wantabee duck hunter needs help

king fish · 10-15-2002, 02:35 PM

the wife gave me a new shot gun for my birthday. and would like to shoot some ducks,but need some help.anyone wants to show a newbee the ropes it would be great

Jellyhead · 10-15-2002, 02:51 PM

Well, the first thing I would suggest is to find a place to go. That will all depend on if you have permission to hunt on private land, or if you want to get in on the public refuge hunts or hunt the waterways out of a boat.

Once you've got that down then start watching the ducks. Ducks will not decoy were they do not naturally want to be. Hold off on the calling, it's better not to call, then to call poorly.

There's alot to learn. Hopefully someone can show you the ropes. I learned without a mentor, and do ok, so It can be done on you're own.

Just be safe

Aaron

Get Bit · 10-15-2002, 04:20 PM

KF,

I would be glad to tell you what I know. Haven't been at it that long but the last couple
of years I've gotten the fever pretty bad. Is there anyplace you have in mind to hunt ? Obviously private land is usually best and w/out the idiots but the public land can be really good at times too. If you have specific q's
email me.

Get Bit

mallard0311 · 10-15-2002, 08:59 PM

Hey KingFish,
Have been at it too long to mention. Mostly hunt Sauvie Island up near Scappoose. Or go to Umatilla to the McCormick unit early in the year when the weather is mild here like it is now. You have some excellent hunt areas in the Salem area that I am sure are better than here. Feel free to ask me any questions and I will try to help. Some of our member's from the Salem area might help you but they don't like to share their spots. Up here we have an early morning draw. If you get a low enough number you get a decent blind. If you get a high number might as well head to the Decoy club.

Capin' Dan · 10-15-2002, 10:02 PM

KF check your private mail

1pump · 10-16-2002, 10:25 PM

KF-
If you're going to hunt the public land on SI (Sauvie) and need info, E-mail me. Been hunting out there almost 20 years. Luckily for me when I started hunting ducks I tagged along with a guy who really knew his s***. Without him I would've wasted a lot of time & aggravation and probably would have quit a long time ago. The state area out there gets a bad rap and some of it is deserved, but there's a lot of killer hunting for those people who know how to work the system and are willing to put forth an effort. Most of the bad-mouthing the area gets is from people who really haven't hunted much out there and/or get discouraged easily. There's 12,000 acres out there and a lot of it sucks, but like anything else you gotta put your time in & pay attention & talk to the right people :grin: Of course, if you know the right people, you'll probably be hunting on private land anyway.

Tilla · 10-18-2002, 08:08 PM

Duck hunting is hard work. Once you get past that then you learn to understand it as a passion and an art.

Flatfish · 10-18-2002, 11:11 PM

OK,lets get it started.First take the new gun and shoot your waders with it.Now do it again.No real duck hunter has waterproof waders.Now put the waders on and strap a moderate sized car to your back.To get you used to carrying the decoys,thermos,lunch,chair ,shells,dog whistle,and camo.Now walk around in a dark swamp with the car strapped to your back.Are your waders leaking?Good.After you do permanent spinal damage, trip on the black dog(the real reason most labs are black is to camo them from their owners in the swamp in the dark)and fall into the water.Good.Get up now and place your enging block and transmission in the water in a fashion that will make ducks want to land amongst the metal.Now take the seats out of the car and build a blind out of them.Now unstrap the car and sit on it and wait for the sun to come up.Have a cup of coffee while you wait........(elevator music).....OK now drop your gun into the water as you reach for a call.Got the call?Good.Now pour out the water from the gun barrel.Good.If you feel hypothermia coming on thats ok.It is normal to freeze to death while sitting on a good car errr.. I mean a good blind when you wait for the sun to come up.Ok now fall asleep.Good.Wake up at 10:45.Good.Pack all the stuff into the car and strap it onto your back.Begin to walk out.Flush ducks.try to shoot ducks but gun is unloaded.This is also normal.Go home and do your honey do's.Tomorrow morning it's time to go duck hunting again and there is no time like the present.
Mark and the special forces duck dog.

SLEDDER · 10-19-2002, 07:35 AM

KF, I hunt out of St. Paul on the willamette and then downriver near the Molalla river. I am always willing to take somebody else with me and or check out new areas. Let me know if you are interested. I have a 21' Northriver that gets me around, but I usually hunt from the bank with decoys. I don't hunt around the crowds because of the sky busting that goes on. (Sky busting is shooting at birds that are way out of range.) I wish I could find private property, don't really know anybody that has property catering to waterfowl.

