snow geese and
the resulting impact on the arctic tundra, many state’s environmental
managers have legalized more aggressive measures to increase the
effectiveness of goose hunting. Nothing attracts geese better than
actual recorded sounds of live geese calling to each other. Some
hunters use portable electronic callers that continuously play a
variety of snow goose calls. Some hunters use electronic callers
that are powered by a car audio system and are capable of running
four speakers to amplify recorded calls out to overhead geese. There
are even high tech digital callers that are available into which
different sound cards can be inserted.
Productivity in duck hunting or goose hunting is increased when
a hunter is properly prepared in advance. Knowing where the best
locations for hunting are, where the local feeding areas are, and
understanding the migratory patterns are all important factors.
Owning the best hunting equipment such as duck blinds, goose blinds,
decoys, and high quality hunting clothing are also very important
keys to successful hunting.
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