Early-fall breezes are like high-octane fumes that rev up duck hunters’ engines. Mix in a passion for waterfowling. Excitement over migration reports. Enthusiasm for the way the Dog is working. Is it any wonder that so many of us find it hard to sit idling behind the starting line? It’s okay to get fired up for the coming season, but be careful not to jump the gun. As you eagerly anticipate all the sights, sounds, and thrills of the opener, make sure you’ve done your homework.
Here are some tips that will help increase your chances of bagging more waterfowl on opening day.
Find the Right Spot
Nothing contributes so much to duck hunting success as being in the right spot. The best blind, decoy spread, calling, and other factors won’t matter if there are no birds around. It’s not enough that an area looks good to you. What matters is how it looks to the ducks.
You can start by checking water levels in local marshes, lakes, and management areas. Have recent rains flooded fields or caused rivers to spill over into adjacent bottomlands? Will tides be running in coastal areas? What are feeding conditions like? Answering these and other questions is a form of intelligence gathering. Other good sources of information include online posts about duck counts on local refuges and reports gleaned from networking with fellow hunters.
But the best way to find a good hunting spot is to hit the road right before opening day to discover where ducks are feeding, roosting, and loafing. Nothing is more reliable than your own firsthand scouting. Follow ducks from roosting to feeding areas. Learn where they’re loafing at midday. Try to discover their flight lanes as they move between these locations. Then pick a place or two, and build an opening day strategy around the best opportunities you’ve uncovered. Continue: http://www.ducks.org/hunting/hunting-tips/tips-for-opening-day-ducks