1pump · 10-19-2002, 10:46 PM

Flatfish-

Good lesson. You forgot the part about setting your lunch out so that there's no way you can shoot without dumping it in the mud and/or water. This will bring birds in every time. Another sure-fire way to get ducks into your spread is to answer nature's call by putting down your shotgun, get at least 15' away from the blind, pull your waders down below your knees so you can't possibly walk without doing a face plant, and you will be rewarded by the sight of foot hangin' mallards settling in to your decoys. Of course they'll flare before you can take two steps toward the blind (where your shotgun is) But that's OK. Like Flatfish says, this is normal. He's obviously a very experienced hunter.

BTW Flatfish, what's up with your dog? Every time you do a post his title changes :tongue: My Lab's brown, and she disappears just fine in mud, day or night. Of course when I yell at her I'll flare birds I didn't see coming in 'til it was too late, but that's OK too.......

Flatfish · 10-20-2002, 09:54 PM

1pump,
every year as The Great Pumpkin prepares to visit the pumpkin patch, the dog begins to morph.First he only sleeps 12 hours a day instead of his normal 23hrs 15 minutes.Then he begins to wake me at 3:30am and insists that I get up.He does not need to go potty.Then he begins an intense cardiovascular workout consisting of fetching a dummy twice and pooping in the neighbors yard.After that he sleeps some.Hey after a few fetches I get pretty tired so who can blame the dog?Pretty soon I am expecting the camo tattoo phase.this lasts for about a week.After that the metamorphasis is complete from slobbering comatose couch potato to duckninja.He will stay in duckninja mode for about 107 days.After this he reverts to sleeping for 23hrs 15 minutes a day.I call it "The rest of the year".
Actually I went out with the gun and parka this morning.He went crazy.He knows the gun/quad combo.He must cause I have been shooting skeet all summer and the gun never woke him up then.He must be able to smell it.
Bet ya never direct another question to me.An answer this long has got to be boring.Besides that it's duck season.Get off the 'puter and kill them feathered targets.
Mark and the tired but in a state of awareness dog.Kinda like a CIA agent in the movies.Except he has 4 legs and is much more likeable than most CIA agents.

1pump · 10-20-2002, 10:11 PM

I'll be gettin' off this freakin' computer about mid Nov, when the water comes up and I can use my boat. (hopefully) I'm gettin' too old and fat to hump 300lbs of Flambeau super mags and assorted gear. My dog's gettin' too old and fat, too. She just turned 12 but I might be able to squeeze another season out of her. :tongue: :smile: :grin:

GutshotApe · 10-21-2002, 09:58 AM

1pump - I hope your dog holds up. My 11.5 yr old choc lab blew out his hip a couple months ago and his hunting days are over. I went to the private pond I hunt saturday and cut blackberry vines out of the path into the blind. At least 200 ducks, mostly mallards plus teal & woodies flew off the pond when I arrived, shortly after noon. Didn't even bring my shotgun because of lack of dog. But it was fun to work on the blind and to see all those ducks fly. Thinkin' about a new lab pup [img]graemlins/idea.gif[/img] .

Flatfish · 10-21-2002, 06:23 PM

Mid November is good to us usually.But Ducktober is just too fun.Bluebird days,enough birds to make a trip, and it beats football anyday.
GSA,very sorry to hear about the dog.Mine has had a ton of problems and he is 6 .Wonder if he will see 12.I dread the day I take another cause he's hurtin too much.At least you see it like you should and understand it as an opportunity to start thinking of a new pup.
Good hunting to us all.
Mark and the Jedi Duck Dog.

1pump · 10-21-2002, 11:31 PM

That's what sucks about dogs. Mine's the daughter I never had, and I can't imagine hunting without her. She was a year old on her first hunt, so she's always been there for 11 years. But the day is coming...... :depressed:
I remember a guy out on SI telling me about his yellow Lab keeling over and dying of a heart attack on the hike out to Hunt unit. That would absolutely suck, but it's a helluva lot better than having to make the decision to carry your old hunting partner into the vet for the last time. At least his dog died doing what he liked best..........